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POSTED UNDER Liposuction Reviews

27 Y.o. Liposuction of Abdomen, Inner Thighs, Flanks/ Muffin Top - Santa Barbara, CA

UPDATED FROM Kalee8
2 months post

Sorry for the lack of updates!

WORTH IT
I feel pretty much back to my old self. I have been easing myself back into light exercise finally. The weird, tingly/ numb sensation has gone away in my abdomen. It's still slightly sensitive in areas, but only slightly. Also, the hard lumpiness is almost entirely gone.

Kalee8's provider

Neal Handel, MD

Neal Handel, MD

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

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I had an absolutely flawless, phenomenal experience with Dr. Handel and his amazing staff (Christina and Nina). He was very professional, friendly, and clearly highly experienced. He spent plenty of time with me during the consultation and answered all my questions. I was initial considering a mini tummy tuck to address some underlying muscle laxity and he helped me weigh the pros and cons compared to just lipo. Ultimately I am very happy with my decision to just do the lipo. Although the muscle laxity is still present (I knew it would be), it's not nearly as bothersome without the layer of fat on top. I am thrilled with my results and highly recommend Dr. Handel.

Replies (23)

You look great. I wish my results are going as well as yourself.. but I am over a decade older with 2 kids.. ha! Your results are definitely inspiring!
Aww thank you! Hang in there, I'm sure you're good results are on the way. I've been taking arnica and collagen supplements, which I really think help.
are you taking arnica tablets or the gel?
Both. I take the tablets and also use the topical for massage.
Are you able to wear "normal" clothes. I am worried if i wear tight jeans it will make an imprint on my stomach.
Depending on how far into recovery you are, I would steer clear of super tight jeans if possible. I have a waist trainer/ cinched thing that I like to wear which provides a nice barrier against any imprints. But if you're about 5+ weeks post-op, you probably don't have anything to worry about.
Hello! You look wonderful! Could I ask what kind of liposuction that you had done. I've been researching lipo for months now and still can't decide which is the best and most effective type. Thank you!
I believe it was 'power-assisted' lipo. I'm pretty sure it was the only type offered by my particular PS, so I don't know how that kind compares to other types, but I'm very happy with the results! Best of luck on your journey :)

Thanks for checking in -- you're looking fantastic! 

Results are great
Thank you!
UPDATED FROM Kalee8
9 days post

Progress

So my abdomen is already 100x better than it was and I'm very happy. The improvements in the love handle area and inner thigh are a little harder to detect. In fact, my love handle area still feels a little 'squishy', but I'm hoping it's just swelling. My stomach swelling has definitely gone down a bunch and I'm starting to feel little hard bumps under the skin in areas. Thanks to RS i know that this is normal and nothing to be alarmed by :) I've been massaging as much as I can tolerate (still a little bit sore).

My incisions are healing well. The sutures haven't completely absorbed yet and I'm keeping them covered to reduce irritation from the compression garment.

Replies (8)

Looks great. I am alot older than you and have 2 kids, but I had the same procedure done on Oct 20... Have you noticed any lumps on your flank & inner thighs? If so, what has your PS mentioned? I have been trying to massage daily and may find a place for lymphatic drainage massage. Another RSer recommended it.
I have noticed some lumps in the flank area, not so much the inner thigh (at least not yet). I have a follow-up apt with my PS on Tuesday and will let you know what he says.
You are like me....you look good before lipo, but want to look great!!! How many cc's of fat did the doctor remove?
1500cc's, which he said was a pretty substantial quantity fir someone my size. I don't really have a reference for whether that's a lot or not, I just hope he wasn't too conservative !
I think that's about average for all of the areas he did. I got 1100 cc's removed on my upper arms, bra area, and flanks. I am happy with the results! it's been 3 months for me, so still getting better!!! My doctor is Dr. David Hansen, Beverly Hills,CA.
It's reassuring that you're still seeing improvement at 3 months! I've read that it can take up to a year (!) to see the final results, but that seems really extreme...
Yeah, the last time I saw my PS was 1 month after surgery. He doesn't want to see me again until the 4th month , so that tells me that I will still be seeing improvement after 3 months. For full results, it will take anywhere from 6 months to a year.

Hi, just checking in for a recovery update. 

UPDATED FROM Kalee8
5 days post

Update

Still a little sore, but totally off Rx pain meds. Bruising is starting to yellow/ fade.

Replies (0)