Understanding swelling

[DS]

I had surgery just over 4 months ago, having both excision and lipo performed. I followed the post surgery instructions as directed and was quite pleased (for the most part) with the results. However, over the past month or so, I've noticed that my chest is beginning to look a little puffy again and was concerned that not enough soft fat was removed from my chest. After speaking with the surgeon, he downplayed the puffiness to 'swelling.'

Does this make sense that after four months, the chest will actually swell up again before it gets better?

Thank you

[DrPensler]

Commenting on what a doctor said is a bit like playing the game telephone. Swelling resolves slowly over a period of months.There is intense swelling right after surgery.The swelling immediately after surgery can mask insufficient gland removal. In my secondary patients they often have been told there was a recurrence of the gynecomastia but typically there was under resection of the gland.Scar on the other hand can be very unpredictable .

[Litlriki]

There can be some waxing and waning of swelling in a post-operative field, sometimes related to activity.  I caution competitive bodybuilders that they should consider holding off on competition for about six months, since some subtle swelling can be problematic in that situation, even though they might look great for the beach.  As Dr. Pensler said, however, it's difficult to comment on what you were told by your surgeon. 

Rick Silverman

[DS]

Thank you Dr. Pensler & Dr. Silverman

Dr. Pensler - Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly is meant by this? 'but typically there was under resection of the gland.Scar on the other hand can be very unpredictable.'

Thanks again

[DrPensler]

When its your body there is no such thing as a silly question.If you do not understand something absolutely keep asking until you understand what is being communicated. First  postoperative scar is unpredictable as to the exact  time of clinical onset and extent of scarring. Also perhaps you may  have had a small hematoma which resolved then developed excessive scar. There are a varied range of possibilities.As far as fat cells you are born with a certain number of fat cells.As you gain or loose weight the number of cells does not change,what happens is existing cells get bigger or smaller.So you would not have new fat cells in the area so to speak.If your weight is stable  there would not be an increase in the size of the local fat so swelling would be possible but sometimes there is residual gland present.