Can I get revision liposuction a second time?

Revision liposuction can be repeated a second time, meaning a third liposuction procedure overall, but it is not generally recommended.

The best opportunity for good, natural-looking results is with the first liposuction procedure. After that, it becomes increasingly difficult to revise the same area of the body and achieve a smooth body contour. The goal is to get the desired results in as few surgeries as possible.

Liposuction is invasive surgery and does traumatize the body. As part of the healing process, scar tissue may develop. This fibrous scar tissue is harder to penetrate with the cannula than unaltered tissue. Repeated attempts to revise the same body part can result in increased trauma to the area and the development of more scar tissue.

One side effect of trauma at the incision site is hypo-pigmentation, or loss of pigmentation. Hypo-pigmentation can make scars more apparent. This happens when the surgeon has difficulty penetrating scar tissue and has to use more force with the cannula.

With repeated revision liposuction surgeries, the chance of getting smooth results diminishes. Scar tissue is firmer than soft, untouched fat deposits. When liposuction is performed multiple times on the same area, more scar tissue develops with each subsequent surgery. Ultimately, the tissue becomes harder to sculpt and the results tend to be lumpy and irregular.

Small touch-ups may be possible to an area that has undergone liposuction, but an experienced revision liposuction specialist should make that decision. Repeated revisions to the same area may indicate a failure on the patient’s part to maintain the results with proper diet and exercise. It is important that liposuction not be used to maintain a person’s ideal weight. Liposuction is intended to improve the body’s shape by removing fat deposits that are resistant to diet and exercise. Problems like insufficient fat reduction, asymmetrical results, or poor blending with the surrounding tissue can and should be corrected with revision liposuction.