What causes lumpy stomach lipo?

Question

Hi. I want to get stomach lipo, but the fear of ruining my body with a lumpy result is holding me back. What exactly causes this lumpiness? Is it too large of a cannula, too much fat removed, poor surgical technique, or is it just the way some people heal and it can’t be avoided? If you do get a lumpy result, what are the odds it will go away? The surgeon I’m thinking of going with uses tumescent lipo under general anesthesia. Is this a good lipo method?

George Marosan, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. The short answer is poor surgical technique. It also depends if you are interested in fat reduction liposuction only or body sculpting to give you a more athletic physique. In the US, any physician can do or allowed to do liposuction. Personally, I've done corrective surgery from emergency room physicians, gynecologists, family practitioner, neurologist and others. You get the picture. To clarify, every liposuction technique uses tumescent anesthesia (lidocaine/epinephrine solution injected into the fat compartment). The plastic surgeon has additional tools which help give better definition, especially in secondary cases. As a Total Definer surgeon, I specialize in advanced body sculpting techniques. I like to use the VASER technique and the PAL system +/- fat transfer if needed. To do spot liposuction of a limited area will result in suboptimal results. One has to treat the torso as a whole cosmetic unit to achieve harmonious results. The later is truly transformative surgery.
See a board certified plastic surgeon experienced in advanced body sculpting techniques for an in person consultation/evaluation. Good luck.

Alan Gonzalez, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello @Darwin88, thank you for your question and showing you pictures. It is important to take into account several aspects among which is the surgical technique applied. Many times the characteristics of these lumps under the skin or retractions are secondary to a conventional fat extraction technique. The best course of action is to consult one or several board certified plastic surgeon for more information and options tailored specifically to your needs. Best wishes! Alan Gonzalez MD, FACS. American Society of Plastic Surgery Member (ASPS),International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Science” Member (IFATS), Colombian Society of Plastic Surgery member (SCCP).

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question regarding what causes lumpy stomach Lipo. There are a couple of components that could lead to lumpy stomach Lipo. It depends on how you heal, the scar tissue that your body forms, the compression garments, how consistently you wear them, lymphatic massage, and the surgeon’s techniques. All of these factors can contribute to lumpy stomach lipo results. It’s hard to assess whether you are a good candidate for liposuction without any pictures. However, I prefer to do liposuction under general anesthesia. I find that this is the safest and most effective way of doing liposuction. Please check your selected plastic surgeons website for photos of their liposuction results before and after. I wish you the best of luck in your search of stomach liposuction.

Tania Najar, MD · Answer

It's imperative that liposuction on your stomach is done right, both technique and recovery. If you get lumps it's very hard to remove, but vaser technology has been know to help address.

Ricardo Vega, MD · Answer

Hello, thank you for your inquiry! Lumy areas after liposuction can be due to how the patient heals, and also not doing the post op massages indicated or suggested. I always recommend my patients the following day after liposuction ultrasound massages to smoothen out and thighten skin back to help avioding lumps, also lympatic and cavitation massages afterwards are important to continue doing. Best of luck

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear Darwin88,
I would have to examine you but it appears that this is a contour irregularity after liposuction. This happens often when areas the undergo liposuction are not feathered appropriately.
The good news is that it can be fixed and I have done so with good results before. While there is always a chance for contour irregularities with liposuction, someone who takes their time and uses the appropriate sized cannulas should give you a superb result.I have all my patients wear compression garments and I use multiple sized cannulas to feather out the result.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

The most common cause of lumps and bumps after lipo is the accumulation of fluid under the skin, which in turn causes swelling, or inflammation. This is one of the reasons that board certified plastic surgeons recommend that their patients wear a compression garment 7/24 for six weeks following surgery. Many varieties of liposuction are available, including ultrasonic-assisted liposuction, SmartLipo, laser liposuction, vaser lipo, power-assisted liposuction, and conventional tumescent liposuction. The results depend very little on the method used and very much on the surgeon selected. I prefer tumescent liposuction to obtain the best results.

Garrett Jones, DO · Answer

Lumpy results after liposuction, also known as liposuction irregularities or contour deformities, can occur for various reasons:
1. Inexperienced Surgeon: One of the most common causes is an inexperienced or inadequately trained surgeon who may not have the skill to perform liposuction evenly.
2. Uneven Fat Removal: Liposuction involves removing fat cells from specific areas, and if not done evenly, it can lead to lumps and bumps. 
3. Fluid Accumulation: Accumulation of fluid or blood beneath the skin after the procedure can result in uneven contours.
4. Fibrosis: Formation of scar tissue under the skin can cause irregularities. 
5. Inadequate Compression Garments: Not wearing compression garments as recommended by the surgeon can contribute to post-surgery irregularities.
6. Patient Factors: A patient’s individual anatomy and skin elasticity can also play a role. Some people are more prone to developing lumps and unevenness.
7. Infection or Inflammation: Infections or inflammation in the treated area can lead to irregularities.
It’s crucial to choose an experienced surgeon with experience in liposuction to minimize the risk of lumpy results. If you’re experiencing lumpy stomach after liposuction, consult with your surgeon for a proper evaluation and potential solutions.

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

Contour irregularities are a risk associated with liposuction.  Surgical technique does play a significant role in the results, which is why you want to select an experienced board certified plastic surgeon.  Being too aggressive with liposuction can also cause issues.  Some patients elect liposuction when the correct procedure for them is really a tummy tuck.  I encourage you to discuss your concerns with your surgeon.

Connie Hiers, MD, FACS · Answer

If done properly and not to aggressively, you should be able to have liposuction with good results. Initially, you will have swelling from the fluids used and the treatment.  You can choose liposuction under general anesthesia or awake.

What causes lumpy stomach lipo?

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