What is swelling after liposuction, is it just water weight?

Hello and thank you for your question.Liposuction causes an injury to the treated area. The swelling/ inflammation will subside with time.Drink plenty of fluids to help it along. It may take up to six months to see results. Be patient and continue to follow all your post op instructions. Contact your surgeon with any concerns. Best of luck!

Hello and thank you for your question.
Any liposuction procedure generates inflammation due to local trauma. It takes approximately 6 months for the tissue to completely retract and heal. Diuretics are not indicated. You could try therapeutic massage. Some practices use Smooth Shapes laser post Smartlipo. Consult your physician before starting any therapeutic massage.
Wearing a compression garment helps with the edema resorbtion, minimizes the discomfort and speeds up recovery.

Good luck,

Oxana Popescu MD

 

Erica Congratulations on your recent surgery! The swelling one encounters after liposuction is secondary to the actual trauma from the surgery. The operation requires multiple passes of the liposuction cannula below the skin to suck out the fat. Your body reacts to this  by increasing blood supply to the area which is part of the normal healing mechanism of the body. This causes swelling. It is not the same thing as swelling after eating too much salt. Ask your board-certified plastic surgeon to further explain if needed. Good luck.