Most patients take the 3 to 5 days off from work for Smart Lipo recovery time, to rest and heal. The more areas you have treated at once, the longer your recovery time will be.
You’ll probably be swollen, sore, and have some bruising, numbness, and tenderness for two to three weeks post-op.
“It’s not uncommon to feel some firm areas beneath the skin after Smart Lipo, especially in those areas with more fat,” Dr. Berman says. He recommends self-massaging these areas for 2 to 3 minutes, 2 to 3 times per day, to gradually reduce lumps over several weeks to months.
Your surgeon will encourage you to resume normal activities, like exercise, as soon as you feel up to it, or at least by 10 days post-procedure. “Most of my patients resume full exercise in five days,” says Dr. Berman.
To minimize swelling, you’ll wear a compression garment except while showering. There’s no need for an expensive garment, says Dr. Berman: “Spanx or Spandex are fine.”
Here’s Dr. Berman’s compression garment protocol:
- 10 to 14 days afterward, patients can begin to go without the compression garment for an hour or two a day.
- If there’s an increase in swelling, you’re not ready yet; you’ll need to keep wearing it full-time for another three days before scaling back.
- If you don’t see more swelling, continue with one to two hours out of the garment for three days. Then double the amount of time out of the garment. “Your body becomes slowly accustomed to the lack of compression,” he explains.
Most other symptoms should improve within six weeks. Continue to wear your compression garment for as long as your doctor recommends.
RealSelf Tip: Some surgeons encourage lymphatic drainage massage following lipo to stave off contour irregularities and reduce swelling, but not all see it as a necessity.
