Fix crease in stomach and revise ab etching? (Photo)

Question

Hello - I had lipo 2 years ago and mistakingly took of my compression garment and sat down for while and created a permanent crease in my stomach. Is there a way to fix this crease? Also , I had ab etching 10 years ago and wondering if there is a way to get rid of those lines (im doubtful) I dont recommend ab etching. Get in the gym!

Connie Hiers, MD, FACS · Answer

Dents could be improved with fat transfers of Sculptra injections. Please go to someone who does either on both on scarred areas. It may take up to 3 to 4 sessions of Sculptra and may take 1 to 2 fat transfers as well.

Daniel P. Markmann, MD · Answer

Sorry to hear about your experience with Ab-Etching.   Ab Etching, like most Plastic Surgery procedures is an Art!   There are good artists and unfortunately, some not so good!  It looks like your surgeon gave you a 4-pack.   Maybe that is what you body really has, but that is not common in men.  Most have 6-packs and sometimes 8-packs.   Your surgeon may have just given you the creases to look like abs and not actually followed your real 6-pack.   When I create abs, I follow exactly what I can feel of your own muscles and the tendons between your muscles.   It is where the tendons are that you should have the creases.  I take the fat out of these areas which just brings out your own real 6-pack.    
It also looks like your surgeon left a lot of fat in your lower abdomen and waistline.   One thing I tell all of my prospective 6-pack patients is....   If you're going to have a 6-pack, you should look like you should have a 6-pack.   If you have fat in your lower abdomen, waist or love handles, that has to go.    If your armpits are full of fat and you don't have good Pec definition, then that fat needs to go as well and I carve out their pec muscles too.   
I do not know exactly what your surgeon did, but there are 2 options.....   correct your 4 or 6-Pack, remove the excess far of your lower abdomen and try to remove the crease.   
Or....
Try to erase your lines and crease.

I definitely believe in compression.  But this must be kept smooth.   If it is wrinkled, it can cause creases.   If it is smooth, it is beneficial.   I do not believe taking it off too soon in any way created the crease!  
Make sure you shop around.   
Good Luck!

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

I don’t personally believe that postoperative care can change Liposuction results.I don’t think removing your compression garment has anything to do with your outcome.The results of your procedure was 100% based on how the procedure was done.If you have a crease in your mid abdomen, it is more likely that your surgeon attempted to create a six pack line with further high definition or etching. I also am not a fan of high definition or etching type work.The outcomes are permanent and more or less impossible to reverse.Rarely does it look natural and high definition Liposuction puts people at risk for looking deformed later in life, if they gain weight or develop any skin laxity.This includes normal loss of skin elasticity with age. High definition Liposuction is just a bad idea in my opinion. Delivering consistent quality, liposuction results is more difficult than most people realize.Improving on the outcome of poorly done liposuction is difficult, and sometimes not possible.This is especially true if the procedure was aggressive, especially high, definition or etching, when the purpose is to remove all subcutaneous fat at muscle intersections.Attempts at improving the outcome with treatments like fat grafting tend to not be successful because the area that needs volume is completely lacking in host tissue making grafted fat, survival dismal.I can’t emphasize enough the importance of provider selection, and having a clear understanding of what typical results look like in the hands of each provider.I recommend patients do this by having multiple in person, consultations and avoiding virtual consultations whenever possible.During each consultation, ask each provider to open up their portfolio and show you their entire collection of before, and after pictures of previous patients who had similar body characteristics. Being shown a handful of pre-selected images, representing only the best results of a providers career may be insufficient to get a clear understanding of what average results look like in the hands of each provider.In my opinion and experience provider should have no difficulty showing you the before, and after pictures of at least 50 previous patients for commonly performed procedures. There’s no correct number of consultations needed to find the right provider.The biggest mistake I see patients make is having only one consultation and then scheduling surgery.I realize you’ve already had your procedure, but for those who are contemplating having Liposuction, it is important to focus on the variables that matter most and this is always going to be provider selection.The more consultation, someone schedules, the more likely they are defined the better provider.In your case, I don’t think improving. The outcome is going to be easy.Whether it’s worth having more surgery should be thought through carefully.Once all the fat has been removed. It is inherently difficultto change the outcome I’m not sure if your provider was the one who told you that taking off the compression garment let your outcome.I personally don’t believe that compression garments have anything to do with final results.The outcome of the procedure is determined when the surgeon it’s done with the procedure.There is no scientific literature, supporting compression garments as having any impact on Liposuction results.Blaming the patient for poor outcomes is one of the oldest tricks in the book.Best,Mats Hagstrom, MD

Fix crease in stomach and revise ab etching? (Photo)

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Fix crease in stomach and revise ab etching? (Photo)

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