Loose Skin After Liposuction: Causes, Prevention and Fixes

How Liposuction Works

Liposuction is a standard cosmetic surgery that can help remove unwanted subcutaneous fat from various areas of the body. 

Traditional liposuction should not be confused with a lift procedure, which involves removing excess skin and tightening underlying tissue. Liposuction solely removes fat deposits from areas such as the abdomen or thighs. 

Once the fat cells are gone, they disappear permanently. This procedure works best for patients close to their target weight but still have stubborn fat in one or more areas. Therefore, liposuction is not necessarily considered a weight-loss procedure. Furthermore, liposuction does not tighten skin during the fat removal step, so some people may experience loose skin after surgery.

This article will explore some causes of loose skin after liposuction, preventive measures that can be taken, and available treatment options.

Loose Skin After Liposuction: A Common Concern

While distressing, loose skin after liposuction can be a typical issue for individuals after treatment. Understanding the reasons behind this occurrence is crucial to prevent and address it effectively.

What Happens To Your Skin After Liposuction? 

Some patients worry about loose or sagging skin after liposuction. Before scheduling a treatment, your surgeon should first evaluate your skin's elasticity. The assessment will give them a good idea of what to expect and how their skin will be affected. The good news is that healthy skin will likely shrink to conform to your new body contours.

Patients with significant skin laxity, or those without much unwanted fat, may not be ideal candidates for fat removal treatment. Others may be better fits for a combined fat removal and skin tightening procedure, like AirSculpt+. 

Why Does Loose Skin Occur After Liposuction?

Loose skin after liposuction can be attributed to several factors:

1. Lack of Elasticity: The skin's ability to bounce back and tighten depends on its elasticity. If your skin lacks sufficient elasticity, it may not contract effectively after liposuction. This factor primarily comes down to your genetics. 

2. Age: Our skin naturally loses elasticity as we age and becomes more prone to sagging. Older individuals may experience more significant loose skin after liposuction than younger patients.

3. Amount of Fat Removed: Removing a large volume of fat during liposuction can lead to excess loose skin. The body may struggle to shrink the skin sufficiently, resulting in a droopy appearance on the treated area.

4. Skin Quality: The quality of your skin plays a role in its ability to tighten after liposuction. Factors like sun damage, smoking, and genetics can affect skin quality and the procedure's outcome.

What Affects Skin Elasticity?

Skin elasticity varies from person to person. Although your skin will naturally tighten after liposuction, it depends on your body's natural healing process. This is why taking good care of yourself before and after body contouring surgery is so important.

A healthy lifestyle can improve your skin's elasticity and give you lasting results. Conversely, people with skin that lacks elasticity may experience wrinkles or some sagging after the procedure.

Skin elasticity can be affected by factors such as

1. Genetics

2. Age

3. Sun damage

4. Repeated stretching of the skin

5. Rapid weight loss

6. Rapid weight gain

7. Dehydration

8. Poor nutrition

Treatment Options for Loose Skin After Liposuction

Although loose skin is not an ideal outcome after surgery, there are many options to improve the appearance of the treated area.

Non-Surgical Skin-Tightening Treatments:

Non-surgical treatments can effectively tighten loose skin without the need for invasive procedures. These options include radiofrequency, ultrasound, and laser skin tightening. 

The advantage of these approaches is that downtime is non-existent, and the cost of one treatment may be lower. However, you will only experience a modest amount of skin tightening with these methods and may need many sessions, which can incur a higher cost.

Surgical Skin-Tightening Procedures:

Surgical interventions may be needed in more severe cases of loose skin after liposuction. Some standard surgical options include:

• Tummy Tuck: This treatment removes excess skin and fat from the stomach while tightening the underlying muscles. Less invasive, more targeted versions of a tummy tuck, often called a Mini-Tummy Tuck, may provide similar benefits without drains or general anesthesia.

• Arm Lift: An arm lift removes excess skin and fat from the upper arms, resulting in tighter, more contoured arms. This is suitable if you have loose arm skin after fat removal. 

• Thigh Lift: This procedure reduces excess skin and fat from the thighs, improving the overall appearance and reducing sagging.

• Revision Liposuction: Many body contouring practices offer revision liposuction procedures that address sub-par outcomes from prior fat removal surgery. These treatments can combine additional targeted fat removal to restore balance to treated areas, skin tightening, and even fat grafting if required. 

Preventing Loose Skin After Liposuction

While it is not always possible to prevent loose skin entirely, there are several measures you can take to minimize its occurrence and severity.

Choose the Right Surgeon:

Picking a qualified and experienced plastic surgeon is crucial. A skilled professional will assess your skin's elasticity and provide realistic expectations about the outcome of the liposuction procedure. They will also turn you away if, in their qualified opinion, liposuction does not suit your body's needs. 

Gradual Fat Removal:

Opting for a conservative approach to fat removal can reduce the risk of loose skin. Instead of removing large amounts of fat in one session, your surgeon may recommend multiple more targeted fat reduction or multiple treatments spaced over time.

Wear Compression Garments:

Following liposuction, your surgeon will likely recommend wearing compression garments. These garments help support the skin, reduce swelling, and promote healing. Follow your surgeon's instructions regarding the duration and frequency of wearing compression garments.

Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle:

A healthy lifestyle is essential for maintaining skin elasticity. Regular exercise, a balanced, healthy diet, and proper hydration can improve your skin's overall health and minimize the risk of loose skin.

Consider Skin-Tightening Procedures:

Bring up skin tightening options with your surgeon if you are concerned about loose skin after treatment. Various methods can help stimulate collagen production and improve skin firmness. 

Go With AirSculpt® Over Traditional Liposuction

With AirSculpt® technology, you can sculpt your body by simultaneously removing fat and tightening your skin. The AirSculpt device promotes collagen production while removing fat thanks to its rapidly rotating mechanism, as cosmetic surgeon Dr. Aaron Rollins describes in the video above.

For those needing additional skin tightening or help addressing loose skin from a prior procedure, AirSculpt® + offers more pronounced skin tightening effects, all without the invasive nature of a lift or tummy tuck. Instead, this treatment uses a unique plasma energy created by a combination of radiofrequency energy and helium, all administered by a tiny wand that fits through entry points just two millimeters wide. 

AirSculpt® + technology has become more versatile, applicable to all treatment areas, and is always performed without using a scalpel, stitches, needles, or general anesthesia. Compare that with a tummy tuck or traditional liposuction, which often requires you to be fully sedated and requires months of recovery.

For more information on how to experience the next generation of body sculpting, call the body sculpting office nearest you to schedule your free consultation.