Recovery and follow up
Liposuction is considered an outpatient surgery, that if there were no complications, or risk factors, the patient would be discharged on the same day. The patient would be advised to keep the drain in place until all the excess infiltrate fluid drain out of the body, which usually occurs within one week.
The patient would be advised to keep wearing the compressing bandage for a period range from two weeks to six weeks. This compressing bandage is believed to decrease bruising and postoperative edema, and help in skin contouring, and wound healing.
The patient should be encouraged to keep him self moving around to decrease the risk of developing deep venous thrombosis, or pulmonary embolism. The patient can take shower after two to three days after surgery and can return to his daily activity after one week. Avoidance of heavy lifting, or a strenuous activity is mandatory for at least two to three weeks.
Lymphatic massage is important to relieve lymphatic edema, and the surgeon should encourage the patient to continue in these sessions for four to six weeks. After liposuction, most of post operative edema is resolved within six weeks, while the overall swelling may take up to six months to disappear completely.
