Liposuction surgery is a procedure that needs care afterwards, but the amount of care needed is dependent upon how far-reaching the procedure was. If only a tiny fat bump was treated you’ll find that there is not much pain or swelling and the area will heal quickly. If you’ve had a large area treated the care needed will be far more comprehensive.
If the doctor is going to remove a great deal of fat, a lot of fluid and blood may be lost at the same time. To treat this, the doctor may request that you donate blood so that he or she can use it to replace what was lost. You may also need to be on a drip to restore fluids. This will all be done before you are allowed to leave the clinic.
Expect to experience things such as numbness, bruising and swelling right after the operation. It is important to get up and walk around as soon as the doctor okays this, as it will prevent other possible problems such as blood clots that can happen after any kind of surgery. The doctor may have inserted a small drainage tube to prevent the build-up of fluid in the area. He or she will advise you on where and when to remove it. You may have to return to the clinic to have it done.
Once you get home it will be essential to take heed to the care advice you’ve been given. You will need to avoid exercise and just rest for up to 5 days or whatever the doctor tells you. Light exercise may be allowed after a fortnight, but it depends on the extent of the treatment. Strenuous activity should be avoided for at least a month.
For pain relief you may need to take over the counter painkillers for a day or two. These should not be blood thinners like aspirin. The doctor will advise you. Self care includes looking after the wounds where the fat was sucked out. Any bandages can usually come off once the bleeding has stopped, sometimes as soon as 24 hours. However, if you’ve been given a compression garment to wear, you need to keep that on for as long as the doctor tells you to lessen swelling and enhance healing.
If you’ve had stitches you’ll need to return to the clinic for their removal. This will happen 7-10 days after the procedure. You’ll need to continue wearing the compression garment even after this, even for several weeks. Don’t skip this if you want the best result for your liposuction.
If you have severe pain or unusual bleeding, you will need to contact your doctor immediately just in case there is infection. However, the doctor will very likely have given you antibiotics so that you won’t get any infection.
