Is Cellulitis Common After Lipo? Will It Effect my Results?

   The treatment regimen sounds appropriate for the symptomatology.  Sometimes the garment can produce red streaking or an allergy to the dressings may cause this.  The infection will likely improve with Bactrim if MRSA is the cause.  IV antbx would be the next step.

We health care providers tend to be our own worst enemy after surgery, don't we? Your surgeon sounds careful, proactive, and on top of things. Do your part and follow directions, keep your post-op recheck appointments, and call/return immediately if things worsen or even change. You should continue to get better. Be careful about hand washing, especially if you own a cat (8 times higher risk of MRSA infections in cat owners!) and allow it in your bedroom/bathroom. If you have a drain, the drainage should be reddish changing to serous, but never cloudy or malodorous--if so, get a culture, even while on antibiotics. BTW, I've had only one infection in all my liposuction cases over 25 years; only 6 tummy tuck infections--all diabetic or cat owners (honest).

In the meantime, take a deep breath, try to relax and let things heal, and be a good patient so you can return to being a good nurse! Best wishes! Dr. Tholen

Cellulitis is not common after liposuction, and is not likely to affect your outcome if properly treated. If you are not improving on bactrim, an opinion from an infectious disease specialist seems in order. Thank you for sharing your postop course, Best wishes. 

Cellulitis after liposuction is very rare. I would stay in touch with your plastic surgeon and continue with following post operative instructions

I'm sorry to hear about the possible complication you have experienced after tummy tuck surgery. No, cellulitis does not occur frequently after tummy tuck surgery and  appropriately treated cellulitis should not necessarily detract from the final result.

As you know, the most important thing is close follow up with your plastic surgeon who is in the best position to monitor your response to antibiotic therapy and determine whether any further intervention is necessary.

 Best wishes.

Hello,

Thank you for the question.  I would upload some photos as they will be helpful.  Infection after liposuction is very rare.  It may occur with contamination of the cannulas or with destruction of fat especially if ultrasound or laser lipo was done.  Your plastic surgeon should keep a close eye on you to make sure it is improving.  Intravenous antibiotics may be needed if no improvement with oral antibiotics is seen.  Surgical exploration and drain placement may also be needed if IV antibiotics do not result in improvement.

All the best,

Dr Remus Repta

Well I hope you can think best case scenarion, but having knowledge of the negative outcomes probably doesn't help.  Cellulitis is very rare after cosmetic surgery.  You are a health care worker so your risk is higher, but it is still uncommon.  A medication switch sounds totally appropriate.  If you are not "sick" than allow the proper healing time and medications to work.  If, however, you have fever, nausea, excessive fatigue, poor urine output, or increasing swelling, than you may need IV antibiotics or surgery to "wash out" the site. If it is just swelling, than the result will not be effected. Good Luck