Liposuction Recovery
So You’ve Decided to Have Liposuction
Making the decision to undergo liposuction can be both a gut wrenching and liberating decision for many people. The ability to shed those extra pounds within minutes, as opposed to months, with restrictive dieting and exercise is an option that many people would opt for. The down side, for many, is the post surgical liposuction recovery.
While the recovery process for liposuction is minimal in comparison to other surgical procedures there are still things you will need to know when contemplating surgery. Discussing the specifics with your surgeon is a key detail to understanding what your individual procedure will result in. With a variety of techniques available today the scope and severity of your liposuction recovery can differ from procedure to procedure.
What to Expect Post Surgery
Immediately upon waking up in the recovery room you can expect to have the typical side affects of anesthesia. Lethargy, confusion, and disorientation will last for up to an hour after coming out of anesthesia. With some inhaled forms of anesthesia the patient can be left feeling nauseous, often being able to taste the anesthetic still in their lungs. Depending on the nature of your anesthesia the side affects can be quite different. General anesthesia (being fully sedated) results in a longer recovery process, while local anesthesia (numbing of the treatment area) can lead to a quicker recovery post surgery.
The treatment area depending on the location of treatment will either be wrapped or fitted with a compression garment. These wrappings or garments have a dual purpose. First they help to keep the dermis (skin layer) in constant contact with the muscle wall. It is important to remember that the procedure has separated the two during the operation. This allows for the two to join back together during the healing process. Second the compression fittings/garments will help to reduce the development of seromas (fluid filled pockets beneath the skin).
Will it Hurt?
Yes. There is no way to sugar coat this. You will be uncomfortable and in pain. The pain is most similarly compared to that of a severe bad black-and-blue. You will have soreness and tenderness in the treatment area as well as in the surrounding areas. Bruising may be present; however, is not there in all occasions.
There will be a handful of incision points used as pathways for the cannula that will require minor sutures to close. These incisions, while small, will still be sensitive and require monitoring to ensure there is no onset of infection or contamination. These sutures should close within ten to twelve days, often times requiring a return trip to the doctors office to remove the stitches.
In most cases when liposuction is performed on the abdomen or a larger area of the body your physician will need to install drainage tubes. The tubes are there for the purpose of draining away excess fluid that would normally build up between the muscle wall and dermis. If left unchecked they can quickly turn into seromas beneath the skin. The drains while unsightly and uncomfortable serve an important purpose post surgery.
Will I Have a Scar?
No. While there are small incisions that are made as pathways for the cannula these will be closed up and blended into the surrounding area. In many cases with smaller surgical areas the cannula used will be a smaller diameter, this requires a very small opening that can often be patched using nothing more than a band-aide.
Physicians over the years, especially plastic surgeons have become hyper sensitive to the needs of their patients. The whole reason for having the surgery is to leave the patient looking and feeling better then when they came in. Extra scars have no room in this equation.
How Long Is the Liposuction Recovery Period?
Each person responds to plastic surgery differently. Some people’s immune systems can be compromised due to existing illness which can make recovery that much more difficult. While healthier counterparts can expect a quicker recovery. Chain smokers or alcoholics can have a difficult time post surgery due to their compromised immune systems. The nature of your procedure can also have big impact on the amount of time you will need to recover. Liposuction on smaller areas of the body will require less time to overcome the procedure. While having the procedure performed on larger areas such as the stomach or back can take longer to recover.
On average, people can expect to be out of commission for anywhere from three to five days. At which point the patient will likely be able to resume somewhat normal day to day activities, barring exercise, contact sports, or heavy lifting. Most patients will have made a full recovery within seven to ten days. Minor checkups with your physician will be needed to check on your healing process as well as monitoring the outcome of your procedure.