6. What is the recovery like for liposuction?
Day 1-3:
After your surgery, the surgeon will put elastic bandages or a compression garment around the affected area. These must be worn to help reduce swelling and contour your body into your new shape.
Depending on the method of liposuction used, you may have drains placed at each surgical site. These drains help remove any excess fluid around incision sites which causes healing to slow down. Your surgeon will give you directions on how to care for the drains and how long they will stay in place until they are removed.
There will be moderate pain and soreness for the first three days after surgery. Your surgeon will prescribe you pain medication in order to minimize your discomfort. Your activity should be limited, and you should rest during this time to help you heal. Your compression garment or bandages will most likely limit your movement as well.
Week 1-2:
By this time, there should be a reduction in pain and soreness. Many people return to work two weeks after receiving liposuction, but people with more physically demanding jobs may want to schedule more time off to recover.
Week 3-5:
There will be some swelling, but this is normal as swelling can take a couple of months to subside completely. There should be some visible results, but the result will improve as swelling and bruising heal. By this time, you should be able to resume light exercise but still avoid strenuous activity and any heavy lifting.
Week 6+:
Your bruising and swelling should have subsided, with minimal swelling remaining as it can take longer to heal. You should be able to remove any bandages or compression garments, and your activity levels will no longer be restricted to just light activity. In addition, you should be able to see the final results of your liposuction surgery.