Bad Liposuction Results, Seeking Revision - Sacramento, CA

I waited several months to write this review because I wanted to reflect on my results and experience. And I guess I always held out hope that the issues would improve through healing and exercise. Additionally, I wanted to write an objective review, not one driven out of frustration. I do not like the results of my procedure. I believe if I had gone to a surgeon who specialized only in liposuction, the results would have been very different.

It has been over a year since I had my procedure done, and I cannot hide the devastation I feel from the results. I feel ashamed of my body—much more now than before the surgery. From the liposuction, I now have a lot of irregularities, mostly on the back of my thighs and my stomach. My thighs look lumpy and dented in. On one of my thighs, there is a large and noticeable lump of fat (about 2.5-3 inches long) that isn’t present on the other leg. Before surgery, I didn’t have indents or visible uneven fat deposits like this. In areas of my inner thighs and stomach there seems to be a vacancy under my skin, like it is missing some needed fat layers. I would compare this condition to a stuffed animal that is lacking stuffing in certain areas. I almost feel deflated. The PS gave me a thigh gap, which I didn’t have even at my lowest weight, and we never discussed my interest in having one. Too much fat was taken from this area, leaving me with some wrinkles and blotchy-looking skin that isn’t adequately supported by a layer of fat. I should make mention that I did weight 40 lbs. over my usual weight due to medication (I was able to stop taking it a few months before surgery), but I was otherwise healthy and active. I didn’t expect the PS to make me perfect, but I did not expect to inherit more problems than I came in with.

My PS told me during my one-week checkup that he removed 16 lbs. of fat from my flanks, back and front of thighs, and stomach. He smiled, seeming pleased with the amount he was able to remove. That surprised me since I had read that it is unsafe to remove more than 10 lbs. of fat at one time. I wasn’t expecting this procedure to act as a weight loss agent. I just wanted better body contouring since gaining weight made my contours less flattering than they had been before. I didn’t openly question his judgment at the time, though, to me, his approach seemed a bit ambitious.

It seems like the PS was more focused on quantity (of pounds) versus quality (of skin and fat layers). Though my silhouette looks better, the terrain of my body looks much worse. My husband and friends have all confirmed how bad the effects of the procedure were, letting me know that this is not my imagination. I have always carried some weight in my thighs, but I never had these dents and lines. Now, to my husband’s dismay, we are going to have to correct these issues via a revision surgery. This will cost us several thousands more. I am scheduling a consultation with a surgeon who is considered one of the best liposuction surgeons in the world. I am not risking another surgery on someone who might not be able to correct these issues or may make them worse. I haven’t voiced my disappointment to the PS because I have no intentions on letting him operate on me again, and I find it unlikely that he would offer to refund me so I can use it to correct the defects.

The PS that conducted my surgery has a 5/5 rating on both Real Self and Yelp. The majority of reviews are regarding mommy makeovers, tummy tucks (some with lipo), and breast augmentations. I could not locate any reviews that evaluated only a liposuction procedure—one that did not involve the removal of skin. I trust that all of those patients were actually pleased with their results. Based on those reviews, I can assume he is talented at performing those specific procedures. I only question his particular talents in liposuction due to my results. I think my results speak for themselves (see attached photos). I used hard lighting in my photos, not to exaggerate the effects but because texture is difficult to translate onto film without the aid of lighting to establish depth. (The opposite effects occurs with bright lighting, as it takes away depth by flattening surfaces. Thus, it is a bad choice if you want to show differences in texture. The other photos I posted earlier do not adequately show the uneven texture and dents). Of course when I am going about my day, light changes and so does the extent to which these defects show. In everyday average lighting situations, the defects are noticeable and mine have been pointed out.

My main advice to those seeking liposuction:

- It is not enough for the PS to be board certified. He or she should also specialize in liposuction and have conducted the procedure numerous times. Think: practice makes perfect.