Liposuction recovery process can differ from one patient to another depending on the extent of surgery performed, the surgical technique adopted by the cosmetic surgeon, and the patient’s natural healing ability. Dr. Paul McCluskey will discuss the recovery process with his patients in Atlanta, GA and surrounding areas during the initial consultations.
Expected Recovery Period
Most patients will take at least a week to recover enough to be able to go back to work. In case the plastic surgeon has performed the procedure in multiple areas, they may advise the patient to stay off work for about 10 to 14 days. Immediately after the procedure, the treated areas will be wrapped using a compressive garment with compression pads. This helps expedite healing and reduces swelling.
Conspicuous swelling will subside fast, but complete swelling may get resolved over several months. The patient will continue to feel better as new contours and enhance appearance emerge gradually over a few months. In most cases, the cosmetic surgeon may place small, temporary drains beneath the skin to remove any excess blood or fluid in the first few days after the procedure.
Queries and Instructions
The surgeon may provide specific instructions to follow during the recovery period, which may include the following:
- How to take proper care for the treated areas and drains.
- When to take pain medications and other drugs to minimize the chances of infection.
- Typical symptoms to look for in the treated areas as well as in general health condition, when the surgeon must be contacted.
- When to make the first follow-up visit to the plastic surgeon.
Dr. McCluskey encourages his patients in Atlanta, GA and other areas to ask questions and clear any doubts regarding the recovery process. Some of the common questions that a patient should ask may include the following:
- Whether the surgeon will prescribe the medications during recovery?
- Will dressing or bandages have to be worn continuously after surgery and for how long?
- When will the stitches be removed?
- When is it appropriate to go back to work, and when to resume light exercises?
Other Aspects of Recovery
If the liposuction procedure is performed using tumescent technique, the use of general anesthesia will be avoided. The procedure can also be less invasive in case of laser assisted liposuction. In such cases, the recovery will be faster and the process will be well tolerated overall. Pain and discomfort gets reduced if the procedure is performed in a single area, or performed using less invasive techniques.
It is possible in many cases to conceal the treated areas behind clothing. Therefore, the patient will not attract needless attention on returning to work. After the first week, the tight compression garment can be removed to take a shower, but should be continuously worn through the first two to three weeks. The patient should not try to seek immediate gratification from the results because that may cause unnecessary frustration during the initial days. The full results may take several months to appear.
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