I had Smartlipo because despite all efforts in diet and exercise I couldn't lose my pooch and love handles. I'd struggled with it since I was a teenager and have always been very self-conscious about it, even though I am in great shape. Also, my appearance is my living - I work as a dancer and a model.
I am nearly 4 weeks out now and there is a dramatic difference in the amount of swelling and bruising, and from what I understand I will continue to shrink and experience more results for the next couple of months.
When I was about 2 weeks out I had panicked because I still had a lot of unsightly lumps that seemed to be getting worse. It looked as though I had severe cellulite on my stomach. At the 2 week mark I was able to begin lymphatic drainage treatments (Synergie) twice a week, and also began exercising and running again. I've been drinking water like a fish and have been massaging my stomach at night before bed with an electric heated back massager while using emu oil cream and arnica gel. I continue to wear my compression garment as often as possible. The difference in the lumps between now and 2 weeks ago is dramatic - they are barely noticeable now. So, if you are in the same boat and worried about lumps, be sure to be proactive in your recovery and be encouraged that it will make a difference.
Overall I am VERY pleased with the result. The first week was very uncomfortable but not debilitating. The surgery itself was very easy, with the exception of the tumescent fluid injection - that was NOT pleasant and I was led to believe that it would be only a slight burning sensation for a few minutes. It felt like bee stings followed by extremely painful burning for at least 10 minutes. I'm sure others may experience it differently, but I was not expecting the injection to be as painful as it ended up being. After the burning subsided though, I was completely numb and only felt pressure as the doctor began to work on me. I actually drifted off to sleep a couple of times, I was comfortable enough. The surgery lasted about an hour and a half and a liter of fat had been removed. The draining went on for about 36 hours.
Smartlipo recovery is not any easier than any other procedure that traumatizes tissue, so other than it being misleadingly advertised as a "lunch hour" treatment I would highly recommend it for anyone with that does their homework on it and decides it is right for them.
At 4 weeks I still experience very minor discomfort, but nothing beyond expectation established before surgery.
