Question: I hate my stocky lower legs and fat ankles. Can I have liposuction for this? Is there anything else that can help me?
Answer:
You can definitely have liposuction of the calves and ankles – if excess fat is making your legs stocky. Results can be lovely. However, liposuction here is different from liposuction in most other areas. For example:
- In muscular legs, it can be hard to tell in advance how much of the shape is from bulky muscle and how much is from excess fat.
- Removing too much fat can leave calf skin loose.
- Ankle fat is embedded in nerves and arteries and may be hard to remove.
- Swelling including ankle swelling lasts longer, because it has nowhere to go.
- Recovery includes 1-2 weeks of pain from irritated muscles and nerves.
- The network of nerves at the back of the calf may react to liposuction with weeks, even months of numbness, nerve pain or strange feelings in the lower leg and foot.
There are also technical considerations. Dr. Morgan uses 2 and 3 micro-cannulas- to avoid the nerves and blood vessels in the ankle. She does not use laser liposuction, which can permanently damage nerves, tendons and skin.
Recovery takes time
- Because of the swelling, you need to keep your feet up all the time for 1 – 2 weeks.
- You need to wear compression knee high stockings for 6 full weeks.
- No exercise for 6 weeks – although walking on springy surfaces is fine in 2 weeks.
- Someone else has to walk your pets for at least 2 weeks.
- You need patience! The swelling means that it may take 6 – 12 months to see your final result.
What about other treatment? Intermediate and advanced level ballet will reshape legs – it is the only sport specifically designed to do this. But if you start as a beginner, it will take years to see results.
For heavy muscles, Botox injections and muscle resection can work – but Botox is very expensive (about $1100 every 4 months) and muscle resection can permanently affect how you walk.
So for practical reasons, liposuction is the popular treatment for reshaping heavy, stocky legs.