Through a minimally invasive surgery, liposuction requires a healing period for the patient’s body to regain normalcy. Like any surgery, liposuction subjects the body to stress from the cutting, vacuuming and suturing involved.

Much of the appeal of the surgery is it’s often touted ‘instantaneous’ results. While it is true that immediately after the surgery, you will have a new body shape, it is not an ‘instant result’. The final look for your body will be observable once six to eight weeks have passed since. 

The final exact number of weeks necessary for healing hinges on your body’s overall ability to heal. Your surgeon will provide you with many guidelines to follow as aftercare to ensure a satisfactory recovery. 

By sticking to the given recommendations and avoiding hazardous situations that can affect the final results, you’ll do just fine.

Liposuction Recovery

After the surgery successfully concludes, the surgeon will provide you with compression garments. These are for the patient to wear and will help heal the incisions by holding the cuts closer together. The patient will have to wear said compression garments for one or two months’, depending on the surgeon’s opinion. The surgeon will also go over the aftercare treatment citing the dos and don’ts for it. 

The surgery is often made following an outpatient basis, meaning that you can go home after it. Have the same person that drove you to the surgery drive you back at home safe and sound. 

Bruising and swelling of the operated area are completely normal as is some redness is resembling chafed skin. Take your medications to help control these and avoid infections; after a week, most swelling should subside.

Liposuction Recovery Outlook

The schedule of the progression of your recovery should look like the following.

1st & 2nd week

The compression garments must stay on for the entire duration of the day during the first five days after the surgery. The surgery commonly reduces your mobility, if you are lying down constantly, remember to turn around every 2 hours to avoid blood clots. Also, do not take a shower; take a sponge bath instead. On the sixth day, you should have a follow-up with the surgeon. The rest of the two weeks keep using the compression garment all the time except when showering.

3rd & 4th week

Starting the third week, you can start wearing the compression garment for only 12 hours now. During this time, most of your incisions should have healed and the bruising almost completely gone. Light exercise is also possible at this time but don’t attempt to do any strenuous activity.

5th & 6th week

Your healing should be almost completed. Most physical activity is now possible but still be mindful when doing anything involving the operated areas.

It’s possible for these timelines to extend or decrease, depending on your body’s overall ability to heal. Please remember to follow your surgeon’s instructions to the letter to have a satisfactory outcome on your healing.