Recovering from a liposuction

Video: Liposuction Recovery Care - Reduce Your Liposuction Surgery Recovery Time - 5 Tips!

Content

To step
Method 1 of 2: Recover after surgery
Method 2 of 2: Maintain weight after surgery
Tips
Warnings

Liposuction (also called body contouring) is one of the most popular cosmetic surgical procedures in the world. In such a procedure, a plastic surgeon removes excess body fat by suctioning fat away using special surgical equipment. Some areas of the body that often qualify for liposuction are the hips, buttocks, thighs, arms, stomach, and breasts. If you are considering or have undergone liposuction, it is good to know that recovery can be painful and take a while, but giving yourself the opportunity to heal properly will help you enjoy the results of this procedure more.

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Method 1 of 2: Recover after surgery

Consult your doctor for post-operative instructions. Liposuction is an invasive procedure and has many complications. It's important to pay attention to your doctor's post-operative instructions and ask questions if you have them. This can ensure that you heal properly and reduce the risk of complications.
- You can ask your doctor about your recovery during the last appointment before the procedure so that you understand everything.
- If someone is going with you to surgery, make sure that they are also aware of the doctor's instructions, in case you are too tired when you recover after surgery or from the anesthetic to pay attention yourself. to tender.
Allow enough time for recovery. Whether you have your surgery in a hospital or outpatient clinic, you will need to give yourself at least a few days of rest. Generally, you can go back to work or school after a few days.
- Discuss the amount of rest time with your doctor.
- The recovery period is directly related to the size of the operated site and the amount of fat removed by the doctor. If you have treated a larger area, you may need more time to recover.
- Get your house and bedroom ready before you leave for surgery. A comfortable environment, including a comfortable mattress, pillows, and bedding, will help you rest better and heal faster.
Wear pressure clothing. After the operation, your doctor will provide you with bandages and possibly pressure clothing. Wearing pressure bandages and compression garments can help keep pressure on the area, stop bleeding, and maintain the contour as applied by the surgery.
- Some doctors do not provide pressure clothing. You will then have to purchase it before or immediately after the operation. You can find compression bandages and compression garments at drugstores and medical stores.
- It is important to wear pressure clothing. These provide support after surgery and help reduce swelling and bruising, and improve circulation, which in turn can be beneficial for recovery.
- It is best to purchase pressure clothing specifically designed for the area of your body where the surgery took place. For example, if you have had liposuction on your thighs, you will need two compression bandages or compression garments around each thigh.
- You may need to wear the post-operative dressing for two weeks, and pressure clothing usually for a few weeks.
Take antibiotics to prevent infections. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics after your surgery to reduce the risk of infection. It is important to take the entire course of antibiotics as prescribed to prevent infections.
- Recent studies have shown that antibiotics may not be necessary after liposuction - so please discuss this with your doctor. You may have a condition such as herpes that requires medication to prevent infections or outbreaks.
Limit pain and swelling with medication. You may experience some pain, numbness, and swelling after surgery. You can relieve pain and swelling with over-the-counter pain relievers or a prescription pain reliever.
- It is normal to experience numbness and tingling as well as a few weeks of post-operative pain. You may also experience swelling and bruising during this time.
- It takes about 1-2 weeks for most people to feel better after surgery. You may need to take painkillers during that time (or longer).
- Consider taking over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Ibuprofen can also help relieve some of the swelling associated with surgery.
- Your doctor can prescribe you pain medication if the over-the-counter is not working well enough.
- You can get over-the-counter pain relievers and prescription medications from pharmacists.
Get back to walking as soon as possible. It is important to quickly resume moving at a leisurely pace as soon as you are able to do so. Walking can help prevent blood clots from forming in your legs, which can be fatal. Gentle movement can also help you heal faster.
- While it is recommended that you start walking or make gentle movements as soon as possible, it may not be possible to initiate more strenuous exercise until one month after surgery.
Take good care of the surgical wound. The wound from your surgery may be stitched. Keep the sutures covered as instructed by your doctor and follow his / her instructions for changing the dressing.
- Your doctor may have fitted a drainage hose to drain excess fluid from the wound.
- You can take a shower again after 48 hours, but don't take a longer bath until your stitches have been removed. Apply clean band-aids and pressure bandages when you are done showering.
Have your stitches removed. Some types of stitches can be absorbed into the body, but others may require a visit to your doctor to have them removed. Have your stitches removed when the period indicated by the doctor has passed.
- Your doctor will let you know what type of stitches are involved when he gives you the post-operative instructions.
- If you have dissolvable stitches, you don't have to have them removed. They will go away on their own.
Watch for signs of complications. The surgery has inherent risks, so watch your body for signs of complications, such as infections. This can help prevent serious complications that can be fatal. Consult your doctor immediately with the following complaints:
- Extra swelling, bruising, or redness.
- Severe or increasing pain.
- Headache, rash, nausea or vomiting.
- Fever (temperature above 38 degrees Celsius).
- Yellow or green wound fluid with a foul odor.
- Bleeding that is difficult to stop or control.
- Loss of feeling or ability to move.
Keep in mind that results are not immediately visible. You may not see immediate results because of the swelling. It may also take a few weeks for the remaining fat to take up its new position, and you can expect some irregularities in your contours during this time. However, you should be able to see the full results of the surgery within six months.
- Liposuction may not last, especially when you gain weight again.
- You may be disappointed if the results aren't as striking as you hoped.

Method 2 of 2: Maintain weight after surgery

Keep your weight in check. Liposuction permanently removes fat cells, but when you regain weight, it can change the result or the fat can return to where you had surgery. Maintain your weight to maintain the outcome of the surgery.
- It is best to maintain your weight. While it won't be particularly noticeable if you swing a pound or two, gaining more can change the result significantly.
- Staying active and a healthy diet can help you maintain your weight.
Eat healthy, regular meals. Eating healthy, balanced, and regular meals can help you maintain your weight.Foods with not too much fat, complex carbohydrates and many nutrients, for example, are best for your overall health.
- Stick to a diet of about 1800-2200 healthy calories per day, depending on how active you are.
- You get enough nutrition if you eat and drink foods from the five food groups every day. The five food groups are: fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins and dairy.
- Have 1-1.5 cups of vegetables per day. This can be in the form of whole fruits such as raspberries, blueberries or strawberries, or by drinking 100% fruit juice. Make sure to take a variety of fruits so that you get a range of nutrients and don't process them. For example, eating a cup of berries is much healthier than eating the berries on top of a cake as a snack.
- You need 2.5-3 cups (one cup is about 240 grams) of vegetables per day. You can get these as whole vegetables such as broccoli, carrots or peppers, or by drinking 100% vegetable juice. Make sure to vary the vegetables you choose so that you get a range of different nutrients.
- Fruits and vegetables are an excellent source of fiber. Fiber also helps you maintain your weight.
- You need 150-240 grams of grains per day, half of which should be whole grain. You can choose grains and whole grains from foods such as brown rice, whole wheat pasta or bread, oatmeal, or cereal. Grains provide you with essential B vitamins, which can help slow digestion.
- You need 150-195 grams of protein per day. You can get protein from lean meats, such as beef, pork or poultry, boiled beans, eggs, peanut butter, or nuts and seeds. This will also help you develop and maintain lean muscle mass.
- You need 360 ml of milk products per day. You can get your protein from cheese, yogurt, milk, soy milk, or even ice cream.
- Don't have too much sodium in your diet (abundant in ready-to-eat foods). Your sense of taste may decline with age, and you may want to add extra salt to your food. Try alternative seasonings such as garlic or herbs to help you avoid excess sodium and retain moisture.
Avoid unhealthy foods. If you want to lose weight, it's a good idea to avoid unhealthy or junk foods, as many of them are full of fat and calories. Stay away from the supermarket snack shelves when you go grocery shopping. Potatoes, nachos, pizza, burgers, cake and ice cream are not going to help you lose weight.
- Avoid starchy, refined carbohydrates, such as breads, crackers, pasta, rice, cereals, and baked goods. Avoiding this type of food can also help you maintain your weight.
- Watch out for hidden sugars in your diet, otherwise you can gain weight.
Do cardio. Moderate-intensity cardio can help you improve your fitness and lose weight. Discuss your cardio plan with your doctor and licensed fitness professional before starting it.
- You should do at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise (almost) every day of the week.
- If you are just starting out or looking for something with a little less strain, walking and swimming are excellent options.
- You can do any type of cardio workout for weight loss. In addition to walking and swimming, you can go running, rowing, cycling or training on the elliptical.
Do strength training. In addition to cardio, you can also work on your strength to maintain weight and maintain the results of the liposuction.
- Before embarking on a strength training program, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor, and maybe even a licensed trainer, who can work out the best plan for you, taking into account what you can handle and what you need.
- Try yoga or pilates, either in a fitness studio or online. These activities are not very stressful and can help strengthen and stretch your muscles, while maintaining your weight.