Hemosiderin is a by-product of hemoglobin (found in red blood cells) that contains iron and can cause staining of the tissue after surgery. This is especially prevalent after lipo especially to the sides of the torso and the inner thighs.
While it can cause pigment related issues to the tissue, it seems to slowly resolve itself over the course of months and maybe even years in some people. I have been a big advocate to employee early lymphatic massage after lipo as an adjunct thinking that mobilizing the post operative edema (swelling) may reduce the risk of staining.
I have yet not determined if this is effective for the staining as much as its effects on making patients feel better after body contouring with liposuction. I recommend patience with regard to the hemosiderin staining and it should improve significantly over time. (Joel B. Beck, MD, FACS, Bay Area Plastic Surgeon)
Hemosiderin is just a big word for the iron content within the red blood cells. They usually go away after a few days. You can also call it bruising (Norman Bakshandeh, MD, FACS, New York Plastic Surgeon)
Long term brusing from tummy tuck and liposuction
Hemosiderin staining from bruising is an unfortunate side affect of liposuction with or without a tummy tuck. This is more likely in darker pigmented skin in some ethnicities.
The good news is that it will eventually go away. The bad news is that it may take up to several years for the body to slowly metabolize the iron breakdown products under your skin. Give it time and be patient. (Ashkan Ghavami, MD, Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon)
Hemosiderin staining vs hyperpigmentation vs laser burn
These marks look very much like laser burns. Was laser liposuction used during your procedure? Hemosiderin deposits can occur with chronic venous stasis, of course, but they can also occur with a single lower blepharoplasty in a susceptible patient.
Fortunately, these tend to go away over time. Hyperpigmentation from dressings, adhesives, etc. may require specific treatment such as creams, laser treatment, etc. (Brent Moelleken, MD, Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon)
Hemosiderin is an iron containing by product from your red blood cells. In areas where there has been significant bruising after surgery it can build up. Your body will slowly break this down but it can take months to a year for this to happen, everyone is different depending on where in your body the staining is and the amount that is present.
Be patient, it will improve and likely fully resolve with time. (Tyler Angelos, MD, Columbus Plastic Surgeon)Hemosiderin staining is the development of patches of brownish color just under the skin. It usually occurs after the breakdown of red blood cells found in a significant bruise or hematoma. Your body will eventually break down the hemosiderin, clearing the stains and leaving the skin normal again. The stains resolve over a varied amount of time (sometimes taking a couple of years to completely resolve) as the amount of blood the areas may vary. However, you may simply have a bit of hyper pigmentation, which occurs more commonly and may be treated with a bleaching cream later if it does not resolve. (Luis H. Macias, MD, FACS, Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon)
Hemosiderin stain
The compund that brings oxygen to your body cells is called hemoglobin. Its breakdown product is hemosiderin which gives a stain appearance like we see in leg ulcers from bad veins. The body has to break down the chemicals before the color disappears. This takes time, and in my experience, the stain disappears. I am not aware of any treatments that helps this process. (Thomas A. Narsete, MD, Denver Plastic Surgeon)Dark Spots after Surgery
I agree with others here, dark areas may be post inflammatory hyperpigmentation rather than hemosiderin staining. Perhaps a Dermatologist’s opinion would be valuable. (Suresh Koneru, MD, San Antonio Plastic Surgeon)
Preventing bruising after a tummy tuck
it is natural to bruise in areas of lipo. Bruising could take up to a year to really go away depending on the skin color and tone. Early sun bathing can make the bruising and the hemosiderin deposit stay longer and even become permanent. I recommend taking Arnica before and during your tummy tuck recovery. (Sean Younai, MD, FACS, Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon)I don’t think that you have hemosiderin staining.
Hemosiderin is a byproduct of breakdown of blood or bruising. This does take a long time to resolve and may become permanent when it stains the skin excessively. The other thing that happens after trauma including surgery is hyperpigmentation of the scar. From your photograph it seems more likely that your problem is hyperpigmentation. This is increased amounts of melanin in the skin. This may also take some time to resolve it can be treated with a bleaching cream with or without steroids. Ask your plastic surgeon about this. (Rodney A. Green, MD, Cleveland Plastic Surgeon)
Hemosiderin is a pigment that can be deposited by hemoglobin break-down as the body heals a bruised area. It usually goes away quickly, but in some people it will leave a stain that is almost bruise-like for long periods of time.It is rare that such staining is permanent and usually gets better over months to years in those affected patients. There is no direct intervention to remediate it. (Richard A. D’Amico, MD, FACS, Englewood Plastic Surgeon)
This is a byproduct of bruising. It is a breakdown product of red blood cells. It may last quite a while. Two widely available products help bruising resolve faster.
The first is Bromoline and the other is Arnica. They can cut bruising time to less than half. (John Paul Tutela, MD, Livingston Plastic Surgeon)
Hemosiderin staining after lipo and mommy makeover
Hemosiderin is an iron containing molecular complex found inside immune cells in areas of previous hemorrhage (like areas of lipo). It appears as a purplish staining of the skin. It should not be confused with the tan to brown hyperpigmentation of the skin that can also occur following lipo. Each is treated differently. In the case of hemosiderin/iron staining of the skin, lasers that target the iron in the tissues (IPL laser, YAG laser, Alexandrite laser, and Pulse dye laser) are effective. In the case of hyper-pigmentation, treatment is with hydroquinone cream and lasers that target the melanin pigment in the skin. (Paul Fortes, MD, Houston Plastic Surgeon)
Skin pigmentation
Hemosidrin is the iron in the red blood cells oxidised. That is Iron oxide(RUST). There is no good treatment except time. With time it will fade. May take a year to completely fade (Samir Shureih, MD, Baltimore Plastic Surgeon)
Hemosiderin and bruising
When blood leaves the blood vessels and leaks into the surrounding tissue the red blood cells are eventually broken down/digested. The iron in those cells gets incorporated into a protein complex called hemosiderin. This is different from a bruise which is just blood in the tissues visible from the outside as black and blue. Usually these pigmented areas (bruises and hemosiderin) clear away over time. However it is possible to get permanent skin discoloration from the hemosiderin deposit. Unfortunately to my knowledge there is no way to get rid of this discoloration even with lasers if the body does not clear it on its own. (Aaron Stone, MD, Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon)
Hemosiderin (a breakdown product of hemoglobin) causes staining of tissue after lipo or other surgical procedures. Since hemoglobin is made up of iron plus a protein, and since oxygen binds to this hemoglobin iron protein complex, once the red blood cell is rupture releasing free hemosiderin under the skin, one often has a discoloration. The immune system combines this hemosiderin with melanin (skin pigment) which creates a very dark area, either speckled or in large clumps. Because the melanin is very sensitive to light, exposing these hyperpigmented areas to sunlight can increase the chance of even darker or more permanent discolorations. My treatment of choice for this form of discoloration is to use a bleaching cream that contains kojic acid. A second topical agent that I often use is DMSO. DMSO is one of the world’s best anti-inflammatories and the melanin that combines with the hemosiderin is an inflammatory process. The length of time for this hemosiderin stained/hyperpigmented area to clear itself can take months to years depending on the size of the area and the amount of melanin present in the staining. This time frame can be shortened by the use of appropriate topical agents. (S. Larry Schlesinger, MD, FACS, Honolulu Plastic Surgeon)
Hemosiderin staining usually resolves in time
Hemosiderin staining is the result of the iron left in tissues after blood loss into the tissues and the body’s attempt to recycle the valuable parts of the blood lost in the tissues. In this case, the hemosiderin is the iron that is left behind after other elements of the blood have been resorted. This is common after bruising and hemotomas and sclerotherapy. Most people do not have hemosiderin stains regardless of the amount of blood in the tissues. Others have hemosiderin stains because of the failure of their body to completely retrieve this lost iron. In time though, most individuals are able to slowly and completely resorb the iron and thus the stains become less apparent. I am not aware of any medications or treatments to encourage this absorption although heat in the area should increase the blood flow and increase the elements that resorb the iron. (John K. Long, MD, Houston Plastic Surgeon)
Hemosiderin is an iron pigment from the Hemoglobin molecule in blood. It can present in tissues that have bleeding and can remain in the skin for months to years. (Thomas Guillot, MD, Baton Rouge Plastic Surgeon)The discoloration you are experiencing is related to iron pigment contained in red blood cells. because he experienced bruising, some pigment has been deposited. This should gradually dissipate and improve with time. (Tom J. Pousti, MD, FACS, San Diego Plastic Surgeon)
Bruising following surgery
Hemosiderin staining is a part of bruising and certainly it occurs only when blood has escaped vessels as in bruising. Time is the biggest factor. A little massage may help and some supplements such as arnica montana may also aid in the bruise going away faster, but time is by far the biggest factor. (Remus Repta, MD, Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon)
Staining can last up to 6 months.
Hemosiderin staining is a common problem to see after anysurgical procedure where there is bruising or blood in the tissue. Lipo naturally results in bruisingbecause of the injury it causes to the fat cells, so finding some degree of it postoperativelyis not a surprise. Depending on your skincolor and the thickness of your dermis (the deeper layer of your skin) somepeople are more prone to this than others. Hemosiderin staining is the name that describes what happens when bloodcells get outside of the veins and arteries, and settle under the skin. The red blood cells contain a red pigmentthat included iron and is called hemosiderin. When the red blood cells are outside of the blood vessels or damaged,your body just naturally starts breaking them down and digesting them. This releases the red pigment (hemosiderin)directly into the tissue. While it isthere it give the skin a brownish discoloration that persist after the actualbruise goes away-this is the “staining” that you are experiencing. That pigmentdoes slowly get processed by your system and washes away, but that can take aslong as 6 months or more to happen. Thegood news is that eventually it does all resolve but there is not much you cando in the meantime to make it happen faster. It will not affect the final result you get from your lipo. (Marie E. Montag, MD, Omaha Plastic Surgeon)
Blood staining. Be very patient
Hemosiderin staining is basically rusted iron stains with in your tissues. Sometimes the blood gets trapped with in your tissues. Blood has iron to favor transportation of oxygen. When it is not within the blood cells, oxygen reacts, giving the rust like color. One of my patients’ had this issue for 9 months. No worries. Everybody is different. (Julio Clavijo-Alvarez, MD, MPH, FACS, Pittsburgh Plastic Surgeon)
The staining is from the breakdown of blood in the skin. It should resolve with time. If not see a specialist in laser surgery for their opinion. (Rodger Shortt, FRCSC, Toronto Plastic Surgeon)
Color changes after lipo
Hemosiderin staining is due to iron left over in the tissues after significant or prolonged bruising. It usually resolves on its own, but can take years to completely go away. Hyperpigmentation is due to increased melanin and can be treated with bleaching creams. Laser treatments can sometimes speed up the process. (Grant Stevens, MD, Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon)
Hemosiderin staining
This is a breakdown product of the red blood cells. In most cases the area is bruised and this resolves over the first several weeks after surgery. If excess red cell breakdown occurs the area may have residual pigment changes. Even in severe cases it generally improves over time with few cases being permanent. Follow up with your surgeon. (Donald Nunn, MD, Atlanta Plastic Surgeon)
Gemosiderin is sub-product of hemoglobin; it causes this purple, red and yellowish colors when an hematoma forms; usually it disappear in 4 weeks; avoid sun; some ointments can help disappear faster. (Kemil Issa, MD, Dominican Republic Plastic Surgeon)
Resolution over time
This type of staining in the tissues sometimes happens after lipo, but almost always resolves with time. It can take years for it to resolve completely. (Gary Lawton, MD, FACS, San Antonio Plastic Surgeon)
Hemosiderin staining of the skin after lipo
Lipo or any deep bruise will release red blood cells into the soft tissue. These cells will break down and deposit hemoglobin which may stain the tissues and overlying skin. Certain individuals are more prone to this staining but it can happen to anyone. There are no quick fix remedies for this discoloration but the tissues will improve slowly and normal pigmentation will often return to the affected areas. This process may take several years. Minimizing additional trauma and sun exposure to the involved areas will allow the healing to progress more rapidly. Be patient and focus on your new more youthful shape. (Andrew Goldberg, MD, Fairfax Plastic Surgeon)
Skin discoloration after lipo
It is difficult to tell from the image, but the good news is that the vast majority of the time this resolves on its own, or after a brief course of topical therapy. Some bruising is common after liposuction, but it normally resolves in the first few weeks. If it persists, it is most similar to a really bad bruise, which if you’ve ever had, can stain the skin for quite some time but usually resolves. Have your plastic surgeon take a look. (Bryan Correa, MD, Houston Plastic Surgeon)
Hemosiderin staining will resolve on its own
Thank you so much for yourquestion. The bruising you experienced isactually a manifestation of red blood cells in the soft tissues. When those red blood cells are broken down,they release hemoglobin which is the pigment that carries oxygen in a red bloodcell. That is then broken down tohemosiderin which is an iron-containing pigment that can cause some bruising orsome staining of the skin postoperatively. It will resolve at its ownaccord in about six to eight weeks. (Glynn Bolitho, PhD, MD, FACS, San Diego Plastic Surgeon)
Hemosiderin can be deposited in the skin in areas where there was bruising. This pigmentation generally improves or resolves over time. (William Andrade, MD, Toronto Plastic Surgeon)