Should I Use Anti Inflammatory Drugs to Help Reduce the Swelling After Liposuction?

Anti-inflammatory medications do reduce swelling, but you really should check with your physician before taking them since you recently had surgery.  Generally at two weeks after liposuction I don't have a problem with my own patients taking them.

Hi Chardonnay,

I normally advise my patients to avoid anti-inflammatories (such as aspirin, Advil, Motrin, Aleve, etc) for three weeks before and after surgery.  But at two weeks post-op, if you're otherwise doing as well as you appear to be, it would be reasonable to take anti-inflammatories for symptomatic relief.

But I don't think that there's much that you can do to speed the resolution of the swelling (aside from using whatever compression garments your surgeon recommends, plus any other recommendations).  It takes a long time to see the results of lipo:  4-6 weeks for 85%, 3 months for 90-95% and 6 months (or even longer) for the final result.  That process involves the absorption of fluid followed by the contraction of your skin into its new contour.  And taking anti-inflammatories will not, in my experience, alter this process.

I think you just have to wait it out...you can return to normal activity when you feel like it (you're already there) and start exercising at 3 weeks (start slowly, advance as tolerated).  Otherwise, just time...

I hope that this helps, and good luck,

Dr. E