Liposuction is one of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures and involves the removal of excess fat from specific areas of the body. This procedure can be performed on the upper arms, cheeks, neck, buttocks, thighs, and abdomen. It can also be performed on the chest, ankles, calves and chin. It is generally considered a safe procedure although, as with any surgery, there can be risks and complications and these should not be overlooked when considering this procedure. Risks can include infection, bleeding, skin pigmentation changes, skin puckering and lidocaine toxicity.



Liposuction Recovery Period

General anesthesia is not used in tumescent liposuction so there is less bleeding and trauma to the tissues and the recovery is easier and more rapid than the recovery after non-tumescent liposuction.

Though liposuction recovery is usually uneventful, the best results are often gained in younger people because their skin has greater elasticity. It is also important that the person undergoing the surgery is healthy. People suffering from heart, lung or liver problems appear to be at greater risk of complications. It is therefore very important that you make your doctor aware of any health issues you are experiencing so he can be fully prepared for any adverse reaction during or after the liposuction.

There have been many instances where failure to know the full medical history of a patient created serious complications during or after the surgery that interfered with the successful liposuction recovery. It is also very important that you follow all instructions given by your doctor after the liposuction.

Liposuction recovery is generally easy, quick and complication free. The recovery period begins as soon as the surgery is over and many people are able to return to work within three to ten days of their surgery, depending on the area of the body where the surgery was performed.

Immediately after the surgery the patient is usually taken to a recovery area, where the drugs wear off. The patient is then usually able to get up and move around and is sent home shortly afterwards. You won't be permitted to drive yourself so you should arrange for a friend or family member to be available to drive you home and, ideally, to stay with you on your first night at home.

Expect some discomfort in the days following the surgery. During the first few weeks most people will experience some degree of pain, swelling and temporary numbness. Pain medications will usually alleviate the discomfort and a compression garment will assist in minimizing the swelling. You should refrain from any exercise other than walking for about a week after the procedure. Slowly resume your old exercise routine.

You should be able to take a shower whenever you like, but do not take a bath for the first ten days.

For the first three days after the surgery there will be quite a lot of drainage from the incisions. The liposuction incisions are not routinely sutured because the swelling reduces more rapidly if the tumescent solution and excess fluid can drain out rather than having the body absorb then remove it. The small liposuction wounds appear to heal with the same cosmetic result whether or not they are sutured.

You should expect some bruising after a liposuction procedure. This will usually last from a couple of days up to two weeks. The swelling decreases rapidly during the first week or so then more slowly for a month or more.

Compression garments are usually worn for the first several days. These compression garments play a major role in liposuction recovery. They assist the wound to heal while preventing tissue movement and they can often prevent blood clots. The decreased bleeding from the smaller instruments used in tumescent liposuction make prolonged use of liposuction compression garments unnecessary.

When you go home after your cosmetic surgery procedure you will be given a list of instructions. Follow your doctor's instructions and you should anticipate a trouble-free liposuction recovery.