I had Liposuction done on my upper/lower ab and love handles. I am 5 days post-procedure and I still have a good bit of discomfort and swelling. Is this normal, and how long does it usually take before the swelling goes away?
Liposuction on the body is generally not a very painful procedure after the acute postoperative period during the first 48 hours. The procedure is well tolerated and most patients complain of persistent discomfort that allows them to go to work normally for the first 3 weeks after surgery. Swelling, on the other hand, subsides within the first 3 weeks and there are remnants of swelling, although minimal, for 6 months.
The discomfort and pain from liposuction are variable between one patient and the next. Some patients require narcotic pain medications, while others get by with Tylenol or nothing at all.
Swelling after liposuction takes a bit longer to resolve. For most patients, the swelling should be 90% resolved within about the first 6 weeks, with the residual swelling gradually subsiding over the first 6 months. Compression garments, along with early massage (we advise patients to use a rolling-pin) help to hasten the resolution of the early swelling, and also seem to de-sensitize the areas of liposuction. After 6 months, both the patient and the surgeon should have a good idea of the long-term outcome of the surgery.
With liposuction it is normal to have discomfort, brusing and swelling. It is advisable to continue to wear your compression garment given to you when you had surgery, as this will help with the swelling. Most patients will not see the final result to surgery for at least 3 months. Make sure you limit your alcohol and salt intake this will help. So , be patient ,and i'm sure that you will soon be happy and see the results of your efforts.
The discomfort after liposuction usually subsides slowly over 2-3 weeks. Prescription pain pills are taken for the first 1-2 weeks and OTC advil for the 3rd or 4th week if needed. Swelling and skin tightening take 4-6 months to resolve but even at 1 week you should see alittle improvement and at 1 month you should see a big improvement. We start patients exercising and massaging at one week. This helps the swelling go down faster since it stimulates the lymphatic system to allow faster drainage. We also try to get them up walking the day after liposuction and back to work in 2 days.
Good luck,
David Hansen, MD
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