Liposuction: Q&A

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True Weight After Lipo? How Much of My Weight is Actually Swelling?

I am post liposuction 6 days(YAY!).I weighed myself the morning of my surgery & I was 136.6 lbs.I know from much research & conversations with my doctor that lipo doesn't cause much weight loss.Now I'm so swollen I have no idea WHAT my true weight is.When I stepped on the scale this morning, it had me at 141.6 lbs, exactly 5 lbs MORE than my pre-surgery weight.I'm thinking this is due to the massive amount of swelling in both my thighs?? How much WEIGHT is on me due this swelling? Thanks! :)

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7 Doctor Answers | Asked by Rheanite

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Fluid Retention after Liposuction

The body's response to trauma is to retain water. Liposuction is a surgical event that the body perceives as a traumatic event. When you take fat or tissue away, you will have a weight increase after surgery. This usually will resolve itself in a few weeks. Fat does not weigh as much as bone or muscle. You may look thinner after liposuction, while the scale may not change in a big way. Remember to wear your compression garments and do those things... more

Fluid weight following liposuction

At this point, it would be impossible to accurate assess what part of your weight is due to swelling versus other causes. It can take up to several weeks for much of this fluid weight to resolve - some from the swelling and some from the IV fluid given to you during surgery. In the meantime - stay somewhat active but within the parameters as given to you by your surgeon, avoid overindulging and stay off the scale.

How Much of My Weight AFTER Liposuction is Actually Swelling?

Great question. As you know from life experience, every injury results in swelling. If you played active sports you know that in most cases the fall or hit at first are not as painful as what happens afterward. In its effort to repair the injury, the body's lymphatics leak fluid and inflammatory cells which through a complex process remove dead cells and reconstruct new tissues. The inflammatory process lasts several weeks to months and the swelling WILL gradually diminish. You... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD

35 reviews

Memphis Plastic Surgeon

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Weight loss after lipo

Hello, Fat weighs about 6-7 lbs per gallon or about 1.8 lbs per liter. Therefore if your plastic surgeon took out about 4 liters of actual fat (not fat and tumescent) then after your swelling subsides you should weigh less by the amount of liters of fat removed x 1.8 pounds. Of course, if you gain or loose weight in the interim period that you are waiting for your swelling to decrease then that number will change accordingly. Most important of all, you should look at... more

Weight after Liposuction?

Thank you for the question. It is normal for patients to “retain” fluid after surgery. This will throw off your weight calculations until the fluid is mobilized ( and excreted). This may take a few weeks to complete. Best wishes for the remainder of your recovery (and stay off the scale for a while).

Weight gain after liposuction

You are totally correct that, after liposuction, until your swelling goes down, you cannot accurately assess your true weight. You can expect that your body has mobilized fluid as swelling and you will have to give it some time. I hope that you are wearing a compression garment which will help to reduce swelling and enable you to reach the final result faster.

Swellling after surgery

Usually patients gain weight after srugery. Most of that is water weight that the body accumulates as a repsonse to the surgery. This usually takes a few weeks to resolve.

Steven Wallach, MD

13 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

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