Post-operative Care Tips — Liposuction

In our last post, we talked about post-operative care tips to help you recover from breast augmentation. This time, we have some tips for after your liposuction procedure, the second most popular cosmetic surgery completed in 2017.

Liposuction might seem like a minor procedure since you are awake for it, but it is still a cosmetic procedure. This means that you should think about your post-operative care before you get liposuction.

Skilled nursing from Cosmetic Companions in Dallas and Fort Worth can help you with your recovery progress following your liposuction or any other cosmetic procedure.  Reach out to us for post-surgery care!

Liposuction

Liposuction can be completed under both general and local anesthesia. If your surgeon chooses local anesthesia, you will be awake under tumescent anesthesia, or minor sedatives and local anesthetic so you can’t feel the procedure.

When you go in for liposuction, the doctor makes small incisions around the targeted area to insert the cannula, a surgical tool. The cannula will break down and remove the layer of fat just under your skin. But this is not a weight loss procedure. Instead, liposuction targets stubborn areas that are resistant to diet and exercise — removing those fat pockets that aren’t responsive in overall healthy patients.

Recovery Tips

• Listen To Your Doctor: We reiterated this in our tips for breast augmentation recovery, but it’s that important. The doctor who completed your procedure will give you a set of specific instructions to follow. So, follow them!
• Compression: Since you’ve had a procedure to remove fat around your stomach, you want to keep that area compressed. This compression will also promote drainage of the tumescent anesthetic solution. Ask your doctor for help with proper compression.
• Get Ice: Applying ice to the treatment area can help reduce bruising and swelling, encouraging your body to heal.  
• Rest: Like with any procedure, you’ll want to give your body plenty of time to recuperate. That’s where skilled nursing comes in, meaning that you don’t have to keep getting up to grab things. Give yourself some time to rest!
• Don’t Miss Your Follow-Ups: Your doctor schedules follow-up appointments, so make sure you keep those! These appointments will let your doctor ensure that you’re properly healing from your liposuction.
• Avoid Sodium: Food with sodium promotes swelling, something you want to avoid following your liposuction. Add more protein and less sodium to your diet to nourish your body and promote healing.

How Long Does Recovery Take?

It can take several months for you to see the final results from your liposuction because the swelling can take several months to go down. But in around two to four weeks, depending on your individual recovery time, you can start resuming normal activities.  

Always check in with your doctor to make sure you’re following your post-operative care procedures and getting the most from your liposuction. This is what makes follow-up appointments so vital.  

Get Skilled Nursing From Cosmetic Companions

Schedule your skilled nursing from Cosmetic Companions in Dallas and Fort Worth before your liposuction. That way you can go into your appointment knowing that you’ll have effective post-operative care after.

Make sure you’re not alone when you get out of your procedure. Contact us to learn more about our different services or schedule one of our skilled nurses for your next liposuction!