Liposuction Aftercare & Maintenance

Liposuction Aftercare

Liposuction is virtually painless. Because Dr. Wright uses very small instruments called micro cannulas, the incisions involved in this procedure are tiny. However, for the first postoperative day there may well be some discomfort requiring over-the-counter pain medicine. Soreness or aching may persist for several days. A person can usually return to work within a day and to normal activity within a week.

Mild side effects can include a burning sensation at the site of the surgery for up to a month. Patients should be prepared for swelling of the tissues below the site of the operation for up to 6-8 weeks after surgery. The special elastic garments will help reduce this swelling and help to achieve the desired final results.

Post Operative Care for The Tumescent Technique

The Tumescent Technique for liposuction has eliminated the common problem of surgical bleeding associated with older techniques. It uses a large volume of a dilute solution of lidocaine for local anesthesia and dilute epinephrine to shrink capillaries.

Minor bleeding or seepage through the incision site(s) is common after this procedure. Wearing the support garment helps reduce fluid loss. Postoperative swelling begins to go down after a week. Postoperative bruising will go away in 10-14 days. It may take three to six months for the final contour to be reached, with no further discomfort.

Patients will need to wear support garments for a number of weeks (3 or 4 weeks, generally) depending on the area treated. Support garments can be removed for bathing 24 hours after surgery. In rare cases, a drainage tube may be inserted under the skin in the area of the procedure to prevent fluid build-up. This is not usually required.