Any advice on leaving a seroma untreated?

Hello,Yes, it is possible that a small amount of fluid will reabsorb on it's own but it will be important for you to follow up with your Plastic Surgeon regularily for reassessment.All the ebst

Thank you for your question and for sharing your concern and experience.  Seromas are best evacuated if present and palpable, but some are definitely small enough that the body can absorb on its own.  I would recommend revisiting your plastic surgeon in a day or two if you feel the seroma is stable or getting bigger.

Seromas can resolve on their own if they’re small enough. However, if it’s still there I suggest you have your surgeon drain it sooner than later.

Hello, small seromas might resorb spontaneously, so plastic surgeons may not always drain them.  However, in my practice if I detect a seroma I usually do try to drain it, particularly if it is not improving over time.  The procedure can be done in the office using aseptic technique, it only takes a few minutes, and usually there is only minor discomfort.

This can be drained in a relatively painless office procedure.  I would ask your plastic surgeon if it could be drained.

In our practice, we always try to drain the seromas if they are able to drained.  There are cases when the seroma gets too small that you can still feel it, but we are not able to drain anything from it.  At that point we recommend compression and massage to help stimulate your own lymphatic system to drain it.  If a seroma is left untreated it can harden and cause painful scarring.  If you have not seen a change after 5 days, I would recommend getting a second opinion before it is too late.

Hello JessLS,Every plastic surgeons treats their patients differently and in most all circumstances to their patients benefit. In my practice I always attempt to drain a seroma if I can feel it as I do not want a scar cavity to form that can lead to a difficult problem. Having said that, if your surgeon chooses to watch this very closely that is ok. Just continue to see him or her regularly. Hang in there and good luck.

Hi, JessLS.  If there is a small seroma, your body should be able to reabsorb it.  However, if it persist for more than 1 week, you should revisit her to be evaluated again.  Keep the binder/compression garment tight and limit your activities.  Keep a close follow-up with your plastic surgeon.  Best regards.

That early post op I think the best course of action would be to drain the seroma. Leaving it undrained can lead to organization of the wall of the seroma, which would be a more serious problem in the long run.