How long is the liposuction procedure?

The time of liposuction surgery varies dramatically based on what area of the body is being liposuction of course. This can range from 2:50 hours. Your surgeon can give you a good estimate depending on the area of the body that you are treating. Liposuction is usually performed as a day surgery and you are able to go home at the end of the day after an approximate 1 to 2 hours in the recovery room for most liposuction procedures. Going back to work of course depends also on helping your procedure was. If you are having a larger liposuction surgery, most would take several days off especially if one is anticipating taking pain medications. Your surgeon will help advise you on that.

Length of surgery depends upon the number of areas liposuctioned, the difficulty of removing the fat, and the efficiency of the surgeon.  If the liposuction is very conservative, there is not much downtime at all.   For a more dramatic result, more recovery time is needed.  Most patients can return to work in 3 to 4 days. No strenuous activity should be performed for 6 weeks as exercise early in the recovery period will increase the swelling.  Every patient is different, and every surgery is different. It is hard to provide an average time because everyone has a different pain tolerance level. If the surgery is uneventful, you are released after an hour or two.Kenneth Hughes, MD, Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLos Angeles, CA 

This can vary due to the Doctor, technique and areas of treatment. For best results, I recommend a hi definition procedure like VASER liposuction. I use VASER HI DEF with ThermRF and fat grafting to get the most fat removal, skin tightening, contour and definition. This combination will give you the most toned result. Most people return to work within a week and return to exercise within a month. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with a hi definition physique expert. Best, Dr. Emer

This is something you will need to discuss with your surgeon.  It depends on the technique, anesthesia time, and amount of liposuction needed.

The operative time is ultimately dependent upon the surgeon (some work faster than others) and the procedure (more work = more time). I typically plan for 45 minutes per area treated allowing time for tumescing and suctioning with a pause in between to allow the medication to take effect. However, this is only a general guideline as larger patients requiring greater contouring will take longer.Depending upon the type of anesthesia employed your recovery will vary. General anesthesia typically takes longer to recover from relative to sedation (MAC) or local only. You should be able to return home the same day (once recovered).Recovery is also variable. The majority of the pain and discomfort will have resolved within the first 5-7 days (but will vary with the intensity of the procedure). I typically prepare patients for a 6 week recovery during which they will need to wear compression and avoid strenuous physical activity. As always, discuss your concerns with a board certified plastic surgeon (ABPS). 

This depends on how much fat is removed and how many areas are being treated. Discuss with your plastic surgeon. 

Hello Saraha
thanks for your question.
 Liposuction recovery depends on many factors
 Area of treatment, amount of fat suction done, technology used,type of work ,  personal variations.
Please consult board certified plastic surgeon and discuss in detail.Best of luck.
Dr Milan Doshi 

Thank you for your question. It depending on how many areas and how much surgery. Typically need at least 3-4 days time off after survey for them to go to work if it is small to moderate areas. Please consult with a board certified PS for evaluation for your candidacy.

Thank you for your questions. A lot of this depends on the amount of liposuction performed and the areas. In general, if liposuction is performed on the abdomen, for example, I typically advise people to take at least 2-3 days off from work, depending on the type of job you have. Also, you will likely be in a compression garment as well, so that's just something to think about. Most of the time I put my patients to sleep for the procedure - or at least under deep sedation. If this is your case, then you will need to be recovered in the post-operative area, which can take 1-2 hours depending, and will likely need to have a ride. You should check with your surgeon for additional details. Overall, expect to be sore for 2-3 weeks, and bruised. It typically takes 3-6 months to see your final results. Best of luck! 

The length of the procedure depends on the number of areas you are getting liposuctioned. Recovery typically takes 2-4 weeks. The Gold Standard for superior liposuction results requires use of the advanced technology of ultrasound assisted VASER liposuction. As an official trainer of VASER liposuction, I perform full body liposuction cases every week. VASER liposuction has been the only modality that has consistently resulted in outstanding liposuction outcomes. VASER liposuction ensures a smooth contour regardless of degree of excess fat by virtue of being able to remove any and all remaining fat comprehensively and uniformly. If skin redundancy is observed, Renuvion technology can be simultaneously applied to tighten your skin to optimize your overall contour outcome. A Skype or FaceTime consultation with a VASER specialist will help you get an accurate recommendation and pricing.

Respectfully,
Arian Mowlavi MD, FACS
Realself 100 Hall of Fame Inductee