How to Prevent Dimpling After Liposuction

In 2013, liposuction reigned amongst the surgical cosmetic procedures, up by 16.3 percent from 2012. Here at our San Diego plastic surgery practice, we have also noticed an increasing number of men and women showing interest in liposuction to help them improve the appearance of their trouble areas — from muffin tops to love handles to bat wings.

Does dimpling always follow liposuction?

During initial consultations for patients wanting liposuction, one of their common concerns has to do with its possible effects such as dimpling, also known as rippling and contour irregularities. Dimpling often appears as pockets of fat underneath the skin, lending that undesirable lumpy look.

It should be noted that although dimpling is always a possibility following liposuction, you can actually take measures to prevent it from happening.

Factors That Contribute to Dimpling

Before figuring out how to prevent dimpling, it may best to understand first the factors that could influence its appearance:

• Extreme and/or frequent weight fluctuations – Thus, patients who choose to undergo liposuction should make the commitment to maintain a stable weight following surgery.
• Too much fat was removed during liposuction – One should keep in mind that liposuction is not a weight loss tool and is more appropriate for small amounts of fat.
• Uneven fat removal – This is why you need to choose a skilled plastic surgeon who knows how to remove fat evenly in your problem areas.
• Presence of cellulite prior to liposuction
• Degree of skin elasticity – Liposuction works best if your skin is elastic enough to contract and adhere to its new contours. A tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) following liposuction may have to be done if you have poor skin elasticity.

What You Can Do To Prevent Dimpling from Happening

Although not all of the aforementioned factors can be directly controlled by you as a patient, here’s what you can do on your end to prevent dimpling from happening:

• Maintain stable weight. If you’re taking medications or supplements for certain conditions, figure out first if weight gain is one of their adverse effects.
• Stay hydrated inside and out!
• Massage your skin to help promote blood circulation after liposuction.
• Consider other procedures to help tighten the skin such as a tummy tuck or minimally invasive procedures such as laser.

If you’d like to learn more about liposuction, we’d love to hear from you! Click here to request a consultation with Dr. Chacón at Divino Plastic Surgery today or call us at 858-633-7546. We look forward to hearing from you soon!