No Results After Arm Liposuction

The good news is that you are only 4 weeks post-op which is early in the recovery process. It takes longer to see the final results from liposuction of the arms than most other areas. This is due to the fact the that there is not a localized fat deposit in the upper arm and that the skin is thinner and does not shrink back as well as other ares of the body. The liposuction has to be done in a way to avoid contour irregularities (dents), over-removal resulting in wrinkling and prevent making the skin loose and hang. For these reasons, less fat can be removed from the arm than other areas. Post-operative compression with a garment is important. I generally stress realistic expectations with this procedure as you are not going to see the dramatic movement in your arm measurements  as in areas such as the thighs or abdomen. I would recommend discussing your concerns with your Plastic Surgeon.

Best Regard, Andrew Lyos MD, FACS

Hi, thank you for your question. It can take a few weeks to see results after liposuction due to swelling. I generally advise my patients that they can expect to see a nice change after about a week or two, but it can take 3-6 months to see the final results. There is always some variability, so definitely hang in there and give it time!

I would discuss the surgery with the surgeon as well as the amount of fat removed and the option for revision surgery. Perahps your less than ideal results are due to poor skin tone.

Liposuction in any area takes approximately 3 months to see results. It is too early to see results as objective as measurements. You likely still have edema and firmness in the tissues and have not been exercising as much as previously considering you had thighs and arms done. Drop the tape measure and start some cardio now. I would recommend returning to see your plastic surgeon at 2 months for early before and after comparison photos if you have returned to normal activity.

Dr. Trussler

Gravity pulls the swollen arm down more when the arm is outstretched and swelling can last for months after liposuction, so you may not see your great result for a while. Have you been instructed to wear a compression garment? This may help minimize the swelling seen.

mman,

You had your liposuction only one month ago, it may be too early to see the final results.  Also, arms are a bit tricky in that after liposuction you will still be left with loose hanging skin.  Thus the arms may have been de-fatted but because of your excess skin you still have the apparent volume to your arms.  

Best thing right now for you is to talk to your plastic surgeon and ask what to expect and how much more you should expect to see change.

Sincerely,

Martin Jugenburg, MD

If you're not seeing the result you expected after a liposuction procedure- follow up with your plastic surgeon. My experience with liposuction results is that swelling and bruising can persist for several weeks, and may obscure a good result, which takes months to evolve. Several months from now, you will likely note some improvement to your arms. If its not what you expected, follow up with your plastic surgeon.

Thank you for the question.

At four weeks post op,  it is still too early to see the final results of your liposuction surgery.  It will be several more weeks for all of the “swelling” to resolve and several more months (up to a year) for the skin to redrape completely.

I would suggest continued follow-up with your plastic surgeon (and patience). 

Best wishes.

The final result after liposuction of the arms may not be observed for several months after surgery. During this time, the bruising and swelling gradually resolve, and the skin shrinks back down to the smaller volume created by removal of fat.

Hi.

Be optimistic and wait.  It is still early. The results of liposuction of the arms are often more subtle than in the thighs.