How much care will I need after 360 liposuction? How long do I need a private nurse for?

Our office coordinates with aftercare nurses to stay with our out-of-town patients beginning with pick up at discharge to review all post-operative instructions with the surgery staff and transport to the hotel.  Our nurses "play it by ear" so to speak in staying with the patient and the patient only has to phone the nurse for immediate assistance.  Some patients need very little help; others require more assistance depending upon their pain level, mobility, and self-confidence.  Try morning, noon, and evening check-ins on day two and increase their frequency if necessary. My office also follows up daily with the patient and nurse.Kenneth Hughes, MD, Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLos Angeles, CA

Thank you for your question. Liposuction is far less invasive procedure compared to a tummy tuck for example. Imagine that you’ve just returned from a hard work out at the gym for the first time in several months. The day after that workout, you would feel deep aching and throbbing sensations. This is what patients experience after undergoing a liposuction procedure — usually a throbbing or aching feeling that is easily tolerated with moderate oral pain medications. Your recovery starts day one after surgery. Pain medications are usually only necessary for the first few days. On days four through fourteen you will still feel sore, but significantly less than you experienced on days two and three.

Hello 254angelica,
It’s a pleasure to answer your questions! Every patient is unique and will have different healing deadlines and processes. The swelling, pain, and bruising during the first 3-7 days is significant, and most patients will have difficulties moving around; therefore, assistance from an adult would be helpful during the first days after surgery. Your surgeon will give you pain medication to handle any pain that might be involved and help you feel much more comfortable. After the first 3-7 days, you will notice that the swelling, soreness, and pain will begin to fade away. You will see significant improvement in the way your body feels and looks in the following 2-3 weeks. I typically require my patients having a responsible adult drive them to the surgical facility and take them home after surgery. This person should be available to stay with them for at least the first night following surgery. Under no circumstance will patients be permitted to go home alone or stay home without another adult present. After liposuction, walk as much as you can around the house with assistance from an adult to reduce swelling and lowers the chance of blood clots. Do not drive until you are no longer taking any pain medications and you have full range of motion with your arms. You may drive one week after your liposuction procedure provided you are comfortable enough to stop in an emergency situation. Most of my patients return to desk-type employment and regular activities, as short as one week after VASER Liposuction. You may be instructed to expect a longer recovery time before you return to a physically demanding job (such as general contractor, laborer, care giver) or if you have undergone a traditional liposuction procedure. Contact your plastic surgeon promptly if you notice an increase in swelling, pain, redness, drainage, or bleeding in the surgical area, or if you develop fever (above 100.4 F), dizziness, nausea, or vomiting. Hope this is helpful! Dr. De La Cruz.    

Angelica. Photographs and physical examination would be helpful, but generally speaking, you should have someone with you the first night after surgery extending until the next day. This can be a visiting nurse or any family member who can assist you in walking to the bathroom or any other needs immediately postop. After that time period, you should be able to get along by yourself. Discuss these issues with your board-certified plastic surgeon. Good luck.

Hi and thanks for the question and photos. This answer depends on whether you will have additional help or not. If you are having general anesthesia then an adult needs to be with you for 24 hours after surgery. This can be any responsible adult, not necessarily a nurse. After that it’s good to have additional help but most patients are able to be independent after the first day. Best of Luck - Dr Hardy...

Thank you for your question. It varies from person to person. In general I recommend to have somebody for 48 hrs and pain levels will come down after 3 days. I will not expect you to drive a day after surgery. Might take 4-5 days, but varies. Best person to explain is your PS as he or she knows your anatomy and how aggressive procedure is going to be. Good Luck

Hello,Thank you for sharing the information, it is a pleasure for me to answer your question.
The surgery can take between 3 and 5 hours depending on the number of surgeries that will be performed at the same time, it is recommended to last 24 hours in observation, and follow the recommendations of your doctor..
I hope this answer will help youMy best wishes for you ...

Dear 254angelica,Hello and thank you for your excellent question. I have found that many patients can get GOOD results with liposuction alone, and EXCELLENT results with IDEAL Liposuction! IDEAL Lipo is a proprietary technique that we have been developing for the past 12 years. First off, these procedures are typically performed in the office, with only local anesthesia (although patients can request deeper sedation, if they so desire. We typically use like Smart / Laser Liposuction or VASER (ultrasound) to reduce dense, fibrous fat, and stimulate collagen formation; Radiofrequency-based skin tightening (like Body Tite, or Thermi) to maximize skin contraction; and Ultrasound, RF, or subcision (Z Wave, Venus, Cellfina) to treat cellulite. Patients go home the day of surgery; typically do not use any narcotics postop for pain control, and are back to light exercise and work 48 hours after their procedures. In my practice, we specifically evaluate patients for these additional treatments, and select the appropriate treatment based on their skin quality, amount of fat, previous treatment(s), and surgical goals. It is best to answer your question during a face-to-face evaluation, when you can discuss your goals and expectations for the procedure, and you can have a physical examination to evaluate for that procedure. I recommend that you find a board-certified, or board-eligible plastic surgeon with whom you are comfortable. Be sure to have all of your questions answered during a face-to-face meeting with your surgeon, and review before and after pictures of similar patients whom have had this procedure. If you have any questions, call our office for assistance. Good luck!

Best,

Jon Ver Halen, MD FACS

Harvard educated plastic surgeon

Texas “Top Doc” 2017, 2018

RealSelf100

America’s Top Plastic Surgeons, Consumer’s Research Council, 2010 - 2018