Swelling of Hips After Liposuction is Not Equal, Is this Normal?

Question

It is my 9th day after the surgery. I have hips liposuction. the bruises are every where but what I am seriously concern about is that the swelling of my hips are not the same. The swelling on the right hip is almost in the middle of the thigh and the left hips is just on the same place of my "original" hips. I am under stress and do not feel well psychologically. Is that shape of swelling normal?

Jeffrey J. Roth, MD, FACS · Answer

Often patients will be concerned about their immediate post operative results. You will most likely be up a few pounds secondary to fluid retention that your body will do after any surgery. Nine days is very early in the post operative course. You did not give any photos, so it is even harder to tell if you have a hematoma, or other finding that may explain the unevenness. If you are concerned, please call your Plastic Surgeon and let him/her know. Please continue on his/her post operative recommendations as well, (wearing compression garment, etc;).

Tom J. Pousti, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question.

	Is not possible to give you precise advice without direct examination. However, at 9 days postop is much too early to judge the results of surgery.

	Swelling is part of the healing process. Swelling and/or bruising does not necessarily  occur symmetrically.  The swelling can take months to subside and even longer for skin to &ldquo;redrape".  At that point you will see the final results. 

	I am assuming that you chose your plastic surgeon carefully and have confidence in him/her;  hopefully, this will help you reduce your "stress"  as you wait to see the final results of surgery.

	I hope this helps.

Mark Taylor, MD · Answer

It takes some time to see the final results of liposuction.  If you are concerned about how things are healing, check back with the doctor who did your procedure.

Alan M. Engler, MD, FACS (retired) · Answer

It is, of course, impossible to address this completely without being able to know what you looked like before and exactly what you look like now.  However, at nine days post-op it is generally WAY too early to be even the slightest best concerned about asymmetry, even of the degree I think you're talking about.  I tell my patients that it takes 4-6 weeks to see 85% of the results, 3 months to see 95% and six months for the final result.  At nine days, however disconcerting the discrepancy, I would urge you to try not to stress about it any more than you absolutely have to (easy for me to say...).  You should, of course, stay in touch with your own PS.

	I hope that this helps, and good luck,
	Dr. E

Swelling of Hips After Liposuction is Not Equal, Is this Normal?

Answers (4)