Liposuction/BBL- can the results be altered if I don't wear the ab board/foam during recovery?

The foam boards are not absolutely necessary in recovery. You will need a tight postoperative garment to ensure that your skin remains tight, but the actual abdominal boards are extraneous and are not necessary unless you are not wearing proper compression. I would caution against the postoperative massages until at least 6 weeks postop or until cleared by your surgeon, as these can cause infection and other problems when performed on immediate postoperative incisions. I would also make sure that your surgeon is board certified in plastic surgery to ensure the safety of the recommended procedure.

Hello @Keeetz, thank you for your question. I suggest you ask the specialist that will perform surgery, because the compression garment depends of multiple things among other the doctor's surgical technique and the type of equipment used to perform the surgery. According to the clinical criteria is the level of compression of the girdle and foams or ab board. Is important that you take into account that inadequate compression can generate more inflammation. Best wishes! Alan Gonzalez MD, FACS. International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Science” Member (IFATS), American Society of Plastic Surgery Member (ASPS), Colombian Society of Plastic Surgery member (SCCP)

Dear Keeetz,
I understand your concern. It is best that you consult your plastic surgeon regarding post operative care and management (i.e including massage techniques and timing) specific to your case. Your surgeon knows your condition well and has preferences on when and what to use for faster healing and recovery. Post operative care and management depends on the type of surgery performed and the technique used during surgery among other factors.It is best, however, that you follow your plastic surgeon's advice on post operative care management for a smooth and faster healing and recovery.
Daniel Barrett, MDCertified, American Board of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Thank you for posting your question. Ab boards and foam will help decrease swelling and will make your post op process go smoother. You will definitely see results faster when using these. But I do not feel that they alter results unless there is excessive swelling. In some cases excessive swelling can lead to more fibrosis and this in turn can can lead to irregularities under the skin.

Hope this helps,
Dr. Miguel Mota

Thanks so much for reaching out. I feel like those accessories really decrease swelling quicker but shouldn’t have much effect on your final result. Massages on the other hand and important to make your result as smooth as possible. I hope this helps :)

Every surgeon has their own postoperative instructions. I do not require postoperative massages, although they do help with smoothing things out earlier. They do not affect long term results.
I use foam, but not abdominal boards. I ask my patients not to sit for 4 weeks.
Best wishes,
Dr. Taranow

In the end, there are only two variables determine what the results from this procedure are going to look like. The first is your candidacy for the procedure and the second is how the procedure is performed.
None of the other variables will have any impact on your final outcome. Massage or a compression garments cannot change your fat distribution. Only surgical intervention can do that.
Each provider will have their own recommended postoperative care. There’s no evidence that postoperative care has any impact on final results whatsoever.
I suggest patience focus on the reference on the two variables that actually matter which is understanding your own candidacy for the procedure and choosing the most talented and experience provider, by having multiple in person to consultations.
Delivering consistent quality, liposuction and fat transfer results is not as easy as people believe. The number of plastic surgeons of truly mastered these procedures is relatively few.
Liposuction into some degree fat transfer results are permanent and irreversible. If done, poorly people can be left disfigured. I cannot over emphasize the importance of provider selection. These procedures have significant variation in outcomes based on who does the surgery.
Good luck,
Mats Hagstrom MD