Can I have my compression garment off while washing it?

Question

Had Smart Lipo on my abs and flanks two weeks ago. I'm swollen in the bottom area of my stomach. Am I ruining my healing process by leaving the garment off while washing it?

Marco A. Pelosi III, MD, FACOG, FACS · Answer

You should really have a pair of garments. Not only for the ease of washing one while wearing the other, but also because they tend to loosen up over time if worn excessively. No harm in leaving it off while you wash it.

Babak Moeinolmolki, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello, 
Thank you for your question. A bit of swelling is typical at this point in your recovery. While it’s fine to take off your compression garments for a couple of hours, I still recommend you have at least two sets. That way, you still have compression and have sufficient time to manually wash and air dry the garment as most will loosen if machine washed/dried. Hope this helps. 
Best, Dr. Babak Moein

Mark Crispin, MD · Answer

Taking a garment off 2 weeks after liposuction for washing is no problem.  Using baby powder to replace it can be helpful while putting it back on.

Carlos Burnett, MD, FACS · Answer

You should limit your time out of your compression to less than an hour. Swelling at the bottom of the abdomen is not uncommon. Compression and massage therapy is of the utmost importance.DrBurnett#realself100

Kenton Schoonover, MD · Answer

Compression garments certainly help to control swelling, but I recommend patients wear them for about 20 hours daily.  This allows a little bit of time out of the garment for laundering or so that you can have a short break if it's driving you crazy.  You should not worry about compromising the quality of your end result by not wearing your garment for short times.

Scott C. Lindsay, DO · Answer

Thanks for your question!  There's no problem taking your garment off to wash it and you aren't compromising your result.  Swelling at this point is still completely normal.  Good luck!

Kimberly Finder, MD · Answer

Taking your garment off to refresh yourself and the garment is just fine. Generally, if you have your garment off for an hour or so, you won't become excessively swollen. Just get it back on as soon as you can. Remember that your garment won't change your liposuction results. It just makes you more comfortable and reduces swelling in the early days to weeks.

Patrick Viscardi, MD (retired) · Answer

This is a wonderful question! I typically will provide two post-operative compression garments so that my patients are able to wear one while they are washing the other garment. With this being said it is perfectly fine to spend a little time without your garment on if you are laundering. It is very important to insure your garments are both clean and fit properly throughout your recovery. I do hope you have found this information helpful and I wish you luck!

Can I have my compression garment off while washing it?

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