Ankle swelling a year after surgery

I am 20 years old and have always had naturally big ankles. I never felt comfortable wearing dresses or shorts and I always felt out of place when my friends would want to go to the lake or the pool. So, last my my mom agreed to pay for liposuction on my ankles. The surgery seemed to be effective and I saw a big difference when I wore the compression stockings that I was supposed to. However, it has been over a year since I had the surgery and my legs still swell a lot. The swelling goes down when I have the stockings on but it goes right back up the second they come off. So, $3000 dollars later I am just as uncomfortable with my self as I was before the surgery was done. What can I do about this? Thanks

[Howard Rosenberg, MD]

With persistent symptoms of swelling one year after ankle liposuction, it would seem to be foolhardy to attempt more surgery.  There is probably a high risk of exacerbating the recurrent ankle edema and leaving you still unhappy with the results.  Rediscuss this with your surgeon, or seek a second opinion.