1 week post-op. Did Cellulaze and smart lipo not work for me? Why do some see immediate results and others don't?

Question

8 days ago I had cellulaze on my outer thighs & back legs, and smart lipo on my flanks & outer thighs. Reviews from MDs & patients say results are seen immediately, other results say you have to wait 3-6 months. Now that my swelling has gone down, it doesn't look like I even had the treatment. What is the realistic timeline for seeing results? During my consult I was told I would see immediate results, and now Dr is saying to wait 3-6 months. Why do some see immediate results and others don't?

Scott C. Lindsay, DO · Answer

Hello and thank you for your question.Every patients heals differently. You are still  very early in the healing process. The swelling will subside with time and you will start to see results. Contact your surgeon with  any concerns. Best of luck!

Randy Dean, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

Hi and
welcome to our forum!
Congratulations
on your recent procedure...The procedure of liposuction is an
"insult" to the soft tissues, resulting in swelling which will
initially totally obscure the operative result. The
purpose of a compression garment is to prevent bleeding and to control
swelling. We usually recommend its use for the first 4-6 weeks after the
procedure. 60-80%
of the swelling should subside within the first 6 weeks, with the remainder
slowly subsiding over 6-12 months.
It is far too early to assess your result. Your swelling may have "gone down" but it has a long way to go before it totally abates. The extent of postoperative swelling depends upon your postoperative level of activity and the aggressiveness of the procedure. Even atmospheric pressure plays a role!
Continue
followup care with your plastic surgeon.
Best wishes...

David E. Berman, MD (retired) · Answer

people are different. I have done almost 900 Smartlipo cases in my office and well over 120 Cellulaze cases. I can tell you that sometimes, we can see a nice improvement on their first post op visit at 2 weeks. however, it is also very common for it to take 8 weeks before we can start to detect a change. You should definitely view this as a 6 month process and you need to be much more patient. Try not to check out the results daily or you will drive yourself nuts:)david berman md

1 week post-op. Did Cellulaze and smart lipo not work for me? Why do some see immediate results and others don't?

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1 week post-op. Did Cellulaze and smart lipo not work for me? Why do some see immediate results and others don't?

Answers (3)

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Smart Lipo

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.