How Soon After Liposuction Can I Fly?

How soon after liposuction can I fly? Do I need to inform my doctor or take any precautions?

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6 Doctor Answers | Asked by emmaj in Australia

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Flying and Liposuction

As with any surgery flying immediately after the procedure is not recommended due to increased risk of blood clots in your leg (DVT). Typically you should wait about 10-14days after surgery to fly. And then take the necessary precautions such as getting up to walk around during the flight, and wearing compression stockings. The risks factors more specifically depend on the type of anaesthesia used and the extent and length of your liposuction procedure. Also, you need to be in town for... more

Travel After Cosmetic Surgery

It is in your best interest to inform your doctor of EVERYTHING. Holding secrets or deciding for yourself what is or may not be important to tell the doctor could be very dangerous. What many of us choose to ignore is that surgery is an organized sterile assault on the body. We are breaking the skin barrier, modify multiple structures and hope the body will heal without any complications. However, that is not always the case. Any surgery over 1 hour, in women, involving the tummy, pelvis or... more

Travel after liposuction

Air travel and car travel especially over long distances carries a risk of a blood clot in the leg or DVT - deep venous thrombosis. The risk of DVT is higher after surgery particularly with sugery that is extensive and involves general anesthesia. The risk of DVT is markedly reduced after tumescent liposuction for a number or reasons - generallly the area treated is small due to limitations of tumescent anesthesia, the cannulas used are smaller and the procedure less traumatic to the tissue... more

Travel & Avoiding Blood Clots Following Liposuction

Travel of any type following cosmetic surgery can potentially complicate the postoperative course. In most cases, patients have recovered sufficiently to travel in about two weeks following liposuction. Air travel often involves prolonged periods of immobilization and because of this, patients may be at risk for the development of blood clots in their extremities. These blood clots, known as DVTs, can potentially represent a life-threatening phenomenon when they occur. There are several... more

Liposuction and flying

This is a question that comes up often. There is no definite answer for this question. I would say that the biggest risk is a deep vein thrombosis. You should stay well hydrated and move around often on the plane. I think that you can probably go on a plane within a week of your surgery as long as you are comfortable.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Liposuction and Flying

The length of time before you can fly after liposuction surgery varies from patient to patient. There are a number of factors involved in determining the length of time before you fly, including: the extent of liposuction performed the anesthesia used your overall health You should meet with your surgeon before flying to ensure that he/she would clear you to fly.