Liposuction on knees and front thighs - how long can I expect swelling after the procedure?

Body contouring procedures have become increasingly popular and can help men and women recontour their body in adulthood. If you have stubborn areas of fatty accumulation that are more resistant to diet and exercise, you may be a candidate for body sculpting liposuction performed at Kare Plastic Surgery in Santa Monica. Liposuction remains one of the most popular procedures in cosmetic surgery and allows patients to slim and toned their waist line, back, arms, and legs using this minimally invasive and highly coveted procedure.

Among the most common areas to have liposuction performed is the waist line and stomach area. This makes liposuction an excellent alternative to a tummy tuck or mini tummy tuck. If you have had fluctuations in weight, you may benefit by recontouring the waistline and abdomen using liposuction. Patient with excessive skin in the lower abdomen from childbirth or from excessive weight loss may not respond well to liposuction because the extra skin will continue to hang. In these patients, and abdominal plasty procedure is preferred.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Swelling resolved at different rates for everyone. With good compression, most of the swelling will likely be gone in 2-3 months, but it will continue to improve for even 5-6 months.

Hello,
It can take anywhere from 3-6 months for swelling to resolve after liposuction. Considering you healed well from your prior liposuction, is a good indicator you will progress the same for other areas. We always recommend lymphatic massages after liposuction to help reduce swelling as well.

Liposuction is such a great procedure that helps almost everyone for those stubborn areas. The very next day you see an improvement but the end results usually take 6 months. If you had good results with minimal swelling on the outer thighs, then the front and inner thighs/knees should be about the same.

Swelling after front thigh and knee liposuction often lasts a bit longer than outer thigh areas. While a significant amount of swelling usually improves within 6–8 weeks, residual swelling—especially around the knees—can take 3–6 months to fully settle. Recovery timelines vary by individual, and your previous healing experience is helpful but not a guarantee for identical recovery this time.

Swelling is common and expected after liposuction. The swelling should be resolved after about three months, though the majority is often gone sooner. There are steps you can take to help manage it. First and foremost, follow the instructions of your plastic surgeon. Second, consider using arnica and bromelain. Third, your surgeon may advise lymphatic massage which can be helpful.