Can I Wear a Swimming Suit As a Compression Garment After Liposuction?

A Compression Garment Necessary for Best Results following Liposuction and most bathing suits are not designed to give effective compression where needed. The length of time is highly dependent on the amount of fat removed, the elasticity of your skin, presence of stretch marks, your age and race and other factors. Bottom line is follow your plastic surgeon's advice for the best outcome.
Here are the reasons why:
Following Liposuction compression garments are required for three main reasons:
It restricts the amount of edema that forms and hastens its resolution by mechanical pressure
It decreases the amount of bruising
It assists the loose skin in retracting or shrinking
It is common for weight gain due to edema and serum that collects in the area as well as the tumescent fluid that was injected. This will resolve over time. The more you wear the garment initially the quicker this fluid resolves.
The length of time that the garment is worn varies dependent on the amount of fat removed, the elastic nature of your skin, how much loose skin remains and other factors. Your surgeon would give you the best advise. However in general this is the routine for my patients.
The first garment should be fitted for you in the office prior to surgery and applied in the operating room. Often it will become loose as the edema is mobilized and then it will need to be replaced. Spanx is a reasonable compression  garment if it gives enough support and is the right size. I have my patents bring them in and confirm that it fits well.
Most important advise is to listen to your surgeon's advice as he best knows how much fat was removed, the elasticity that remains in your skin and amount of skin redundancy.
For most patients, I recommend my patients wear their garments for a minimum of 3 weeks full time then for 12 hrs (day or night). if not a lot of redundant skin following liposuction to a maximum of 6-12 weeksTo be effective the garment needs to fit snug but not too tight as to cause pressure problems (inspect your skin if discomfort and when skin is exposed), or prevent you from sleeping. As the edema resolves it is common for patients to switch to a smaller garment that fits - A Spanx type garment would work rather than ordering one or paying more at your doctor;'s office.

Compressive garments are an important part of the overall result in liposuction. A swimsuit does not have the compressive forces necessary to aid in the management of swelling and final shape. 

Dr ES

Thank you for the question.

Although it is not possible to give you specific advice without knowing more information, generally speaking, swimming suits will not provide enough compression to be effective. For precise advice you may have to visit with a board-certified plastic surgeon in your area.

Best wishes.