Worried

[Alpha90210]

So I am 3 months post op and the results are poor. I have some crater deformities and extra skin in the axilla. I will need revision but I CANNOT possibly afford to pay an entire fee all over again, which would leave me in the hands of the surgeon that messed me up in the first place. That thought is scary.

Is there any surgeon here who performs minor revisions under local for a price far cheaper than original surgery?

My second question is: Do you think non invasive methods of skin shrinkahe may be a good option? My reasons are

1 For some reason in the morning and after I workout my chest is perfectly flat and smooth. It goes from almost acceptable to awful as each day progresses. So I imagine that there is room for skin shrinkage.

2 I understand it wouldnt eliminate the need for additional surgey but if it could improve the current situation like smooth out some of the wrinkling, especially in the axilla - such that it would look a little better and more importantly make revision resurgery simpler?

3 Again scared and too broke for revisional surgery. Im telling you this guy is a gynecomastia expert. He showed me a folder of some of the best resukts Ive ever seen and he does many every month. But I cant leave all up until revision and then hope I wake up out of the surgery ok. It would be good to increment some improvement, using very powerful methods like intense pulsed light.

- Sorry not willing to share pictures on the internet.

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Sorry to hear about your problem.  If you went to a gyne expert, then he should stand behind his work and perform any needed revision surgery at minimal or no cost -- at least that is what I would do.

As for IPL, it won't help to tighten skin..

And if you are looking for revision surgery to deal with craters and lax skin, don't think of doing it under local anesthesia.  After any surgery, your body heals with scar tissue, which makes injecting local anesthetic more difficult -- and, it doesn't spread through the tissues as easily as "virgin" tissue.  Revision surgery is much more difficult than primary surgery -- that is why your first surgery is often your best shot at getting a good result.  Everything else is playing catch-up.

You may benefit from a visit to another gyne expert in your area before returning to your surgeon -- this second opinion will be most helpful.

It would be helpful if you would share some photos on this site -- you would not be identified.

Good luck!

Dr Jacobs

[Alpha90210]

Ive taken note of your reply. However your suggestion that IPL or other noninvasive methods will not tighten skin is contrary to what is written everywhere else. Kindly note, I never expected it to eliminate the need for revision or any dramatic skin shrinkage. I said I was interested in it IMPROVING the skin - the creases, the difference in pigmentation and smoothing things out until revision which I may want to hold out for a while.

Can I get the opinion of other doctors please?

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

IPL does improve skin -- on the face.  It would not have any dramatic skin tightening effect on other parts of the body, You can try it -- really nothing to lose.

Dr Jacobs

[Alpha90210]

I actually wanted to clarify something and see if I can get another doctors opinion.

I mentioned IPL but there are lots of other methods for contouring skin and possibly tightenting it. Lots of different brand names and so on.

Its difficult to describe my situation without pictures but its not like I have rolls of excess skin. The skin is just irregular, sticking to the muscle differently all around and a few folds around the axilla and nipple. It literally looks okay for half the day.

Im asking if any method - not necessarily IPL can CONTOUR the skin - even things out. Improve it before revision making that easier and giving me a more decent look in the interim.

If so is there a method you recommend.

[Litlriki]

To address your IPL question--for another opinion--I'd agree with Dr. Jacobs. The reason that these technologies work on the face is that there's a limited area and limited skin that needs to tighten. So small improvements can be impactful. On the trunk and elsewhere on the body, the tightening you get from the non-invasive options isn't enough to really improve the appearance much, especially when you remember that you're already getting skin tightening from the liposuction procedure, which is much more effective in creating the environment for the skin to tighten as the healing process goes forward. If you're convinced from your research that a non-invasive option might work, you can try it.  The side effects are low--you'd really only have to eat the cost. If your funds are limited, I wouldn't waste them on IPL.