Surgery with unfortunate results - advice?

[dav242]

I had surgery with Dr Delgado a few months ago.

In the early 2000s, I initially had a lipo-only procedure with a different PS on the east coast. Had no major issues after that procedure, but was still left with residual fat and possible gland that I learned to accept and live with over the past few years. Had no major regret after that surgery, except maybe that I shouldve had glandular excision done (though, as you'll find out, I had no gland anyway).

Fast forward to a few months ago, finally decided to bite the bullet and get a second surgery done and have possible glandular excision.

Chose Dr Delgado given his expertise, experience, credentials. Paid the extra money (easily Double what I would have paid with other PS for the same surgical intervention).

He and his office staff were very nice. Very helpful, receptive, attentive pre-operatively.

Day of surgery went well. I was told that I had little glandular tissue (they didn't even have enough to be sent for pathology), and so mainly fat was removed.

As I've healed (it's been two months now), however, I've noticed two large indentations/crevices around one of the areolas that are prominent and even worse with flexion or with any pulling movement of my arms. I will attach pics soon.

I also noticed that the areola on one side of my chest no longer pulls up when I flex my pectoralis muscle but rather gets depressed inward, which is incredibly disfiguring. YOu can essentially see the outline of my pectoralis muscle extending ABOVE the areola, like the areola is separate from the muscle completely (at this point, I don't think it is attached to the pec muscle anymore - I think scar tissue has built up).

I think Dr Delgado is a tremendous surgeon with great skill and experience. I think his office staff are as receptive to patients as possible, especially given what seems like such high volume of patients.

However, I only wish my results echoed what has been written here on these boards about their experiences.

Obviously, based on findings during surgery, I had no gland to resect, mainly had subQ fat in my chest area, which was all liposuctioned out.

But it almost seems like all that aggressive liposuctioning essentially left me deformed.

At this point, does anyone know if fat injections will help the crevices or indentations in my chest?

Or will fat injections allow my areola to actually tuck under rather than flatten and depress underneath my muscle with flexion?

I am trying to cope with the reality of these deformities and that, ironically, I will have to hide my body due to complications of a gynecomastia surgery, rather than from gynecomastia itself.

Bottom line: can anyone tell me if my situation seems even remotely salvageable or fixable? Or should I accept that my chest will be as deformed as it is now post-operatively?

Thanks

[dav242]

i am really disappointed by this surgery i had, and completely regret it at this point. even after my first surgery, i wasn't as upset as i am now. at this point, i've been really disfigured, and there hasn't been any plan by the surgeon's office to officially address this.

[dav242]

here is a pre-op pic. notice no deformities or craters.

can someone tell me if any of this can be fixed?? i am so incredibly disheartened seeing as I thought I had gone to the best of the best surgeons, and now I'm left with a worse situation than when i started.

[fsugrad]

Was this pre-op picture after your first lipo only surgery?

If so then your chest looked really good at that time. My heart goes out to you man.  I have my surgery date set and I am really scared of coming out looking worse than I do now.  However,  currently I have what what many would consider a moderate to severe case so to me the risk is worth it.

If it helps any your post-op chest still looks better than many with severe gyno.  I know that doesn't help much at this time.

[dav242]

thanks FSUgrad. means alot to get some input here.

yes the pre-op pic was after my first surgery. the one catch is that when I was out in warm weather, the fat in my chest would expand, and my chest would look more noticeably droopy - but by no means not as bad as i look now.

i really appreciate your kind words there. i should not have gone the extra step to give myself better definition in my chest - because i am certainly worse off than i started. i wish i could go back in time. i am hoping Dr Delgado will help me out here - but i'm worried that i'm beyond any repair.

trying to keep looking on the positive side though.

[Poland2012]

What does the surgeon say? If you only had lipo the first time, do you remember the healing period for the first surgery; was it longer than two months? It does look inflammed.

[cduub]

I my opinion I think you have to give it time to heal because it looks like swelling with my eyes. Sometimes the skin tethers so give it a little more time for the swelling to go down before you judge.

[gemidude]

man, i wish i had your chest in the before photo, what was wrong with it?

[dav242]

yeah, the problem with the before photos was that there was still alot of fat, no muscle, in my lower chest area. so in the heat, the fat would expand and it would look worse and more droopy.
of course, now i would kill for what i looked like pre-operatively.

i can only hope it's swelling but at this stage, there's no swelling at all left, just indentations and crevices on one side, and then completely detached nipple from the pectoralis muscle on the other side

i guess i've turned into the poster guy for gynecomastia surgeries gone wrong - only my problem is that it was a "revision" surgery, only it just made things worse.

i'm still waiting to hear back from Dr Delgado's office for what the best next steps are if any, but i get the feeling taht in order to fix this, i will be another 10K+ in debt.

i appreciate any additional input.

[tpuk]

My chest is pretty much similar, It doesn't worry me to be honest.

It may look a little bit un-natural when the pecks are flexed.....but I wouldn't care as long as I stayed flat.

My first response (bearing in mind I am a worrier) was that it would take a long time for it to even out....

-Also, reading some of the other stuff on here it seems that this area might end up with some scar tissue at the 3 month+ stage...

GL man.

 

[Jgunzz]

I would give it more time. Things continue to change even up to a year out of surgery. 

[annonXX]

I have a question can not you go to gym and to bench press to build some mussels in this depression place ? 
Actually its a question from Dr. can a patient after op goto gym build chest muscles can cover this empty space ?

[Mre215]

Hey dav242,
While waiting for more healing sounds logical, check out my review of Dr. Elliot Jacobs in NYC.
My first surgery left me with a similar chest condition as you (crater deformations).  Dr. Elliot Jacobs in NYC is a proponent in fat flap corrections for this type of deformity.
I feel your pain - I lived with a similar crater deformation for years and felt embarassed and even ashamed of having any surgery in the first place.  Dr. Elliot Jacobs helped me come back from that.  Try reaching out to his office for an opinion.

[spooon]

hi dav242, appreciate a few years have passed, did your situation improve at all?