Why is my stomach hard after lipo

What is laser liposuction?

Laser liposuction uses a laser to liquefy fat cells, Dr. Jeff Popp said. Then you go back and suck the liquified fat out.

“The sales pitch for laser liposuction is it’s smoother, faster, safer and offers better results and recovery. But that’s inaccurate,” he said.

There have been numerous side-by-side comparisons between laser liposuction and tumescent liposuction, Dr. Popp said. For example, he could do one hip and thigh with laser and the other hip and thigh with standard tumescent liposuction, and neither would prove its superiority.

“When you look at the speed of surgery, its cost, recovery and the final results, there’s little difference except laser liposuction is costlier, more time consuming and can be more dangerous, while not adding any long-term benefits over traditional tumescent liposuction,” he said.

“There’s more likelihood for complications because the laser can potentially burn through the skin.”

How do you care for your skin after liposuction?

Does resistance training help?

The short answer is “no.”

“Even if you do a thousand sit-ups to get rid of your beer gut, the fat you want to lose sits atop the muscle,” Dr. Popp said. “So you can exercise the muscle but it won’t affect the fat on top.”

He said resistance training is like changing wallpaper in your house. While it helps the interior, it does nothing to make the paint on the outside look better.

Dr. Popp recommends procedures like dermarolling or Exilis to help improve your skin’s appearance after liposuction.

Does post-liposuction massage help?

Sure, massage is good after liposuction, just not for your skin.

Massage actually breaks up any hardness in the fat below the skin and the minor scar tissue.

“Many people during the course of normal recovery develop a certain hardness, stiffness and lumpiness,” Dr. Popp said. “But that’s not a skin issue. It’s the fat space traumatized by the liposuction. Any trauma, surgical or accidental, causes scar tissue.”

Scars get softer more quickly if you massage them. But there’s also an important question of timing.

You’ll suffer if you get a massage too soon after liposuction.

“You won’t tolerate it because you’re too tender from the surgery. But once you get past that, everything should be fine,” he said.

But what if you don’t like massage? No worries. Scars do soften faster if you get a deep tissue massage on those areas. But if you don’t, time will soften them anyway.

Got a question for Dr. Popp? Call today and set up your free consultation, 402-391-4558.

Many people struggle with excess body fat every day. When a healthy diet and exercise fail to get rid of fat bulges, liposuction is often a good option to achieve their desired body contour. Liposuction can target many areas, such as the abdominal region, thighs and hips.

Unfortunately, some men and women may have unrealistic expectations for their liposuction procedure, and when their desired results are not immediately achieved, they often feel as though the surgery was not successful. Knowing what to expect after the procedure and following your plastic surgeon's after-care instructions can help you achieve the desired results.

What happens after the liposuction?

After the procedure, you can expect to feel mild discomfort, and see bruising, redness and swelling. Prescribed medications can help ease the discomfort. You may be instructed to wear a compression garment to help reduce swelling and promote healing. Swelling usually starts to go down by the end of the first week but wearing the compression garments should continue until week four or as otherwise directed. Some degree of swelling may last for as long as six weeks, but within a few days, you should be comfortable enough to return to work.

Will I have scars?

During the liposuction procedure, small incisions are made in order to remove the excess fat cells. These incisions are small and made in inconspicuous areas whenever possible, so they are less noticeable. You should receive after-care incision instructions to care for them after the procedure. These instructions should help to ensure that the incisions heal with minimal scarring.

How can I help promote healing and good results?

While liposuction removes a certain number of fat cells in the treatment area for good, the remaining cells can continue to store fat and grow in size. Following a healthy diet, drinking plenty of water and participating in a regular exercise routine (once your surgeon clears you to do so) can help promote healing, maintain a healthy body weight and help you achieve your desired body contour after the swelling goes down.

Will I see results right away?

Chances are, you probably won't see the results you want right after your procedure. If anything, for a short while you may feel as if you have gained weight or are looking larger in the area treated. While liposuction can remove up to 10 pounds of fat cells during a procedure, fluid retention and swelling can cause you to look bloated. As the swelling goes down, you can begin to see results.

You may also notice that some of your skin is loose in the area treated with liposuction. Loose skin can firm up over time. However, depending on a variety of factors, such as age or how much fat was removed, surgical intervention may be necessary to tighten up the skin. Every person is different and your plastic surgeon can talk with you about skin tightening as part of your body contouring procedure if warranted.

Depending on how much fat is removed, you can expect to see final results between 1-3 months after the procedure.

How do I maintain my new look?

It's important to keep in mind that liposuction results are not necessarily permanent. While the fat cells are removed from your body for good, some fat cells still remain and can grow. It's up to you to take good care of yourself so that you can enjoy your slimmer look for a long time. Eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of water and follow a regular exercise routine. You can begin simple walking soon after the procedure and within a few weeks be ready to begin a low-intensity workout routine and build up from there.

Liposuction can remove stubborn excess body fat and help you achieve your desired body contour, but it is essential to have realistic expectations and know that maintaining your new look long-term requires a commitment to a healthy lifestyle.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

1. Kenkel JM, Lipschitz AH, Luby M, Kallmeyer I, Sorokin E, Appelt E, et al. Hemodynamic physiology and thermoregulation in liposuction. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2004;114:503–13. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

2. Flynn TC, Coleman WP, 2nd, Field LM, Klein JA, Hanke CW. History of liposuction. Dermatol Surg. 2000;26:515–20. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

3. Fournier PF, Otteni FM. Lipodissection in body sculpturing: The dry procedure. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1983;72:598–609. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

4. Illouz YG. Body contouring by lipolysis: A 5-year experience with over 3000 cases. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1983;72:591–7. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

5. Klein JA. Tumescent technique for liposuction surgery. Am J Cosmet Surg. 1987;4:263–7. [Google Scholar]

6. Robert FJ. Superficial liposculpture: Rationale and technique. In: Shiffman MA, Di Giuseppe A, editors. Liposuction: Principles and Practice. 1st ed. New York: Springer; 2006. pp. 185–97. [Google Scholar]

7. Rebelo A. Power-assisted liposuction. In: Toledo LS, editor. Clinics in Plastic Surgery – Lipoplasty. Vol. 33. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2006. pp. 91–105. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

8. Cimino WW. Ultrasound-assisted liposuction: Past, present and future. In: Shiffman MA, Di Giuseppe A, editors. Liposuction – Principles and Practice. 1st ed. New York: Springer; 2006. pp. 225–8. [Google Scholar]

9. Neira R, Ortiz-Neira C. Low-level laser-assisted liposculpture: Clinical report of 700 cases. Aesthet Surg J. 2002;22:451–5. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

10. Taufig AZ. Water-jet-assisted liposuction. In: Shiffman MA, Di Giuseppe A, editors. Liposuction – Principles and Practice. 1st ed. New York: Springer; 2006. pp. 326–30. [Google Scholar]

11. Pitanguy I. Evaluation of body contouring surgery today: A 30-year perspective. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2000;105:1499–514. 1515. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

12. Shiffman MA. Prevention and treatment of liposuction complications. In: Shiffman MA, Di Giuseppe A, editors. Liposuction – Principles and Practice. 1st ed. New York: Springer; 2006. pp. 333–41. [Google Scholar]

13. Igra H, Lanzer D. Avoiding complications. In: Hanke CW, Sattler G, editors. Liposuction. 1st ed. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2005. pp. 131–40. [Google Scholar]

14. Toledo LS, Mauad R. Complications of body sculpture: Prevention and treatment. In: Toledo LS, editor. Clinics in Plastic Surgery – Lipoplasty. Vol. 33. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2006. pp. 1–11. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

15. La Trenta GS. Suction assisted lipectomy. In: Rees TD, La Trenta GS, editors. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: WB Saunders; 1994. pp. 1179–239. [Google Scholar]

16. Geiger JM, Frew K, Katz BE. Powered liposuction: Results and complications. In: Hanke CW, Sattler G, editors. Liposuction. 1st ed. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2005. pp. 39–46. [Google Scholar]

17. Baxter RA. Histologic effects of ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 1999;19:109–15. [Google Scholar]

18. Teimourian B. Ultrasound-assisted liposuction. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1997;100:1623–5. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

19. Samdal F, Amland PF, Bugge JF. Blood loss during liposuction using the tumescent technique. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 1994;18:157–60. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

20. Hunstad JP, Aitken ME. Liposuction and tumescent surgery. In: Toledo LS, editor. Clinics in Plastic Surgery – Lipoplasty. Vol. 33. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2006. pp. 39–46. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

21. Weber PJ, Wulc AE, Jaworsky C, Dzubow LM. Warning: Traditional liposuction cannulas may be dangerous to your patient's health. J Dermatol Surg Oncol. 1988;14:1136–8. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

22. Meyers H, Brown-Elliott BA, Moore D, Curry J, Truong C, Zhang Y, et al. An outbreak of Mycobacterium chelonae infection following liposuction. Clin Infect Dis. 2002;34:1500–7. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

23. Rohrich RJ, Smith PD, Marcantonio DR, Kenkel JM. The zones of adherence: Role in minimizing and preventing contour deformities in liposuction. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2001;107:1562–9. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

24. Dhami LD, Agarwal M. Safe total corporal contouring with large-volume liposuction for the obese patient. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2006;30:574–88. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

25. Illouz YG. Complications of liposuction. In: Toledo LS, editor. Clinics in Plastic Surgery – Lipoplasty. Vol. 33. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2006. pp. 129–63. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

26. Donofrio LM. Liposuction of thighs. In: Hanke CW, Sattler G, editors. Liposuction. 1st ed. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2005. pp. 93–104. [Google Scholar]

27. Raskin BI, Iyer S. Microcannula liposuction. In: Shiffman MA, Di Giuseppe A, editors. Liposuction – Principles and Practice. 1st ed. New York: Springer; 2006. pp. 171–84. [Google Scholar]

28. Saylan Z. Liposhifting: treatment of postliposuction irregularities. Int J Cosmet Surg. 1999;7:71–3. [Google Scholar]

29. Pereira LH, Nicaretta B, Sterodimas A. Correction of liposuction sequelae by autologous fat transplantation. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2011;35:1000–8. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

30. Illouz YG. Present results of fat injection. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 1988;12:175–81. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

31. de Souza Pinto Bolivar E, Erazo IPJ, Prado Filho FS, Muniz AC, Salazar GH. Superficial liposuction. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 1996;20:111–22. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

32. Fournier P. Autologous fat for liposuction defects during and after surgery. In: Shiffman MA, editor. Autologous Fat Transplantation. New York: Marcel Dekker; 2001. pp. 233–42. [Google Scholar]

33. Hunstad JP, Aitken ME. Liposuction: Techniques and guidelines. In: Toledo LS, editor. Clinics in Plastic Surgery – Lipoplasty. Vol. 33. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2006. pp. 13–25. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

34. Gasparotti M. Superficial liposuction: A new application of the technique for aged and flaccid skin. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 1992;16:141–53. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

35. Jackson RF. Superficial liposculpture: Rationale and technique. In: Shiffman MA, Di Giuseppe A, editors. Liposuction – Principles and Practice. 1st ed. New York: Springer; 2006. pp. 185–97. [Google Scholar]

36. Gasperoni C, Gasperoni P. Subdermal liposuction: Long term experience. In: Toledo LS, editor. Clinics in Plastic Surgery – Lipoplasty. Vol. 33. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2006. pp. 63–73. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

37. Roustaei N, Masoumi Lari SJ, Chalian M, Chalian H, Bakhshandeh H. Safety of ultrasound-assisted liposuction: A survey of 660 operations. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2009;33:213–8. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

38. Mateu LP, Hernandez JJ. Cutaneous hyperpigmentation caused by liposuction. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 1997;21:230–2. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

39. Di Giuseppe A. Ultrasound-assisted liposuction: Physical and technical principles. In: Shiffman MA, Di Giuseppe A, editors. Liposuction – Principles and Practice. 1st ed. New York: Springer; 2006. pp. 229–38. [Google Scholar]

40. Jewell ML, Fodor PB, de Souza Pinto EB, Al Shammari MA. Clinical application of VASER – Assisted lipoplasty: A pilot clinical study. Aesthet Surg J. 2002;22:131–46. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

41. Cooter R, Babidge W, Mutimer K, Wickham P, Robinson D, Kiroff G, et al. Ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty. ANZ J Surg. 2001;71:309–17. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

42. Tebbetts JB. Minimizing complications of ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty: An initial experience with no related complications. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1998;102:1690–7. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

43. Fuente del Campo AF, Rojas Allegretti E, Fernandes Filho JA, Gordon CB. Liposuction: Procedure for focal volume reduction and body contour remodeling. World J Surg. 1998;22:981–6. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

44. Dillerud E. Abdominoplasty combined with suction lipoplasty: A study of complications, revisions, and risk factors in 487 cases. Ann Plast Surg. 1990;25:333–8. 339. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

45. Scheflan M, Tazi H. Ultrasonically assisted body contouring. Aesthet Surg J. 1996;16:117–22. [Google Scholar]

46. Grazer FM. Suction-assisted lipectomy, suction lipectomy, lipolysis, and lipexeresis. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1983;72:620–3. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

47. Ali Eed MD. Mega-liposuction: Analysis of 1520 patients. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 1999;23:16–22. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

48. Courtiss EH, Choucair RJ, Donelan MB. Large-volume suction lipectomy: An analysis of 108 patients. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1992;89:1068–79. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

49. Karmo FR, Milan MF, Silbergleit A. Blood loss in major liposuction procedures: A comparison study using suction-assisted versus ultrasonically assisted lipoplasty. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2001;108:241–7. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

50. Scuderi N, Paolini G, Grippaudo FR, Tenna S. Comparative evaluation of traditional, ultrasonic, and pneumatic assisted lipoplasty: Analysis of local and systemic effects, efficacy, and costs of these methods. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2000;24:395–400. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

51. Mangubat EA, Harbke C. Blood loss in liposuction surgery. In: Shiffman MA, Di Giuseppe A, editors. Liposuction – Principles and Practice. 1st ed. New York: Springer; 2006. pp. 347–52. [Google Scholar]

52. Fourme T, Vieillard-Baron A, Loubières Y, Julié C, Page B, Jardin F. Early fat embolism after liposuction. Anesthesiology. 1998;89:782–4. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

53. Toledo LS, Regatieri FL, Carneiro JD. The effect of hypothermia on coagulation and its implications for infiltration in lipoplasty: A review. Aesthet Surg J. 2001;21:40–4. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

54. Greenfield LJ. Venous and lymphatic disease. In: Schwartz SI, editor. Principles of Surgery. 5th ed. Singapore: McGraw-Hill Book Co; 1989. pp. 1011–40. [Google Scholar]

55. Grazer FM, de Jong RH. Fatal outcomes from liposuction: Census survey of cosmetic surgeons. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2000;105:436–46. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

56. Mallappa M, Rangaswamy M, Badiuddin MF. Small intestinal perforation and peritonitis after liposuction. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2007;31:589–92. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

57. Anwar UM, Ahmad M, Sharpe DT. Necrotizing fasciitis after liposculpture. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2004;28:426–7. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

58. Heitmann C, Czermak C, Germann G. Rapidly fatal necrotizing fasciitis after aesthetic liposuction. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2000;24:344–7. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

59. Sharma D, Dalencourt G, Bitterly T, Benotti PN. Small intestinal perforation and necrotizing fasciitis after abdominal liposuction. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2006;30:712–6. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

60. Rhee CA, Smith RJ, Jackson IT. Toxic shock syndrome associated with suction-assisted lipectomy. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 1994;18:161–3. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

61. Wang HD, Zheng JH, Deng CL, Liu QY, Yang SL. Fat embolism syndromes following liposuction. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2008;32:731–6. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

62. Gurd AR, Wilson RI. The fat embolism syndrome. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1974;56B:408–16. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

63. Richards RR. Fat embolism syndrome. Can J Surg. 1997;40:334–9. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

64. Shiffman MA. Fat embolism following liposuction. Am J Cosmet Surg. 2011;28:212–8. [Google Scholar]

65. Fournier P. Reduction syringe liposculpturing. In: Shiffman MA, Di Giuseppe A, editors. Liposuction – Principles and Practice. 1st ed. New York: Springer; 2006. pp. 206–15. [Google Scholar]

Page 2