Is It Absolutely Necessary to Wear a Compression Garment for 3 Months After Liposuction?

I generally advise patients wear their garment 24 hours a day for three weeks, removing it only when bathing or washing it. From 3 to 6 weeks, wear your garment in the day only. However, it sounds like your surgeon has different advice. It's best to follow their advice or express your concerns directly to them so that they may respond.

In general, after four to six weeks, wearing a garment really is of no consequence.  Wearing it longer than that is neither necessary nor indicated.

I ask my patients to wear the garment to help minimize swelling, resolve postop op swelling faster, and to help shape the liposuctioned area.  I also ask them to take it off several times a day for a few minutes at a time and massage the liposuction areas to help smooth the skin contours.  The length of time for which patients wear garments depends from patient to patient in my practice.  I tell all my patients to plan on garments for 3 moths but then as they heal we adjust the plan.  Not infrequently I stop the garments after 2-4 weeks.

In your situation it sounds the liposuction was not extensive and you should be able to go without the garment after a few weeks. 

However, ultimately, you should speak to your plastic surgeon who knows what he/she did and why they want you to wear it for that time period to get you the best possible results.

Sincerely,

Martin Jugenburg, MD, FRCSC

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon

It's best to always follow the directions of your surgeon.  There are many different philosophies and practices by surgeons and many are based on experience and the individual patient's needs.  In my practice the length of time varies considerably depending on the patient's skin tone, amount of fat removed, technique used and how the patient is healing, which is assessed at each postoperative appointment.  If the patient's skin was loose or had stretch marks prior to surgery, I may recommend the compression garnet be worn for a greater amount of time.  I would ask your surgeon why he/she feels that you need to wear the garment this length of time before you discontinue wearing it.  

My recommendation for most patients is a minimum of two weeks. Compression can reduce swelling, aid in supporting the skin and evening out the shape of the body. For patients with significant swelling the garment can be worn for a longer time - usually at the patient's discretion based upon comfort.The garment should be 'comfortably' snug. Excessively tight compression is, in my opinion, not helpful and may actually be counter productive to healing. Best of Luck  Dr Harrell