Getting lipo done on the flanks. Is it going to hurt to run, swim, and hike for several months after?

Thank you for your question. Liposuction is surgery and with surgery, there is a recovery process, and that process does include some pain.  The discomfort and soreness level varies between individuals, but it will likely last for a few days and most patients have pain that is easily controlled by taking minimal pain medication. Best wishes, Andrew T. Lyos, MD, FACS

As a bodybuilder I can understand the desire to work out, but you want to have the best results of the liposuction of the flanks.  If the liposuction was conservative, you may be able to go back to a normal exercise program in a shorter period of time.  Whenever there is more liposuction performed and more fat is removed, the time period will be longer. I typically do not recommend exercise for at least 4 weeks following liposuction of several areas. If it is vigorous exercise, such as you reference, that period is extended to 6 weeks after liposuction.  Do not overdo the exercise.  Initially, you should not expect to return to the the pace that you achieved prior to surgery.  Gradually build up; the pain should diminish.Kenneth Hughes, MD, Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLos Angeles, CA

Pain and discomfort can be variable after liposuction. You may have swelling and/or discomfort which can last 3-6 months after liposuction. I recommend following up with your Doctor about their protocol regarding exercise after liposuction. After hi definition liposuction, I recommend waiting 3-4 weeks before beginning to exercise and to stop if there is any discomfort. For best results with liposuction, 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. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with a hi definition physique expert. Best, Dr. Emer

Thanks for the great question! Your discomfort after surgery will somewhat correlate with how much fat you have removed. If it's just your flanks, most patients will have some discomfort for the first 1-2 weeks after the procedure. If you're very active you might feel a little tugging and pulling where the sutures were used to close your incisions but that should be about it! Best of luck!~Dr. Sieber

What you were told is accurate and if anything on the conservative side.
But you weeks most people can get back to full exercise other than high impact sports such as long-distance running a contact sports.
You may find kayaking uncomfortable or two weeks because of direct pressure on the treated area.
By three weeks you should have no limitations.
The recovery from liposuction varies from patient to patient, areas treated and how aggressive the treatment is performed.
For example, gentle liposuction of the outer thighs or chin would have very little downtime.
The hardest recovery is typically the front of the abdomen or the hips and waist area especially when treated aggressively.
Aggressive liposuction it sometimes wanted to get the best results.
I am one of very few board-certified plastic surgeons I was practice focus exclusively on liposuction and fat transfer procedures only.
Because of this I've had the opportunity to follow thousands of patients after having had liposuction.
Recovery after liposuction is often described as follows.
The first one to three days patients are typically fairly sore.
Not in direct high levels of pain but sore and tender.
After patients will use prescription pain medication during these few days.
From the 3rd to 7th day patients are sore and describe the soreness as having over exercised when being out of shape.
Most patients can go back to low impact daily activities between three and five days after the procedure.
Staff in our office to get liposuction often only take one to two days off.
During the second week the tenderness goes down significantly.
Hi impact activities like jumping, running or lifting heavy objects may still be uncomfortable.
During the second week patient can I have to go back to low impact exercise.
Patients may experience mild tenderness for several weeks after this though it is really enough to impact their activities.
I perform liposuction and fat transfer procedures using local Anastasia with mild sedation.
My experience has been that patients have it somewhat easier recovery compared to procedures done with general anesthesia.
The level of assertiveness or how much fat is removed is by far the biggest factor determining how long the recovery will be.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom M.D.