Is 250cc enough to see a difference for Tumescent Liposuction?

Question

I am 5ft 1" & 52kg. I had tumescent lipo 9 days ago on my upper & lower stomach & hips. At my pre op my PS estimated he would take 1000cc's. I found out at my post op appointment that he only took 250cc's. He said this was pure fat and not fluid. I see no difference at all & I know it is still early but I am wondering if I will see any results with such a small amount taken? I feel like the swelling is resolved. Any advice would be much appreciated, thank you

Gary Lawton, MD, FACS · Answer

Depending on the area to be suctioned, the volumes may or may not be enough. These volumes seem very small.

Joel B. Singer, MD · Answer

The 250cc he removed was the amount of fat removed and didn't account for the total aspirate (fat plus numbing fluid). He may have thought he would get more out, but it's hard to tell how much will come out until you are actually in the area and working.Sometimes people have a round belly but it may not be mostly fat; it can often be a combination of fat, loose musculature and loose skin and the belly will still be round.This is an easy fix; if he didn't take enough out, he can always take out more (better to take out too little than to take out too much). 250cc is a smaller amount than we usually take out of 3 areas, but it really does depend on the person.You are only 9 days post surgery so you still have a lot of healing to do and a lot of the swelling will go down so it's way too soon to tell.Hope it turns out great.

Kris M. Reddy, MD, FACS · Answer

You should wait 2 months before attempting to assess the quality of the results. You have already expressed your concern to your surgeon so you should follow his or her postoperative guidelines to ensure that you are a model patient. After that time, you and your surgeon can determine if the results met your expectations.

Heather J. Furnas, MD · Answer

It takes 3 to 6 months for the swelling to subside before you'll be able to judge your final results. If you aren't satisfied with the results, you can discuss it with your surgeon at that time. Keep your appointments with your surgeon until then and let him/her know of your concerns.Click on the link below for a case of liposuction of the abdomen and lovehandles

Francisco Canales, MD · Answer

We tell our patients to wait two months before all swelling disappears. Having said that, it sounds like you feel you do not have much swelling and that only a small amount was removed (250 cc is around 8 ounces).  Most of the time we have a good idea of how much fat we can remove. Occasionally we are surprised at the fact that less fat is available for suction than we had expected.  Discuss this frankly with your plastic surgeon and wait the two months for the final result, as hard as waiting is.  Best of luck.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

That does seem like a fairly small amount of fat to remove.It's not really possible to say if it was the appropriate amount without having been there in person.Some people simply don't have much subcutaneous fat to remove.If someone is over-liposuctioned, they can get skin disfigurements that are permanent. It's a balancing act between being safe and delivering results.Best of luck,Mats Hagstrom, M.D.

Maan Kattash, MD, FRCS, FACS - Account Suspended · Answer

It is difficult to give you an opinion without the preoperative and postoperative pictures. Liposuction is about body contouring rather than the amount or weight of the fat removed. You may have to wait at least 3 months to see a near final outcome to your surgery. Best is to discuss your concerns with your surgeon. You may request and review your medical records and look at your consents and agreements with him.

Gregory Park, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

For some patients as petite as you, 250cc of fat removal with tumescent liposuction can make a visible difference. You are still in the early stages of healing. There will still be some postoperative swelling at 9 days. It can take months for the swelling to fully resolve to be able to see you final results. Thank you for your question. Best wishes.

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