After our successfully completed surgical lipoedema treatments, it happens in some cases that more fat volume had to be removed than the skin and the underlying connective tissue can go with. These remaining soft tissue excesses can be removed by plastic surgery.
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We'll get you back in shape!
Despite modern techniques that combine liposuction and skin tightening, more excess skin may remain after lipedema surgery than you would like. As experienced lipedema surgeons and specialists in plastic and aesthetic surgery, we can assess in advance whether this will be the case for you.
After lipedema surgery, there can therefore be considerable excess skin in the area of the arms, legs and abdomen, which can lead to impaired freedom of movement, mechanical irritation and hygienic problems. The resulting physical and also psychological stresses can be surgically corrected by means of an arm lift, thigh lift or abdominoplasty. For your best possible body shape.
As specialized lipedema surgeons and specialists in plastic and aesthetic surgery, tightening operations of all kinds are our original craft. Please feel free to contact us in this case!
When is skin tightening necessary after lipedema surgery?
The best prerequisite for a “firm” result after lipedema surgery is, of course, thick and firm skin, with underlying strong connective tissue and sufficient collagen fibres.
Whether the skin contracts well again on its own after your lipoedema liposuctions also depends on a few other factors.
Genetics plays the biggest role in this. With a corresponding predisposition, the elasticity of the skin can greatly decrease when the stabilisation of the connective tissue is no longer guaranteed due to insufficient collagen fibres. Also with increasing age, the skin and its underlying connective tissue increasingly lose their ability to contract (retraction).
Often there is already a loss of elasticity of the skin due to previous overstretching, for example due to pregnancy or after massive weight loss. As shown in the illustration “Skin tightening abdomen”, striae can be seen, i.e. signs of overstretched collagen fibres.
This loss of skin elasticity cannot be improved by exercise, medication or other non-invasive physical measures. Only surgical removal can help here.
General principles of tightening surgery
In the best case, the skin is young and healthy, and contracts with the elastic connective tissue underneath as well as possible during the lipedema operation.
If the ideal initial situation is not given, it can be helped. Using additional modern medical technology such as laser, vaser or plasma, the connective tissue can be tightened directly after the lipoedema operation. This does not require an incision through the skin and can be done “from the inside” by using the same small accesses from the liposuction.
If, on the other hand, the skin is already too lax or the connective tissue is insufficiently firm before the lipedema operation, it will not be able to adapt to the volume loss caused by the liposuction. As a result, the disturbing excess can only be removed by plastic surgical skin tightening.
Can a tightening operation by incision be carried out at the same time as lipoedema surgery?
Yes, but not in every case. It depends on the individual skin quality and condition of the connective tissue. If there is already an overstretched and excess skin mantle before lipedema surgery, this can be removed directly after the lipedema surgery. In other words, “one-stage” – i.e. under the same anaesthetic and during the same operation. This means that the excess skin can be immediately adapted to the new situation.
However, if there is a tight and thick skin mantle before a lipedema operation, which is overstretched and too loose after a pronounced lipedema operation, it is necessary to wait a few months before the skin can be removed by incision (excision) in a second step. This is a “two-stage” operation, i.e. a new anaesthetic with surgery. This is because the skin mantle, which is now too loose, will continue to contract and change over the course of several months. In the best case, an acceptable result will be achieved without further surgery. If not, the exact skin and soft tissue to be removed can be determined after 6 months.
At med-plast we usually perform lifting operations with two plastic surgeons. This reduces your operation time and possible complications. The significantly shortened recovery time means you are back on your feet as quickly as possible.
Arm lift
Abdomen skin tightening / Abdominoplasty
Thigh skin tightening / Leg lifting
Skin tightening breast / Breast lift
Excess skin after lipedema surgery?
The most frequently asked questions about skin tightening after lipedema surgery
We basically perform all common tightening operations. This includes skin tightening on the arms, chest, abdomen, and legs.
No. Whether a tightening operation is necessary after lipedema surgery depends very much on the respective findings and the tissue condition.
If the tissue is very loose, it is possible to combine liposuction with the lifting operation. This is possible after a personal consultation.
The exact time and type of application will be discussed with you individually after your operation. Because you don’t want to wear it unnecessarily too long, but also not too short. A good average is 4 weeks, within the first week 24h.
The costs for tightening operations are individual and depend on various factors. Basically, it can be said that the costs for a skin tightening including inpatient hospital stay and anaesthesia in our med-plast clinic start at 7,000€.
