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Consult your doctor for post-op instructions. Schedule sufficient rest time. Wear compression garments. Take antibiotics to prevent infection. Manage pain and swelling with medication. Walk as soon as possible. Care for your incision. Remove your stitches. Watch for signs of complications. Be aware of when you'll see results.
Liposuction is an invasive type of surgery and can have many complications. It's important to pay attention to your doctor's post-op instructions and ask any questions you may have. This can help ensure that you heal properly and minimize your risk of complications. You may want to ask your doctor questions about recovery at your last appointment before your surgery so that you understand everything. Make sure that whoever accompanies you to the surgery also pays attention to the doctor's instruction in case you are too weary from the surgery or anesthetic to pay close attention. Whether you have your surgery in a hospital or as an outpatient, you will require at least a few days of rest. Generally, you can return to work or school after a few days. Discuss the amount of rest time you may need with your doctor. The recovery period is directly related to the size of the surgical area and amount of fat your doctor removed. If you had a larger area treated, you may need more time to recover. Prepare your home and bedroom before you leave for your surgery. A comfortable environment, including a cozy mattress, pillows, and bedding can help you rest and heal more effectively. Following the surgery, your doctor will apply bandages and possibly also compression garments. Wearing compression bandages and garments can help maintain pressure on the area, stop bleeding, and keep the contours from the surgery. Some doctors do not provide compression garments. You will need to purchase these either before or immediately after your surgery. You can find compression bandages and garments at pharmacies and medical supply stores. It's important to wear the compression garments. They provide support after surgery as well as helping reduce swelling and bruising and improving circulation, which can promote healing. You will probably want to purchase compression garments designed specifically for the area of your body on which you had surgery. For example, if you had liposuction on your thighs, you would want two compression garments to fit around each thigh area. You may need to wear your post-op bandages for two weeks, while most people wear the compression garments for a few weeks. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics following your surgery to reduce the risk of infection. It's important to take the entire course of antibiotics prescribed, to reduce the risk of infection. Recent studies have shown that antibiotics may not be necessary after liposuction, so discuss this with your doctor. You may have a condition such as herpes that requires you to take medication to prevent infections or outbreaks. You may have some pain, numbness, and swelling after the surgery. You can ease the pain and swelling with over the counter painkillers or a prescription painkiller. It's normal to feel numbness and tingling, as well as pain for a few weeks post-op. You may also have swelling and bruising during this time. It takes most people 1-2 weeks to start feeling better after surgery. You may need to take painkillers for this amount of time or longer. Take over the counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Ibuprofen may also help alleviate some of the swelling associated with the surgery. Your doctor may prescribe a pain medication if over the counter pain relief doesn't work for you. You can get over the counter painkillers and prescription medication at pharmacies. It's important to start moving at a gentle pace as soon as you are able. Walking can help prevent blood clots from forming in your legs, which can be fatal. Gentle movement may also help you heal more quickly as well. Although it is recommended to walk or do gentle movement as soon as possible, you may only return to more strenuous activity one month after surgery. Your surgical incision may have some stitching. Keep your incision covered according to your doctor's instructions and follow their instructions for changing the bandages. Your doctor may insert a drainage tube to help fluid drain from the wound. You may shower after 48 hours, but should avoid soaking in a tub until your stitches are removed. Put on clean bandages and reapply pressure garments when you are done showering. Your body may be able to absorb some kinds of stitches, but others may require visiting your doctor for removal. Have your stitches removed at the time suggested by your doctor. Your doctor will let you know what kind of stitches when he gives you the post-op instructions. If you have dissolvable stitches, you won't need to have them taken out. They will go away on their own. The surgery comes with inherent risks, so pay attention to your body for the signs of complications, such as infection. This can help minimize your risk of developing serious complications, which includes death. See your doctor immediately if you experience: Increased swelling, bruising, or redness. Severe or increased pain. Headache, rash, nausea, or vomiting. Fever (temperature above 100.4 Fahrenheit). Discharge from the incision that is yellow or green or that has a foul odor. Bleeding that is hard to stop or control. Loss of feeling or movement. You may not see results immediately because of swelling. It may also take a few weeks for the remaining fat to settle into position, and you should expect some contour irregularities during this time. However, you should be able to see your full results within 6 months of your surgery. Liposuction may not last forever, especially if you gain weight. You may be disappointed if your results were not as dramatic as you expected.