Which procedure would help remove lumps caused by laser liposuction? 3 years post op (photos)

Fibrosis, or firm areas, in the soft tissue following liposuction, especially with laser is not uncommon as inflammation and swelling is part of the healing process. However, this should usually resolve after several weeks or a few months on its own. Hard, outlined areas that persist for years are due to scar tissue under the skin which may have resulted from improper laser application, fluid and blood collection (which is highly irritating to the soft tissue) or technical misadventure. If non-invasive maneuvers such as massage, steroid injection (not recommended), or external ultrasound are not successful, you may need another procedure.

Liposuction alone may not be enough since there is scar tissue that is not amenable to it, as in your case. Internal ultrasound (VASER) and/or radiofrequency (BodyTite) have helped in certain cases but in extreme cases, the scar which is manifested as a capsule of tissue under the skin may be needed to be removed by direct excision to get the overlying skin and soft tissue to look and feel right. Good luck and look for a qualified plastic surgeon who has a large volume of body contouring cases in his or her experience since this is more than a run-of-the-mill situation.

I have experience with thousands of liposuction cases. Your situation is challenging. Additional liposuction, in any form, will likely not achieve any satisfaction and can actually make it worse. Excising the area in the form of a tummy tuck will result in the most powerful flattening, smoothing, and tightening. I understand that a tummy tuck is a big deal. A mini tuck would be an alternative. Other lesser surgical options include fat transfer to the abdomen. It will be a mild improvement. It can be performed multiple times over time with more improvement each time. Non-surgical treatments include regular edermologie and energy based treatments.

Hello, thank you for your photos and sharing that—this sounds really frustrating, especially after investing time, money, and physical recovery into procedures that didn’t give you the results you wanted. Fibrosis after aggressive liposuction is unfortunately a known risk, and it can be especially stubborn once the scar tissue sets in. Based on what you're describing—indentation, lumpiness, and firm areas that feel hard under the skin—you're dealing with post-lipo fibrosis and potentially fat irregularities or adhesions. Seek a plastic surgeon or cosmetic doctor who specializes in post-lipo correction or fibrosis treatment (not just regular lipo). Get an ultrasound scan or physical assessment to evaluate how deep and dense the fibrotic tissue is. Avoid more fat reduction treatments unless you're addressing the fibrosis itself—removing more fat may make indentations worse. Do not expect overnight results—fibrosis treatment can be a slow process, especially without surgery. Get multiple opinions if needed—especially from someone who has corrected cases like yours before (look at before/after photos). Best of luck!

I'm Dr. Özge Ergun. Ineffective lymphatic massage in the early stages after laser liposuction or conventional liposuction can cause seromas. Over time, a capsule forms around the seroma, creating a lumpy effect. The most effective treatment is to break up the capsule with a Vaser and perform more effective liposuction. I recommend starting massage as early as possible after the procedure.

Thanks for your question! You may have some success with fat redistribution or equalization. If not, you may be a candidate for fat grafting. Depending on your skin laxity, some sort of mini tummy tuck might also be an option. Good luck!

Hello and thank you for your question. Based on your photos, vaser liposuction can be used for your case. After the vaser, your fat will be aspirated with microaire (this is power assisted liposuction technique). At the end of the surgery, J-plasma can be used for skin tightening. This is the first part of getting a good result. I also recommend abdominal board usage for 6 weeks. And also min. 10 sessions of lymphatic massage can give better result for your case.

Good luck!

It’s understandable that you’re concerned about the irregularities and firmness you’ve experienced following your procedures. Fibrosis after aggressive liposuction can be challenging, as it creates hardened scar tissue beneath the skin, resulting in indentations or lumps.
To address fibrosis, treatment often involves multiple approaches, such as therapeutic massages, radiofrequency treatments, or even injections specifically designed to break down dense fibrotic tissue. Occasionally, carefully performed revision surgery, possibly combined with fat transfer, might be considered to smooth out irregularities, although this requires an experienced surgeon skilled in managing post-liposuction complications.
Since your tissue has already proven difficult to penetrate, minimally invasive methods like radiofrequency-assisted lipolysis (e.g., BodyTite) or ultrasound-assisted treatments could help soften fibrotic tissue and improve the contour.
Ultimately, a thorough in-person evaluation by a surgeon experienced in complex revision liposuction cases is necessary to determine the most effective strategy tailored specifically to your situation.
I hope this helps you understand your options better. A consultation with a specialized surgeon would definitely provide more personalized insights.
— Güray Yeşiladalı, MD

Based off your limited photo - looks like there is irregularity defects from the liposuction(s) prior and being that you are low body fat as a baseline - this is a difficult problem (skinnier BMIs have more imperfections show post liposuction so the surgeon needs to be very meticulous).
Multi-modalities to try to fix this, 1. try to work your core (pilates reformer, weight lifting) helps reduce some fat in the area and possibly contract some of that skin, 2. increase protein intake and lower fats and carbs, 3. try lipo again but also to fat graft back some fat to areas where there seems to be more taken out; also if the surgeon you seek has some skin tightening modality that can be used invasively at the time of the revision lipo, 4. after all else fails, either be ok with it and live with it or go more invasive - potentially a mini lower abdominoplasty can help reset the lower abdominal skin and flatten this out for you but at the cost of a smiley lower abdominal scar.

hi. Those areas are likely some scarring under the surface/ fibrosis i think another round of lipo with the proper postop massage foam and garment would help those areas. Its very unusual to have them after a modiality liposuction. Talk to your surgeon about this.

thank you for posting your question. This is unfortunately one of the complications with liposuction devices using energy, but not with traditional tumescent liposuction or PAL. There is usually more scarring and fibrosis involved making corrective liposuction and future surgeries more difficult. An another consideration to smoothen out the irregeluarities might be non surgical devices who offer skin tightening and reduction of remant fat deposits at the same time. There are different devices on the market, and maybe you find someone nearby who will advice you.