Re: Liposuction didn't work

[homemade]

I was relieved to find this question.  I have had the same experience!  I went to the Dr. with very specific things I wanted to accomplish with my tummy and as he called it, "flanks".  I was of normal weight, exersise regularly and watch my diet, and after trying  more diet and exersise,  just got a little flabby in the past few years, ( 49 yrs) clothes don't fit like they did.  Although I have not seen pics from the Dr., I feel that I got virtually no result. Actually, I now have rolls of fat and indentations, I never had before. I am even more upset about my body now.  He used Smart Lipo and I believe tumescent Lipo.  I went back after 4 mos, and he agreed he needed to do more and scheduled surgery for 6 mos out.  My question is this, should I even go through with this?  I really don't think he can do the job. He is new to the lipo business and he didn't even have an explanation!  Can I ask for a refund, and go to someone else? I know I signed a release basically holding him not responsible for anything, but should't  I get a mildly  pleasing result at the very least?  Thank You

[Howard Rosenberg, MD]

You stated that your doctor is "new to the lipo business."  The first question I would ask is whether he/she is a board certified plastic surgeon or another kind of physiian who just happened to buy a Smartlipo laser.  Liposuction is definitely skill and technique dependent and I personally find that treatment under general anesthesia with traditional liposuction (I use power assisted liposuction) gives consistently good result.

Sometimes touchup procedures are appropriate.  If you are leary of returning for more treatment, you may need a second opinion.  I have always advised patients undergoing any kind of elective procedure to ask the treating physician about their policies for touch-up surgery before undergoing the initial procedure.

[homemade]

Thank you for your answer.
  Yes, I take full responsibility for possibly not choosing the best Dr.  He is Board Certified in Emergency Medicine form Harvard, but not in Plastic Surgery.  He runs a laser vein center, and I gather just started in Liposuction when the Smart Laser was approved last year. I was told he has taken extensive training in Liposuction.

His fees were the same as any top Dr.  He did use some other "Tumecent Lipo machine too, but I was awake. He said he removed 5lbs.  If I lost 5 lbs on my own, I would look terriffic!  I have tried for years, but just get too hungry, and blow the diet. I did not ever see even a 1 lb difference on the scale after surgery. Curiously, when I became concerned at 2 months, I could not get a firm set of guidelines as to how to measure the results i.e. measurements, weight, fit of clothes etc. as I continued to heal.  They just said it was too soon.

He is more than willing to repeat the procedure, and I like him,  but I feel like you, he may not have the skill to do the job. He said I was a great canditate for this, and I would have an excellent result.  What I am seeking is not unrealistic.
I have called other Top Plastic Surgeons in the area, and was told they do not like to critique others Doctors work and will not do second opinions.  Now I'm out of time.

This surgery is scheduled for next week, and is actually only about 4 months out. If I give him another try, is this date  just too risky? I am so miserable and want to fix this soon.  And I do still have some tenderness at the points of entry.
.
Is it appropriate to ask for a refund based on the lack of results? I just feel so bad about all this.

Thank You.

[Howard Rosenberg, MD]

I never perform liposuction revision until at least nine to twelve months after the initial surgery.  Fresh scarring often prevents any success if surgery is performed too soon.  You have already stated that this physician is new to liposution.  If the initial surgery did not come close to achieving the results that you desired, then either your expectations were far beyond the scope of the procedure, or the procedure and technique was unsuccessful.  Just because your surgeon was listed as "Top Plastic Surgeon" only means that the physician paid for a marketing campaign.  In my area, a non board certifired plastic surgeon listed as a "Top Plastic Surgeon" lost his license to practice in California.  I have recently re-operated on one of his disasters.

Getting your money back is another matter.  You paid that physician for his efforts, not for any guarantee of sucessful outcome.

[homemade]

Thank You again.

I did not mean to imply that this Dr. represented himself as a Top Plastic Surgeon.  Only that his fees were what others who had Board Certification were charging.  I understand everything else you have said.

Thank You.