Convalescence and recovery after liposuction: what to do?

Here are a few steps to follow to recover from liposuction:

Step 1: Get enough rest

The length of the rest period depends on the area to be liposuctioned, the amount of fat to be removed and, above all, the type of work you do: manual work or work in a seated position. Broadly speaking, the rest period can vary from 3 to 14 days depending on these parameters. The exact time will be given to you after analysis during the consultation at Clinique Bellefontaine.

What exactly is meant by rest? You should lie down or sit for the period recommended during the consultation. Standing is permitted for a maximum of 1 to 2 hours a day for the first week, the rest of the time should be spent sitting or lying down. The time spent in a standing position can then be increased depending on the results of the one-week check-up carried out at Clinique Bellefontaine.

A large quantity of fat to be liposuctioned, a liposuctioned area such as the abdomen, and manual work are risk factors for greater swelling after the operation. In this case, it is important to avoid lying or sitting for the first 2 weeks. The reason for this is oedema (swelling), which can become more pronounced if rest is not respected.

In some cases, the oedema can then turn into a seroma (fluid under the skin). Seroma can sometimes cause extensive scarring under the skin, resulting in irregularities that are difficult to correct. If you follow our protocol to the letter, the risk of seroma is extremely low. Many people having surgery abroad contact us because they have this complication (seroma) after the operation. They have not been warned enough about the recovery process after their operation.

‘Many people having liposuction abroad contact us because they have a seroma after their operation’.

We also recommend LPG one week after the operation, as you can read in our other article on recovery.

Step 2: Wear your compression garments

To prevent significant oedema and seroma (fluid under the skin), a panthy, also known as a compression girdle, will be supplied and put in place immediately after the operation. It supports the skin’s adaptation processes and must be worn for three weeks, day and night. The first shower can be taken 48 hours after liposuction. The girdle can only be removed during the shower, and must be put back on immediately afterwards. You will need to wear your compression bandages for three weeks. You can wear them for longer if you wish.

Step 3: Take your medication

When you leave Clinique Bellefontaine, you will need to take medication while you recover from liposuction. These will be provided to you directly after the procedure, so you won’t need to pick them up at a pharmacy. You will be given antibiotics for prophylaxis. You will also be given painkillers.

After the operation, don’t be surprised if you bruise. The underlying tissue has been damaged and there will most likely be a build-up of blood in the area. These bruises disappear in the same way that a bruise from a blow disappears over time (one to two weeks). Sometimes we prescribe a heparin-based cream for bruising, but only one week after the operation.

Step 4: Care of incisions

In most cases of liposuction, there are no stitches. Sometimes we put absorbable stitches under the skin. Absorbable stitches do not need to be removed. 2 days after the operation, remove the compression girdle and all dressings, take a shower, then disinfect the small holes using a usual disinfectant, dry around the small incisions without touching the hole, then stick on a Tegaderm dressing that you will have been supplied with. Leave the Tegaderm dressing on for the next showers until the next check-up at Clinique Bellefontaine. Note that for operations such as liposuction, the risk of infection is extremely rare, unlike operations such as the insertion of foreign bodies or breast augmentation.

Step 5: Treatment of oedema and hardening by LPG

It is normal to experience swelling as well as nodules and hardening after liposuction. As far as oedema is concerned, the areas most affected by swelling are often the stomach and inner thighs. The hips swell relatively little compared to these two other areas. Swelling generally begins after 3 to 4 days and reaches its peak around 7 to 10 days, although the thighs may remain swollen for even longer.

One week after liposuction, certain treated areas start to become indurated. This is mainly the case for the stomach and hips. Swelling and induration diminish after 2 to 3 weeks and definitively after 3 to 6 months.

To avoid irregularities and hardening of the treated areas due to soft tissue healing, manual lymphatic drainage can be performed, but there’s even more: treatment with LPG Endermologie is strongly recommended, generally one week after liposuction. LPG Endermologie can also be used to reduce minor irregularities and sometimes cellulite. You can undergo this treatment with us if you wish.

Stage 6: Back to work

If you work in an environment where you regularly have to lift heavy loads or do strenuous exercise (e.g. a job in the building trade, a day-care centre or a personal trainer), we recommend that you take 2 weeks off work in order to respect the sitting or lying position after the operation, especially if the tummy has been liposuctioned. If your work is mainly office-based, then a break of 3 to 4 days is sufficient – as long as you don’t have to get up regularly but keep to the sitting position.

Step 7: Resuming sport

You can resume low-impact exercise immediately two weeks after the operation. Low-impact exercise is mainly anything that does not involve running or jumping. For example, you can walk or get on an elliptical machine. You should not engage in anything too intense. Your body is still recovering and pushing it too hard can lead to overexertion.

Although swimming is generally considered a low-impact sport, it is not recommended immediately after liposuction. It is very important to ensure that your incisions are completely healed before going swimming – usually 3 weeks after liposuction.

Return to high-impact exercise: After three weeks, you should be able to resume all your usual high-impact exercise, such as running and jumping. Take it easy when returning to more intense exercise and allow your body to readapt to these types of activity. You’ll continue to see your liposuction results improve over the following month. Making sure you incorporate exercise into your routine is one of the best ways to maintain your post-lipo weight and can even improve your results.

If liposuction of the abdomen has been performed, we strongly recommend all sports involving abdominal tucking.

Conclusion

In view of all that has been said above, it is important to follow and respect the recovery stages of liposuction. Resuming a healthy diet immediately after the operation and practising a sport that you enjoy on a regular basis 3 weeks after the operation will ensure that you are smiling from ear to ear when you check the before and after photos 3 months after the operation.