Description

Lipedema Full-Body Liposuction in Newport Beach: 62-Year-Old Woman – Full-Body Results 3 Months After Surgery

Before Treatment

This 62-year-old woman came to board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. John Larson in Newport Beach, California, after years of living with lipedema throughout her body. Lipedema is a chronic condition in which painful, disproportionate fat builds up, most often in the legs, hips, buttocks and arms. It does not respond to diet or exercise the way ordinary fat does. In her case, the lipedema tissue involved her hips, buttocks, legs and arms, as well as her abdomen. She also had loose, overhanging skin and tissue across her lower abdomen. Together, these made her daily activities harder and more uncomfortable.

Her main concerns:

• Pain in her arms, hips and legs
• Heaviness in her legs and arms
• Swelling
• Easy bruising
• Limited mobility
• Disproportionate fat in her hips, buttocks, legs and arms that would not respond to diet or exercise
• Loose, overhanging skin and tissue of the lower abdomen

Her Surgical Journey

Lipedema surgery across the whole body is usually done in stages. Staging keeps each operation safe and allows time to heal in between. Dr. Larson planned her treatment in three stages over about seven months, using power-assisted liposuction to remove the lipedema tissue. He paired it with skin-tightening procedures where loose skin needed to be addressed.

• Stage 1 – Lower body (July 2025): Lipedema liposuction of the hips, buttocks and full legs. This was combined with thigh, hip and calf lifts to remove excess skin and contour the lower body.
• Stage 2 – Arms (October 2025): Lipedema liposuction of both arms combined with a brachioplasty (arm lift). This removed the diseased fat and the loose skin of the upper arms.
• Stage 3 – Abdomen (January 2026): Lipedema liposuction of the abdomen combined with a panniculectomy and abdominoplasty. This removed the overhanging lower abdominal tissue and tightened the abdominal wall and skin.

How She’s Doing Now

Nearly three months after her final stage, she has completed her full-body lipedema treatment and is continuing to recover well.

• Improvement in pain
• Improvement in heaviness
• Improvement in swelling
• Improvement in mobility
• Slimmer, more proportionate arms, abdomen, hips and legs
• A smoother, flatter abdomen with the overhanging tissue removed
• Healing incisions on the arms and abdomen that will continue to soften and fade over the coming months

Her result shows how a carefully staged plan can treat lipedema throughout the entire body, from the arms to the ankles.

Common Questions About This Case

Why was her surgery done in three stages?
 Treating lipedema in the arms, abdomen, hips and legs in a single operation would mean too much time under anesthesia and too much fluid shift at once. Splitting the treatment into stages lets each area be treated thoroughly and safely, with time to heal between procedures.

How far apart were her surgeries?
 Her stages were spaced about three months apart. This gave her body time to recover before the next area was treated.

How is lipedema liposuction different from cosmetic liposuction?
 Lipedema liposuction removes diseased fat tissue to relieve symptoms like pain, heaviness, swelling and limited mobility, not only to change shape. Dr. Larson uses power-assisted liposuction designed to remove lipedema tissue while protecting the lymphatic vessels.

Why did she need skin removal procedures as well?
 When a large volume of lipedema tissue is removed, the overlying skin often can’t fully retract on its own. Her thigh, hip, calf and arm lifts, panniculectomy and abdominoplasty removed the excess skin. This helped her achieve smoother, firmer contours.

Will her scars fade?
 At nearly three months, her incisions are still early in healing. Scars typically continue to flatten and lighten over 12 to 18 months.

Is lipedema surgery covered by insurance?
 Coverage depends on the plan and on documentation of the condition. Our team works with patients to pursue insurance authorization for lipedema surgery when possible.

Surgery performed by John Larson, MD, board-certified plastic surgeon, Larson Plastic Surgery & Medical Aesthetics, Newport Beach, California. Individual results vary.

62-year-old woman, nearly 3 months after her final stage of full-body lipedema surgery. Her treatment included power-assisted liposuction of the arms, abdomen, hips, buttocks and legs, with arm, thigh, hip and calf lifts, panniculectomy and abdominoplasty.