During the recovery from liposuction treatment, the considerations are related to management of the swelling and bruising and return to activity whilst minimising the risk of infection and controlling the pain.
Typically the post liposuction garment needs to be worn for the first 3 to 6 weeks after the surgical intervention.
We often find advantageous the use of post liposuction compression plates, fitted under the garment in target areas, both to improve the contour and reduce the swelling, and also to protect from the tendency of the garment to create folds.
Mobilising after the surgical operation is important both for liposuction as well as other interventions in particular after general anaesthetic.
This is primarily to reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis, which is the formation of clots in the leg veins. Occasionally such clots can travel to the lungs, which is called pulmonary embolism. Walking early and a good fluid intake help to prevent this, and are sometimes associated with wearing compression stockings, calf pumps or medication that thins the blood.
Return to work after liposuction depends to a great deal on the extent of the treatment, the areas treated and the intensity of the work.
Most people find that 1 to 2 weeks for return to work is sufficient, depending on how extensive the liposuction is. Walking is encouraged from the start, light exercise can be resumed after 2 weeks and normal exercise after about 5 weeks.
The antibiotics prescribed at the end of the treatment usually need to be carried on for the first 5 to 7 days.
It is beneficial to use also probiotics together with antibiotics to reduce the risk of antibiotic related diarrhoea.
Reduction in swelling and bruising can be accelerated by manual lymphatic drainage although this is not always necessary.
Pain after liposuction is variable, and most people find that moderate pain relief medication is sufficient.
Larger volume treatments are inevitably associated with more discomfort or pain and will require a more prolonged medication.
In some instances the pain after liposuction as well as other surgical treatments may become established as long term or neuropathic pain.
This type of problem requires a specialist intervention in order to be controlled quicker, as it depends on different mechanisms of adaptation of the nerves to the trauma of surgery.
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