True Weight After Lipo? How Much of My Weight is Actually Swelling?

The body's response to trauma is to retain water.  Liposuction is a surgical event that the body perceives as a traumatic event.  When you take fat or tissue away, you will have a weight increase after surgery.  This usually will resolve itself in a few weeks.  Fat does not weigh as much as bone or muscle.  You may look thinner after liposuction, while the scale may not change in a big way.  Remember to wear your compression garments and do those things post operatively that your Plastic Surgeon tells you to do for the best results.

Thanks for your question. Healing after liposuction is usually pretty straight forward.  There is a process of swelling and bruising that peaks at 3 days after surgery and then undergoes the first stage of major resolution in the first 2 weeks after surgery.  The lateer phase of healing takes place over the 2-3 months after surgery where everything really settles and softens.  It is after this time that we are getting close to the final result, though this varies patient to patient. 

After lipo you swell for 4 days then stay there for a week.  That is why we start massaging and exercising after 1 week to help that swelling go down quicker.  At 1 month you will see a big improvement.  After 2 months you should be down a pound or 2.  At 6 months hopefully your weight will be down 10 pounds from diet and exercise as well.

Thank you for your question. It is common to increase weight in the first days/wekks after surgery because of the overall swelling. No worries , just wear your post op garter, do your massages and drink lots of water. The swelling will reduce in the next weeks. Best of luck

Totally normal! Your bodies natural response to injury--and your body doesn't know this was an elective, cosmetic procedure--is to swell in order to heal. And this is a bigger injury so you will swell quite a bit--all normal. Your weight will go below your pre-lipo weight in a few weeks. Nothing to take and nothing to do but just give your body time to heal.Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, Florida Medical Association