Why does it take an average of 4 months to see the final results of liposuction?

At one
week you are likely still experiencing a lot of swelling. There are no hard and
fast rules for Smart Lipo, as every patients body reacts differently. Some
patients see results immediately while it can take time for others. I typically
tell my patients that will see a difference by the 4-6 weeks mark. It can
sometimes take as long as 3 months to see the final results.

Liposuction/body contouring is a major procedure.  The skin and underlying tissue are manipulated and it takes time for the body to re-drape/re-attach.  The initial trauma of surgery causes inflammation and swelling that slowly resolves.  The body leaves behind some scar tissue and this causes the skin to tighten.  I have found useful at the beginning to prescribe diuretics to bring down the swelling and offer lymphatic massage or ultrasound treatment to aid the process of healing after liposuction.  Ultimately, the swelling, inflammation, and fibrosis/scaring all resolve and you will see your final result about 3-6 months after having surgery.  Initial results will be apparent, especially if a large volume was taken out or a localized area was contoured, but again, the final tightening and shaping wont be seen for months later.  It's our bodies natural process of healing.  A few tips: the longer you wear compression, the faster the swelling will go down; I finding exercising starting 2 weeks after treatment is very useful for skin tightening and the ultimate body contouring results... start slow and work your way up gradualy; massaging at home starting a week after treatment is helpful to limit the underlying scarring and help the body conform to its new shape/size; do not rush the healing process, it takes time but you will ultimately get to an amazing result; low salt diet, high protein, lots of water/hydration, vitamins, and a healthy lifestyle after liposuction with keep your fantastic results.  Find a doctor who is specilized in this treatment and is there for you every step of the process.  I wish you the best of luck, Dr. Emer.

Thanks for your question about length of time for recovery and "final results" after liposuction. As mentioned by Dr. Stoeckel, recovery is our body's natural process of healing after surgery. In my practice, years ago I brought a massage therapist into our office and this has probably made the biggest difference in speeding and improving postoperative recovery. Our therapist uses light-touch lymphatic massage beginnig at your first postop visit, and medium and deeper tissue massage at later visits. We have found universal patient acceptance and appreciation for these therapy sessions, and it additionally helps in getting patients education on self-massage of the tissues and dietary factors that assist recovery.Often we will see an approximation of final results as early six weeks, but even in the most diligent patient it can take longer. My recommendation is to ask your surgeon about a referral for postoperative massage therapy and to get involved and invested in learning what steps you can take that will help improve and speed your recovery.Hope this helps.Nick Slenkovich, MD FACSDenver Plastic Surgeon