I slim down as much as possible before the procedure will this reduce pain, bruising, and increase healing post-op? (Photos)

If you can lose more weight then I usually suggest that you do lose what you can and I will work on the remaining stubborn fat. It usually does not change the recovery, but the results will look better with weight loss. If you are at your comfortable or goal weigh then it is times to proceed. As far as returning to work, most people return by 3 to 5 days, usually on the 3rd day they are still sore but can do it if they want. By then end of the first week usually everyone is ready to return. I would not get in the pool for at least 2 to 3 weeks. I like patients to wear a compression garment for 4 to 6 weeks to help reshape your skin and prevent swelling. Most people can return to light exercise in a week and more aggressive exercise in 2 to 3 weeks depending on how you fell. I would suggest still wearing a compression garment of some kind while exercising for the first 6 weeks as it will make you swell a little. Overall it is not a bad recovery, just it takes a while to see the final results as the tissue keeps changing for several months after the procedure. Good luck, and make sure you see a board certified plastic surgeon to review the options with you.

If you slim down you may not even need as extensive of a liposuction as now. The areas and the amount of fat will be less however there is no impact on recovery.

Make sure you understand the terminology thoroughly and be realistic with your goals in contouring.  While we would love to perform liposuction only on everyone,  many patients require much more extensive contouring.  The optimal procedure for you completely depends on your anatomy, not your "ideal" procedure or recovery goal.  The issues to consider are 1) amount of redundant skin above the belly button 2) degree of muscle separation (rectus muscle separation) and 3) degree of fatty tissue. In order to achieve the optimal result after Vaser liposuction, you must have skin that will recoil after the volume is reduced and you must have minimal muscle laxity beneath the skin and fat.  Sure you can have a reduction in fat with liposuction, but with muscle laxity you may have a persistent bulge that will deter from your outcome.  If you have extensive muscle separation, then a full plication will be necessary.  Your pictures reveal lipodystrophy in the flanks and abdomen, but there also appears to be an abdominal bulge.  Physical examination is the only way to determine the degree of skin excess and muscle laxity that will require treatment.  To simplify: limited muscle separation in lower abdomen with minimal skin excess mini-tummy tuck with liposuction.  Extensive muscle separation with redundant skin full tummy tuck.  There are hybrids depending on examination.  You can perform an extensive muscle repair with limited skin removal by floating the belly button.  The most important thing for you to understand is that if you are a candidate for a full tummy tuck but have a mini performed, your results will be sub optimal.good luckJohn Renucci MD