Liposuction is one of the most common cosmetic surgery procedures for achieving a contoured and sculpted body. It can help remove stubborn fat cells on the hips, buttocks, thighs, arms, any problem area, and gives you a shapely body. Liposuction is not a weight loss solution, it is ideal for those who wish to target fat cells in a particularly stubborn area. Here are Dr Carmen’s best ideas for recovery after liposuction.
Top Melbourne Specialist Plastic Surgeon Dr Carmen performs small volume Liposuction as its own procedure and in combination with many breast and body surgeries. Please avoid any cosmetic surgeon offering high volume liposuction.
One of the most important concerns people have about Liposuction surgery is what to expect afterwards – during the recovery phase in order to get the best liposuction results.
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Post-surgery is always a time for investing in your own healing, this will give you faster and more effective result – less swelling or pain, better movement, and more effective scar reduction.
Immediately after surgery, Dr Carmen will use a compression garment over the treated areas. Here is how the liposuction results week by week will look like:
The anaesthesia will start to wear off and you might begin to feel slight discomfort. The level of soreness differs based on the area where liposuction is done. You will be given pain killers to deal with any potential discomfort. You will be asked to stay overnight at the hospital for monitoring. It is essential as Dr Carmen needs to monitor fluid changes in the body and make sure you are not dehydrated.
You will be asked to wear a compression garment along with wound dressings on the treatment site. You must keep the garment on day and night to reduce swelling quickly and support your tissues. It is one of the best tips for faster and better recovery.
In certain cases, Dr Carmen might place small drains at the surgical site to prevent fluid build-up. You might have them removed before leaving hospital or in for a couple of days until she decides to remove them. During this time, you might experience moderate discomfort but it is fairly manageable with medication.
Make sure that you are taking all your medications on time. Avoid all kinds of unnecessary activities and rest as much as possible. Get a family member or a friend to help support you around the house.
By the end of week one, you will notice a significant reduction in discomfort. You can usually stop taking your pain meds. At this point, most people can go back to work. If your job is physically active, Dr Carmen will recommend taking two weeks off. Limit your physical activities and aim at resting as much as you possibly can. Keep on wearing the compression garments to help with swelling.
You will begin to start feeling like yourself again by the end of week three or four. You should not experience any soreness. However, you will still have swelling around the treatment site. You will start to see the early results of the surgery by the end of week four. You can start doing light exercises but still avoid any strenuous activities and heavy lifting.
By the end of week six, most of the swelling and bruising will be gone. The longer you wear your support garments the better your result. You can enjoy the results of the lipo which will continue to improve over time.
These tips can help you have a smooth recovery
The more you wear your compression garment – night and day – the better your result will be. The compression garment drains the excess fluid, minimizes swelling, discomfort, and bruising along with speeding up recovery.
Dr Carmen will prescribe you certain anti-inflammatory medications to minimize discomfort post-surgery. Do not skip your medications under any circumstances.
Once your dressings are removed, you can use ice to reduce swelling. Once you are healed enough, you may consider a lymphatic drainage massage to accelerate the recovery. Take anti-inflammatory medications for pain relief. Keep wearing a compression garment.
Rest is one of the most important elements of recovery. Rest as much as you possibly can for the first three to ten days. It allows your body to heal at a faster pace. For the first few days, get someone to help you around the house so you can take your time. It is also recommended to take two weeks of leave from work.
You can start walking lightly around the house for the initial five days. Avoid all kinds of strenuous activities and heavy lifting for the first 6 weeks.
You must stay clear of smoking, blood-thinning medications, herbal supplements and alcohol for at least four to six weeks after liposuction. All of these things can lead to intense bruising and swelling which could be avoided.
You need to eat healthily. Nourish your body from within with healthy foods so that you can recover quickly. Make sure that you are eating a lot of protein, combined with high fibre fruits and vegetables. Do not eat too many salty foods as they can worsen the swelling. Aim at drinking at least eight glasses of water a day. It is best to avoid colas and other sugary drinks.
Dr Carmen will call you in for a couple of follow-up appointments to ensure you are healing at the right pace and there are no complications. Some patients skip their follow-up appointments. Don’t be one of them – prioritize your recovery and health.
For the first three weeks of the surgery, it is recommended to sleep at an incline on your head and knees. Do not sleep on your side as it can put excessive stress on the treatment sites.
Avoid soaking your body in a bathtub or any kind of still water for at least four weeks post-liposuction. It can risk infection. Use a quick shower to wash your body and dry it afterwards. Keep your body clean and dry at all times to avoid infection.
Prepare in advance for surgery. Find some loose, comfortable and breathable clothing to wear over your compression garment. There will be a time for tight fitted clothes in the future but the recovery period is certainly not the right time.
Every body is different and heals at a different pace. If your friend was up and running by week two after lipo, it doesn’t mean that you should do. Any kind of recovery post-surgery requires a lot of time and patience. Be easy with yourself, rest when you need to. If you feel tired during the day, grab a snack or take a nap. If you don’t feel like working out past week six, don’t. Listen to your body and allow it to heal and recover at its phase.
The scars from liposuction cannula are around 1 long and are barely visible. Dr Carmen will get you started on scar minimizing treatments once your body is healed enough. The treatments can include silicone tapes and topical ointments. It is important to remember that liposuction scars can take anywhere between six months to a year to fade away completely.