How long after liposuction on full abdomen do the drains come out? How long do you recommend not going to work after lipo?

I disagree completely with the physicians below.  I put drains in my liposuction patients WITH compression, hyperbaric oxygen and massage.  My patients get amazing hi definition results and without the drains they do not get the same results.  These come out in 5-7 days after surgery.  Best, Dr. Emer.

First you should have compression after liposuction not drains.  Second, leaving the wounds open makes an incredible mess an increases the risk of infection.  Your body will absorb the extra fluid.  In fact, the absorption of the fluid is part of the calculation of how much intravenous fluid you should receive.  Third, if you can have surgery on Friday and be back to work Monday, you did not have enough fat removed.  After liposuction surgery, I advise the patients to take
one week off from work. You would need full time help with your children for
that first week. At that point we take out the stitches and the patients
may return to work, but may not engage in any strenuous activity. At one month,
the patients start low impact cardio. At two months they can engage in more
strenuous physical activity. The compression garment is worn for at least 6
weeks.

Thanks for ur question! I do hundreds of liposuction and body contouring surgeries per year, right up the road from u in Lubbock, TX! I hardly ever use drains with liposuction, and usually after ~3 weeks u r back to full activity. If a tummy tuck is involved, the recovery is a little longer, I do usually use drains, & they come out at 1-2 weeks post op. U r back to full activity after a tummy tuck at ~6 weeks. However, it's important to remember that I want u up & walking around & staying hydrated the afternoon after ur surgery. Very important to do this to promote healing & prevent blood clots from forming. Best of luck to u!

I can understand why drains whatever be used in liposuction. It's unclear to me how they can even be placed from a technical point of view.

Thanks for your question, betterm. Drains aren't
typically placed after a liposuction procedure. Instead, compression garments
are usually used to control swelling. However, liposuction can be performed as
part of a tummy tuck, which does typically require drains. In this case, drains
are usually removed after a week or less. The type of work you do determines
when you may return. People who work in office jobs can usually return after
about a week, but those who have more physically demanding occupations usually
need additional time at home. Your surgeon can give you a better idea.

 Routinely liposuction is performed on the upper and lower abdomen and no drains are used. Many surgeons will not suture the access sites to allow adequate drainage. If you do have drains after a lipo procedure consult your plastic surgeon to  determine the amount of fluid collection that is acceptable prior to removal of the drain. 

 Thank you for your question. Drains after liposuction are not commonly needed, but if they are, they are removed within 2 - 3 days. Most patients are back to work within 5 - 6 days. If your work is particularly strenuous or physically demanding, an additional 6 - 8 days off may be needed. Best of luck.

Thank you for your question. It is not common to have drains placed after liposuction. It is my preference to leave the tiny incision sites open and let the body drain the fluid. After 24hrs the draining should subside. As far as recovery, there are really no limitations as to when you can get back to work. Most patients who have liposuction performed on Friday can be back to work on Monday.  However, every person experiences pain differently. Scheudle an appointment with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in your area to go over your concerns and come up with a plan that is designed for you.

Liposuction does not typically have drains. The incisions are left open to drain naturally over the next 24-48 hours. There typically isn't any "down time" from liposuction that would prevent you from working, depending on what your job is of course. Nothing will be done to the skin or muscles, so there will be no stitches. You will more than likely feel sore, like a hard abdomen work out at the gym and will have some energy loss while your body heals. I would maybe take the following day off, just due to the draining.