Why Did My Groupon Smartlipo Surgery Not Work On My Arms?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am average build. I was a patient a few years ago from a Groupon and received an estimate at that time. I had Smart lipo on my arms last spring, by a dermatologist, but the skin still bags below short sleeve tops, I would like to find out if there is anything that can help with that.

A: Unfortunately, getting liposuction through Groupon is probably not the best way to have any form of plastic surgery. By definition of the way Groupon works, you are going to get liposuction for the problem area (whether it would be effective or not) and are going to get the fastest and cheapest way to do it. It is not really any surprise that you have found the result wanting.

In looking at your pictures, without the benefit of not knowing what you looked like initially, I would say that any form of liposuction never had a reasonable chance to work. What you really needed all along is a formal arm lift. You have too much loose hanging arm skin to think that it could possibly be tightened by laser liposuction. You may not want the scar from an arm lift but that is the only treatment that is worth undergoing if you want a real arm shape change.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana