Best Remedy for Swelling After Tumescent Liposuction?

The best remedy for post-liposuction swelling is far and away the compression garment that your surgeon will have provided you after surgery. The garment has 2 main purposes, and for both of these reasons I personally have my liposuction patients wear the garment 24/7 except to shower for 4 weeks post op:1.) Controlling swelling: the compression on your tissues helps your body to reabsorb the edema fluid that accumulates in the tissues after any procedure. This can take quite some time to happen without help from the compression garments2.) Improving contour: the compression helps to keep the tissues adherent to the underlying structures while healing, this can help prevent the wrinkled skin appearance that can happen when the tissues heal in ways we don't want them to.

We always use foam pads (epifoam) on all the suctioned areas along with a compression garment.This mnimizes swelling and bruising.  The garment is worn for 3 days, then the patient can shower and replace the foam pad and garment.  With the pad and garment, swelling is greatly diminished and after a week, the garment alone is worn for another week or two.Swelling is normal, but is resolves better if compression is used with pads during the first week. It takes about 2-3 months for the treated area to stop swelling with activity, and for it to become soft.

Thank you for your question! Wearing your postoperative compression garment after surgery will definitely help manage your swelling. Lymphatic massage also helps swelling go down more quickly. Lymphatic massage is a very light stroking of the skin (so it's not painful, even right after surgery!) that helps the extra fluid drain into your lymphatic system. Your surgeon's office may offer it, or you can look for a massage therapist or physical therapist familiar with the technique. 

Bruising and swelling are normal in the suctioned areas and usually increase slightly after the removal of any tape or foam. The bruising will decrease over 3-4 weeks, but may last as long as 6 weeks. The majority of the swelling will be gone within the first 3-4 weeks. However it may take 6-9 months to disappear completely. The compression garment helps reduce the swelling, and the longer it is worn, the more quickly the process will proceed. Other helpful hints include a low salt diet, and lots of walking.

After liposuction there is a period of weeks to months that the swelling can be improved with 24 hour per day compression.

Swelling after liposuction is normal. The best way to help it along is really good compression. Also do not go crazy eating salty food post op since this tends to prolong swelling.

You should follow your surgeon's instructions closely. I usually recommend light activity to keep the blood circulation going, drinking plenty of water, and wearing your compression garment. Most of the swelling will be gone in 2-3 weeks, but some firmness can last for a couple of months. You can assess your results at about the three or four month mark.  

I've noticed that my tumescent liposuction patients tend to have prolonged swelling when they return to exercise activities quickly after surgery. This varies based on the individual, so there is no real recommendation I can give except that one should wear their compressive garment more often than not for at least 6 weeks after the procedure.

Patients undergoing tumescent
liposuction will inevitably develop swelling and pain following this
procedure.  During the procedure,
the liposuction canula is passed through the subcutaneous tissue.  This causes disruption of the lymphatic
channels and cellular injury.

Significant improvement in swelling
can be seen in the first three weeks following surgery, with the majority gone
in about three months.  Small
amounts of swelling may persist up to a year following surgery.

We generally recommend the use of
compression support garments for about three weeks following surgery.  We also recommend a low salt diet
before and after liposuction. 
Exercise is usually started early in the post-operative period, and we
want patients to ambulate as soon as possible following surgery.

 Massage is also helpful, it decreases swelling by
immobilizing retained fluid following liposuction.  All of these steps help to minimize the duration of swelling
following surgery.  In most cases
compression massage, low salt diet and early ambulation speed
recovery. 

                  

The most important thing you can do after your Liposuction procedure to help with swelling is to wear your compression garment as instructed by your surgeon.  In our practice, patients are instructed to wear their liposuction garment at all times (day and night) for four weeks after their procedure.  Wearing the garment at night for another 2 weeks is also recommended. They should only remove the garment to shower in the first four weeks after surgery.  Avoid situations where you may become overheated (Sitting out in the sun, taking a hot bath, outdoor exercise in the heat). Absolutely do not go into a sauna, hot tub or steam room.  While we definitely want you to move around some after surgery, use good judgement. If you have been active and notice increased swelling, slow down your activity and rest for a while.  As always, follow your surgeon's instructions in order to achieve your best results.