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Postoperative period after liposuction
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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To prevent infectious complications in the preoperative and postoperative periods when removing more than 500-700 ml of adipose tissue, antibiotics are prescribed according to standard schemes. Infusion therapy is performed when evacuating more than 2000 ml of aspirated contents.
Liposuction in two to four zones can be performed on an outpatient basis (in the absence of disorders of the patient's cardiovascular and respiratory systems). More extensive liposuctions require hospitalization for 1-3 days.
The postoperative period has a number of features about which the patient should be informed in detail. The early postoperative period is characterized by moderate pain, swelling and subcutaneous hemorrhages in the areas of liposuction zones, as well as subfebrile body temperature and mild malaise. The stickers are changed once and, as a rule, the next day after the operation. Taking a warm shower is allowed 5-7 days after the operation. Usually by this time, pain in the treated areas is significantly reduced, general well-being improves, and body temperature returns to normal.
An important feature of the postoperative period is the presence of pronounced tissue edema, which patients may assess as “insufficiently” removed fat.
Depending on the scale of the operation and the individual characteristics of the patients, the period of “edema” or “relative patient dissatisfaction” can last up to 2 or even 4 weeks.
It is extremely important to wear compression tights for a long time (up to 1x/2 months), which play an important role in achieving a good treatment result for three reasons:
- constant compression of damaged tissues reduces the degree of edema development and improves the conditions of lymph drainage;
- relaxed skin in the liposuction areas has optimal conditions for contraction;
- an immobilization effect is achieved, which has a beneficial effect on the course of reparative processes.
In the first 3 weeks, it is recommended to wear tights around the clock. In the following 3 weeks - during the daytime. Normalization of the tissue condition in the treated areas occurs on average after 2-3 months.
The average recovery period for working capacity is 1 week after treatment of 2-4 zones, up to 2 weeks for 6-12 zones. It is not recommended to play sports, swim, sunbathe, or visit a sauna until the end of the first month. The skin tightening process begins as swelling disappears and can last from 1 to 6 months. The fastest skin contraction occurs in young patients whose skin elasticity is high enough.
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