There’s no way around it—recovery after liposuction can be uncomfortable. A full recovery can take several weeks, during which time the patient must be careful to closely follow post-op instructions in order to encourage the best aesthetic results and support healing.
To help facilitate an easier recovery period, here are 5 tips for recovery after having liposuction.
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Pay special care to your dressings and compression garments.
Compression garments are essential to help shape the body after liposuction. They help reduce the risk of loosening of the skin and assist your body in creating the desired contours. However, make sure your garment isn’t so constricting that it is causing numbness or digging into the skin, which could lead to infection.
- Keep your incision clean and dry.
- Be fastidious about dressing maintenance.
- Do not use hot or ice packs on the incision.
- Do not saturate the incision with any type of topical antibiotics as they might inhibit the healing process.
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Try to walk around.
You may feel you need to rest quite a bit during recovery—and that’s perfectly normal for the first couple of days at least. However, it is important to walk around periodically throughout the day to prevent the formation of blood clots in the legs and to stimulate blood flow to the incision areas.
Being ambulatory for just a few minutes per day is all it takes to reduce your risk, though increasing physical activity as you feel better is a good idea.
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Stay Hydrated.
It is important to keep yourself properly hydrated throughout recovery. Liposuction recovery can take several weeks. Adhering to the routine consistently throughout the recovery period is key.Try to drink the recommended six to eight glasses of water per day.
Here are 3 things to avoid to reduce your chances of dehydration:
- Caffeine. Caffeinated beverages such as coffee or tea can have a dehydrating effect.
- Alcohol. Alcohol inhibits the body’s natural defense mechanisms and leaves it vulnerable to infections.
- Sodium. Like caffeine, sodium is dehydrating, so it is essential that a low-sodium, balanced diet is maintained.
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Make sure someone is around to check in with you.
Patients occasionally feel faint during the liposuction recovery period, and often find that they need some help with routine things like making meals and bathing for the first day or two. Have someone check in with you regularly to make sure you are feeling comfortable and getting the support you need.
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Avoid water exposure/submersion.
Getting your incision wet risks infection; do not visit steam rooms, swim or submerge yourself in a bathtub until you are given the greenlight. Bathing with a wet washcloth or covering the incisions while showering allows you to stay clean while minimizing the risk of infections.
Even though the discomfort and swelling only should last a few days after your Denver liposuction procedure, a full recovery can take several weeks. Adhering to the routine consistently throughout the recovery period is key.
Just because you don’t feel pain anymore and have transitioned from post-surgery recovery back to your normal life doesn’t mean you can forget all about the post-op instructions we gave you.
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Author: Dr. Francesco Campanile
Board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Dr. Francesco Campanile is a cosmetic surgeon in Denver who is focused on body contouring and breast enhancement. Time and time again, the women and men who choose Dr. Campanile say that they’ve found “the whole package” – a doctor who cares deeply about the quality of their results and has the skill to achieve excellence.
