If you have stubborn body fat that doesn’t respond to diet or exercise, then you

may be considering liposuction. Liposuction is a safe and effective procedure to remove excess body fat and create a more pleasing physique. 

After liposuction, it is important that you give your body time to heal. Here, Dr. Chris Craft discusses the liposuction recovery timeline to help patients know what to expect.

Immediately Following Surgery

For most patients, liposuction is an outpatient procedure. This means that after surgery you will be able to go home to recover. You will need to arrange to have someone drive you home. Ideally, you will have someone stay with you overnight as well to help keep you comfortable so that you can focus on rest and recovery. You will be prescribed painkillers to help you manage your pain and discomfort during the first few days. Take those as well as any other medications as directed.

During the first few days following your surgery you will have a compression garment placed on or around the treatment area. This helps to reduce swelling and support the healing tissues and skin. You may also have some drainage at the surgical sites.

Your plastic surgeon will provide you with post-operative instructions that you should follow to help prevent complications. You will need to limit your activity to give your body time to heal.

Two Weeks Following Surgery

You should start to feel better in the first two weeks following surgery. You should have less pain and discomfort than you did right after surgery. Most patients are able to return to work as long as they can avoid strenuous or physically demanding activities.

During this time, you will still be wearing your compression garment. You may also need to monitor any fluid drainage.

Three to Five Weeks Following Surgery

Any discomfort should be gone within a month following surgery. If you have concerns about pain or soreness, you should talk to your plastic surgeon. Your incisions should be mostly healed by this time.

You may start to notice initial results at this time. However, it is still normal for there to be swelling and bruising.

Depending on how you are healing, this may be the time when you can resume light exercise. Talk to your surgeon before beginning any activity and continue to avoid strenuous activities.

Week Six and Beyond

After six weeks you should no longer need your compression garments. This is when the liposuction results should start to really become apparent. You should also be able to resume all normal physical activities, unless directed otherwise.

Take care of your body. The better you care for your body, the longer you will be able to enjoy the results of your liposuction procedure.

Discuss Liposuction With Dr. Craft

If you are ready to find out if liposuction is right for you, then it is time to schedule a consultation at the plastic surgery practice of Dr. Craft. Schedule a liposuction consultation by calling us at (305) 596-9700 or by contacting us online.