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Dr. Mohan Rangaswamy, Plastic Surgeon, Dubai, UAE / Patient Resources / Post-operative Instructions / Liposuction

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Have someone drive you home after surgery and help you at home for 1-2 days.
  2. Get plenty of rest but walk about your room at least 4 times a day. Place linen savers on your bedsheet as you may have oozing from the puncture sites for 1-2 days following liposuction.
  3. Follow a balanced diet. Decreased activity may promote constipation, so you may want to add more raw fruit to your diet and be sure to increase fluid intake.
  4. Take pain medication as prescribed even if there is no pain;these also help to decrease swelling. Do not take aspirin or any products containing aspirin.
  5. Do not drink alcohol when taking pain medications. Even when not taking pain medications, no alcohol for 3 weeks as it causes fluid retention.
  6. Do not smoke, as smoking delays healing and increases the risk of complications.

ACTIVITIES

  1. Start walking as soon as possible, as this helps to reduce swelling and lowers the chance of blood clots.
  2. Do not drive until you are no longer taking any pain medications (narcotics).
  3. Begin light superficial massage on 4th day and deepr massage after a week. The clinic nurse or doctor will give you the instructions. This type of manual lymphatic drainage [M.L.D] wil help to reduce the swelling faster.
  4. You may resume sexual activity as comfort permits, usually 3 weeks postoperatively.
  5. Return to work in when you feel ready, usually in 5-7 days and resume light exercise like walking on treadmill [no incline] by 3 weeks.

INCISION CARE

  • You may have had your first shower in hospital on the day of discharge. You may shower daily. Keep the showering brief and do not use hot water. The mini dressings are water proof;but change those that have become soaked through.
  • You may remove the mini dressings after 5 days.
  • Keep incisions clean and inspect daily for signs of infection.
  • No tub soaking or swimming for 2 weeks.
  • You will be discharged from the hospital wearing a pressure garment over the treated area. Most patients will wear pressure garment for 4-6 weeks. Wear pressure garment 24 hours per day. After showering, reapply pressure garment and gauze to cover areas of incisions. The garments have their stitch-seam on the OUTSIDE, this is how they are designed.

WHAT TO EXPECT

  • The small incision sites will be covered withdressings to protect these areas.
  • May have fluid drainage from incision sites requiring you to change the dressings. Oozing stops in 36 hours usually.
  • Most of the swelling and discoloration usually subsides in 3 weeks, but some may persist for 2 months or more.
  • Expect temporary numbness, bruising, swelling, soreness, burning sensation, bleeding, pain and discomfort.
  • May feel stiff and sore for a few days.
  • After 2-3 weeks, one may experience brief needle prick like sensations, these are normal and indicate re-growth of nerve endings. This will pass after a month or two.
  • It is normal to feel a bit anxious or depressed in the days or weeks following surgery;but, generally, after about a week, you should begin to feel better.

APPEARANCE

  • Bruising may be apparent beyond the areas of liposuction, partially due to gravity.
  • You will have small incision sites at the point of introduction of the instrument used to remove the fat tissue. These will form tiny scars that may take 6 months to fade.
  • Loose skin will take time to shrink down. Your doctor may advise additional non-surgical procedures to tighten the skin further. Wearing the pressure garments with the skin supported upwards helps to fight gravity and improve results.
  • Results of the surgery will start becoming apparent form the first week but are quite obvious by the third week.
  • A healthy diet and regular exercise helps to maintain your new figure.

FOLLOW-UP CARE

  • Any sutures are removed 7-10 days after surgery.
  • WHEN TO CALL
  • If you have increased swelling or bruising.
  • If swelling and redness persist after a few days.
  • If you have increased redness along the incision.
  • If you have severe or increased pain not relieved by medication.
  • If you have any side effects to medications;such as, rash, nausea, headache, vomiting.
  • If you have an oral temperature over 100.4 degrees.
  • If you have any yellowish or greenish drainage from the incisions or notice a foul odor.
  • If you have bleeding from the incisions that is difficult to control with light pressure.