Liposuction (Aspiration Lipectomy) Post-Operative

Instructions

  • Have someone drive you home after surgery and help you at home for 1-2 days.
  • Get plenty of rest.
  • Follow balanced diet.
  • Decreased activity may promote constipation, so you may want to add more raw fruit to your diet, and be sure to increase fluid intake.
  • Take pain medication as prescribed. Do not take aspirin or any products containing aspirin.
  • Do not drink alcohol when taking pain medications.
  • Even when not taking pain medications, no alcohol for 3 weeks as it causes fluid retention.
  • If you are taking vitamins with iron, resume these as tolerated.
  • Do not smoke, as smoking delays healing and increases the risk of complications.

Activities

  • Start walking as soon as possible, as this helps to reduce swelling and lowers the chance of blood clots.
  • Do not drive until you are no longer taking any pain medications (narcotics).
  • Discuss your time off from work with your surgeon; this varies according to surgery.
  • Activities involving the affected sites should be minimized for approximately 2 weeks.
  • Strenuous exercise and activities such as sports should be avoided for 3-4 weeks, depending on the extent of the surgery.

Incision Care

  • You may shower 48 hours after removal of the drainage tubes.
  • Avoid exposing scars to sun for at least 12 months.
  • Always use a strong sunblock, if sun exposure is unavoidable (SPF 30 or greater).
  • Keep steri-strips on; replace if they come off.
  • Keep incisions clean and inspect daily for signs of infection.
  • No tub soaking while sutures or drains are in place.
  • You will be discharged from the hospital wearing a pressure garment over the treated area. Most patients will wear pressure garment for 6-8 weeks.
  • Wear pressure garment 24 hours per day.
  • After showering, reapply pressure garment and gauze to cover areas of incisions.

What To Expect

  • The small incision sites will be covered with gauze to protect these areas.
  • Most of the swelling and discoloration usually subsides in 6-8 weeks, but some may persist for 6 months or more.
  • Expect temporary numbness, bruising, swelling, soreness, burning sensation, bleeding, pain and discomfort.
  • May have fluid drainage from incision sites.
  • A drainage tube may be inserted beneath the skin to prevent fluid build-up.
  • May feel stiff and sore for a few days.
  • It is normal to feel a bit anxious or depressed in the days or weeks following surgery; but, generally, after about a week, you should begin to feel better.

Appearance

  • Bruising may be apparent beyond the areas of liposuction, partially due to gravity.
  • You will have small incision sites at the point of introduction of the instrument used to remove the fat tissue.
  • A healthy diet and regular exercise helps to maintain your new figure.

Follow-Up Care

  • Any sutures are removed 7-10 days after surgery.

When To Call

  • If you have increased swelling or bruising.
  • If swelling and redness persist after a few days.
  • If you have increased redness along the incision.
  • If you have severe or increased pain not relieved by medication.
  • If you have any side effects to medications; such as, rash, nausea, headache, vomiting.
  • If you have an oral temperature over 100.4 degrees.
  • If you have any yellowish or greenish drainage from the incisions or notice a foul odor.
  • If you have bleeding from the incisions that is difficult to control with light pressure.
  • If you have loss of feeling or motion.

For medical questions, please call:

  • (734) 998-6022, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
  • After hours and on weekends, call Hospital Paging at (734) 936-6267 and ask for the Plastic Surgeon on call.