How Does a Compression Garment Help After Liposuction Surgery? (photo)

It’s not unusual for surgeons to
recommend the use of compression garments following liposuction.Although the majority of plastic surgeons
recommend some type of compression, there are surgeons who don’t always
recommend compression.It’s important to
understand that every patient is unique, and for this reason the use of
compression varies from patient to patient. The
importance of compression garments depends upon a variety of factors.These might include the amount of fat removed
and the patient’s baseline skin laxity, to name a few.In some cases, not wearing a compression garment
may have no significance.In other
cases, it might be the difference between an excellent result and an average
result.Compression
minimizes swelling and decreases post-operative pain.It helps to remodel the soft tissue by
collapsing tunnels created by the liposuction cannula during the
procedure.Compression contributes
significantly to the contour improvement that’s seen with this procedure. Swelling
and water retention following tumescent liposuction can be reduced with
compression, massage, exercise and low-salt diets.These maneuvers ultimately improve the
post-operative experience by minimizing swelling and discomfort following this
procedure. It’s
important to discuss this issue with your surgeon before proceeding with
surgery so you have an understanding of why post-operative compression garments
are important for you.The majority of
plastic surgeons utilize compression garments in most liposuction cases and
feel that it positively impacts the final surgical result.

How does a Compression Garment help after Liposuction? If you have had suction of the knees, thigh, or abdomen, the doctor will have put on a compression garment at the end of the surgery. The extra pressure this garment provides helps reduce swelling and discomfort. You should not remove this garment at all until the second or third day after surgery. After that, feel free to remove the garment temporarily for laundering. We want you to have circumferential pressure for 4-6 weeks, but you may switch to an exercise garment (Lycra or Spandex) whenever it feels comfortable to slip it on or off, as you will have to do so in order to go to the bathroom. See the below link for a more fuller explanation and general advice.