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Evaluation of the results of liposuction surgery
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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The immediate result of liposuction is assessed after 2-3 months, when the condition of the tissues in the operation area is normalized. The final outcome is determined 6-8 months after the intervention using a number of gradations.
Insufficient fat removal may occur if the surgeon has inaccurately assessed the volume of the fat "trap", performed incorrect preoperative markings, or in cases of significant fat deposits, in which case "complete" fat removal may result in sagging skin.
The formation of uneven skin contours and depressions is usually the result of penetration of an excessively large diameter cannula into the superficial layer of subcutaneous fat. In some patients with subdermal lipodystrophy, fat may appear as lumps of varying density, which may significantly complicate its uniform extraction and, to some extent, lead to an increase in finely lumpy contour disorders. In this case, if pits visible to the eye are determined already at the end of the operation, it is advisable to perform lipoinjection after taking fat tissue from another anatomical zone. This procedure is also quite effective in the late postoperative period. The formation of significant depressions most often occurs in the central zone of the fat "trap" when it is over-processed. To prevent this during the operation, it is necessary to palpate the surface condition in the operation area quite often and compare it with the condition of a similar zone on the opposite side.
When this situation arises, the surgeon has the opportunity to:
- additional treatment of the tissue areas surrounding the deepening to reduce the existing difference;
- intraoperative injection of adipose tissue into the depression area;
- postoperative lipoinjection in the late stages after the intervention.
Speaking about the evaluation of results, it is also necessary to note the importance of psychological selection of patients for liposuction. It is obvious that the possibilities of this operation are limited by individual anatomical features. As already mentioned, the best candidates for this operation are patients under 40 with local forms of fat deposits. Patients over 45 with the same results of the operation often give a more positive assessment. A relatively unfavorable group is made up of patients with diffuse forms of fat deposits and unstable body weight. With its increase and a corresponding increase in the thickness of fat tissue both in the treated areas and in other areas, patients often make claims to the surgeons who operated on them. That is why it is extremely important to inform patients in detail about the expected result. Based on their reaction to this information, the surgeon can assess the realism of their expectations and, consequently, make the right decision.
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