Does Less Fat Removed Means Faster Recovery? When Will I See The Final Result?

Question

I had about 650cc removed about a 5 days ago from my flanks - aka love handels, and i was woundering how long will it take for me to see the full results? im in my early 30's, good health.

Michele A. Shermak, MD · Answer

Typically it takes up to 4-6 months to see the true final result. You should see some improvement immediately, and within about 6 weeks you will have a very good idea of where you are. People heal at different rates, resolving swelling and thickness. Talk to your plastic surgeon to check on what he/she expects. Ask when you can start exercising - fitness goes very well with liposuction to get optimal results.

Jennifer Lauren Crawford, MD · Answer

Thank you for the question.  Indeed, 650cc of fat is not a large volume.  I don't know that removing smaller volumes of fat necessarily means you recover faster because the tissue is still subjected to the wetting or tumescent fluid we pump in and it is still somewhat traumatized from the liposuction cannulas.  It does, however, make sense to me that folks getting large volume liposuction and multiple body areas may certainly be prone to longer recoveries than the norm.  It will still take you 3-6 months to be able to see most of the result and I still feel that some people can see slight improvement for as long as a year or so.  I am a firm believer that compression garments help shape and minimize swelling, so be compliant in using them if your surgeon ordered you to.  I actually keep my patients in some type of compression (even if it is just light Spanx) for 2 months.  The compression might help speed your result slightly.  Good luck with everything and enjoy your result!

Does Less Fat Removed Means Faster Recovery? When Will I See The Final Result?

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Does Less Fat Removed Means Faster Recovery? When Will I See The Final Result?

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Everything you need to know about Liposuction

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.