How to fix this lump? Went to fast food of plastic surgery (Photo)

Question

Lipo 1 yr ago - regret not finding local private practice. Immediately had lump above navel. Was told I have umbilical hernia but that it wasn’t the cause. U/S confirmed it’s just damaged tissue. Still swollen a year later. Would a tummy tuck remove the swollen area? It feels like muscle- it’s hard and I’ve lost more weight so it’s even more noticeable.

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear Eclectic210749,
I understand your concern. However, without a proper assessment, it would be difficult to determine what went wrong. It is best that you visit your plastic surgeon for further assessment or ask for a second opinion. Only after a thorough examination, you can get proper recommendations and advice.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Connie Hiers, MD, FACS · Answer

Yes, a tummy tuck to remove excess skin and help tighten the muscle below to give a flatter abdomen. If residual fat is present, it can be removed at the same time. An examination is needed to see if liposuction of that area would be helpful.

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

Yes a tummy tuck is the best option for you to correct the lump above your belly button.  The procedure will also remove excess fat and skin as well as many of your stretch marks.  See a board certified plastic surgeon near you to learn more.

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

Yes a full TT would be best to improve your poor lipo results. Fees from $7,000. Best to virtual consult with....The cheap way becomes the expensive path....

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

There are advantages and disadvantages of going to specialty clinics. Doctors who work for clinics that do the same procedure over and over tend to have far more experience than those who do general plastic surgery.
The corporate for-profit model is also not necessarily functioning as a source a patient advocacy.
Still, some of the surgeons who work for liposuction chains have tenfold more liposuction experience than those in plastic surgery who occasionally do liposuction.
To make an assessment on the outcome of your procedure we always need to see before and after pictures.
Not knowing what you look like before tells us nothing about the change that was created.
If you don’t have proper before and after pictures then ask your surgeon or your fast food clinic to forward the pictures they took. They are part of your medical records would you have a legal right to.
Simply ask them to forward all your medical records including all before and after pictures taken.
They can legally ask you to pay a small fee for copying paper and sending them but it should be no more than $10-$15.
If you want someone to give you an assessment you’ll need to show before and after pictures.
Based on your picture it looks like you were a better candidate for a tummy tuck and liposuction in the first place. You have significant skin laxity and most likely muscle separation.
With fat removal your skin dropped further and is holding over your belly button.
Nobody has swelling one year after liposuction. It simply doesn’t happen.
Results are final by about three months after the procedure and are unlikely to change beyond that.
Weight fluctuations can definitely impact results significantly for the better or for the worst.
Try lifting up on your skin on your upper abdomen and see if the contour area changes.
Putting the skin under tension is a good way to assess the underlying subcutaneous fat and the contour of your abdominal wall.
If you’re done having children then converting your procedure to a full tummy tuck is the right procedure not because you had previous liposuction but because a tummy tuck was the right procedure in the first place.
Overall your skin looks smooth and even and I see no skin contour irregularities anywhere. To me it looks like someone performed quality liposuction on your abdomen who knew what they were doing but you unfortunately may not have been a great candidate for Liposuction.
At that corporate fast food chain model they may be reluctant to tell you these things since they often have commission sales people.
I don’t think your surgeon did a bad job at all and I think your results can easily be explained but your post gives limited information and what’s needed is an examination and in person second opinion consultation.
To get a second opinion consultation regarding the outcome of your Liposuction or to discuss further surgery to improve your abdomen I suggest scheduling those with local board-certified plastic surgeons in your community. for a second opinion consultations to patients should come prepared with a copy of their operative report and before and after pictures. Like previously mentioned those are available from your previous clinic upon request.
If you’re considering moving forward with a tummy tuck then vent the surgeons properly to find the most skilled and talented provider.
Do that by having multiple in person consultations. During each consultation ask each provider to open up their portfolio and show you the entire collection of before and after pictures for tummy tuck surgery. Some plastic surgeons may be reluctant to do that but you should still ask them to show you as many pictures as they can. You should especially ask to see as many pictures as possible of patients with similar body characteristics to your own.
Bring pictures of your own torso with pictures taken from the front, side and back with you for comparison when reviewing before and after pictures.
The hallmark of a quality tummy tuck tends to be consistent natural looking belly buttons. Second so that would be a very low set scar with a slightly convex curvature over the mons pubis with a scar following anatomic contours naturally and evenly on both sides and finally the torso looking balanced attractive and appropriate from all angles including from behind.
A full tummy tuck should be considered when women are quite certain they are done having children.
Finally I recommend reading all reviews on various physician review websites avoiding providers with any significant number of justified negative reviews. The absence of justified negative reviews is more important and more telling than having an abundance of positive reviews.
The largest Liposuction company in the world is called sono bello. I believe they have clinics in your community. The company is notorious for unethical business practices. The companies reputation speaks for itself if you review reviews on websites like yelp.
That said the company has also hired some upstanding and very talented surgeons and some that are not so talented.
There are certain advantages and disadvantages of going to a clinic that specializes in a certain procedure. Likewise there are pluses and minuses for going to a corporate large clinic versus a small private independent clinic.
Good luck,
Mats Hagstrom MD

How to fix this lump? Went to fast food of plastic surgery (Photo)

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