Liposuction: Info, Prices, Photos, Reviews, Q&A

Swelling after liposuction can last for as long as 6 to 8 weeks. There are a few reasons for swelling after liposuction.

The most immediate reason is that as part of the operation, we infuse a lot of fluid to aid in the anesthesia and to help cut down on bleeding.

Not all of this fluid is removed during the operation, and so right after the procedure, this fluid excess provides some immediate swelling. This fluid is gradually absorbed into your system, but this takes a while in the early healing stages.

Additionally, like any other surgery, your body reacts to the operation by increasing blood flow to the area of the operation to aid in healing. This postoperative swelling can last for as long as 2-3 months.

To help with swelling, wear your postoperative compression garments as your surgeon directs, and make sure you are not doing too much activity- your body needs it’s energy to heal, and excessive activity can deprive the healing tissue of the nutrients needed in the postoperative period. (Adam David Lowenstein, MD, FACS, Santa Barbara Plastic Surgeon)

Typically, swelling after liposuction increases over the initial one to two weeks after surgery and then progressively decreases during the course of the next four to six weeks.

I always recommend that patients wear compression garments during this initial period of recovery to help reduce swelling and maximize the healing.

Even beyond the first six weeks minor swelling continues to go away over the course of several months of recovery. It may take a few months for the areas treated with liposuction to “feel” normal again.

Until then it is likely that the areas will feel numb and lumpy. You should follow up with your plastic surgeon to make sure that you are on track with your recovery.

Sometimes pockets of fluid called seromas can also develop after liposuction, and these feel like waves of fluid under the skin.

They can be aspirated with a syringe to correct them. (Paul Fortes, MD, Houston Plastic Surgeon)

It usually takes about 2-3 months to see the optimal result from liposuction depending upon the type of liposcution performed. The key is also to wear compressive garments for at least 2-3 weeks post op. (Rod J. Rohrich, MD, Dallas Plastic Surgeon)

It is very common to have swelling and even some bumpiness during the recovery period after liposuction. I tell my patients that most of the swelling resolves within the first month after the procedure – frequently much sooner.

You should be back to normal activity and overall looking good around this time. Nonetheless the final result often takes 6 months or even longer, as the swelling, minor bumpiness, and skin tightening take some time. (John K. Wakelin III, MD, FACS, Columbus Plastic Surgeon)

Swelling after liposuction

Usually it takes 1-2 months for the swelling to subside following a liposuction procedure and you can see 70-80% of the results by the end of that time. The results get better due to skin contraction and you see the final contours by 4-6 months following the procedure.

Lumpiness is common and we advise all our patients MLD after 7-10 days post op. Pressure garments have to be worn 24×7 for a month. Numbness is also common and it resolves over 2-3 months. (Sameer Karkhanis, MS, DNB, India Plastic Surgeon)

Liposuction takes 6 months to achieve final results

Make sure you are still using some compression garments at night, sometimes with foam compression over the area, and continue to do frequent, vigorous massages. At 3 months you will be approximately 70% of your final results, at 4 months about 80% and final results at 6 months. (James F. Boynton, MD, FACS, Houston Plastic Surgeon)

Swelling after Liposuction should resolve soon

It has been only six weeks since your procedure and the feeling of discomfort and swelling is quite normal at this stage of recovery. Pain should subside in a few more weeks. You need to remember, every patient has its own pace of healing and in some cases, the swelling can take up to six months to completely disappear.

Most patients can resume daily activities within a week, but you should avoid strenuous exercise for a month. You might also consider some Velasmooth treatment once you feel comfortably for better liposuction results. If you have sensation of “movement” you may have seroma.

That potentially has to be drained. (Gregory Turowski, MD, PhD, FACS, Chicago Plastic Surgeon)

Many patients notice swelling and lumps after liposuction as the body adjusts and heals. Swelling can persist for up to 12 weeks for some patients based on the liposuction technique used, post-operative care, and other factors. Most doctors recommend patients wear post-surgical compression garments to help the body re-shape and reduce excessive swelling after fat removal surgery. (D. Scott Karempelis, MD, Atlanta Dermatologic Surgeon)

Swelling after liposuction varies depending on the location, compression garment use, and massaging

Swelling after liposuction usually takes 6-12 weeks to subside, but this can vary much depending on the location of liposuction, if patient wears compression garment, and if they massage. usually the lower extremity liposuction has the longest time for the resolution of swelling.

massaging the areas of liposuction greatly facilities healing and helps to smoothen the areas. (Sean Younai, MD, FACS, Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon)

Swelling after liposuction

Recovery from liposuction takes time. Its easy to get discouraged but if you stay patient you should enjoy very nice results in time. i tell my patients that there is a three stage healing process.

The first stage takes 2-3 weeks. During the first 2-3 weeks the initial swelling is resolving and you can get a general sense for your new shape. The second stage takes 2-3 months and will show you the details of your new shape as the swelling subsides and your tissue softens.

The final healing can take up to one year. It is not uncommon to have areas of numbness that take up to a year to resolve.

Sometimes fluid can build up in an area and create a small pocket of fluid called a seroma. This can be treated by removing the excess fluid very easily. Treating a seroma early can avoid some irregular shaped results.

If there is no seroma, most irregular bumps will smooth out to some degree. If not completely a small revision might be needed. I would not consider a revision for at least 6 months after the surgery. (Adam Rubinstein, MD, Miami Plastic Surgeon)

Liposuction Swelling – How Long Until It Goes Down?

Recovery from liposuction varies from patient to patient. But, most patients are back-up on their feet, so to speak, in a few days. Swelling can last up to 6 months, but a good portion of it has resolved after 6 weeks.

The final outcome from liposuction usually doesn’t occur until 9 months to a year. The body needs time to recover from the procedure and to retract the soft tissue and reshape the areas that were treated.

Lumpiness after the procedure is quite common – usually this can last up to 6 months. It is due to areas of swelling surrounding remaining soft tissue. This should eventually improve. Wearing a compressive garment is helpful and reshapes your treated areas.

Numbness can also occur and usually resolves after about 6 months to a year. (Emese Kalnoki, MD, Rochester Physician)

Liposuction Swelling & Post-Op Discomfort

Post liposuction you are likely to have bruises for a period of three to four weeks. Swelling which is more diffuse is likely to be due to Edema. Edema starts to settle after 10 days and takes about six weeks to settle completely.

In individuals who have had previous surgeries / procedures in the same area the Edema takes a longer time to settle. However the Edema does not produce a sensation of movement within the area. such sensation is more likely to be result of collection and it is advisable to see your physician again.

Numbness may take 3 to 4 months to settle. The best way to differentiate between an Edema and collection is to get an Ultrasound of the same area. (Jayanthy Ravindran, MS, DNB, MRCS, India Plastic Surgeon)

Liposuction Swelling – What To Expect

Swelling is a normal result of performing liposuction. As space is created by removing the fat, the body substitutes its own fluid for the fat that was removed from the space. This is a natural process and this is what we see as swelling.

The majority of the swelling tends to go down in about six weeks, especially if the patient wears a garment and follows activity instructions from their plastic surgeon. The last bit of swelling can often take six months to go away, so that most patients will see their final result by that time.

Because fat as a tissue is not smooth and uniform like butter, but more like clusters of grapes, there can be bumpiness or lumpiness as a result of healing. Sometimes the fatty tissue forms small scars and can be bumpy or lumpy and in other cases it is just the irregularity of the fat tissue itself.

If these problems are significant and persist after six months, there are methods, from local injections, to doing a little local touch-up liposuction to balance out the appearance and optimize outcomes. Check with your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon to find out which options are best for you.

Numbness after liposuction is almost always temporary, although small areas can be numb indefinitely. (Richard A. D’Amico, MD, FACS, Englewood Plastic Surgeon)

Post operative period in lipossuction

lipossuction procedure induce a lot of swelling. that’s why we use garments to improve itwith small lipossuction, the results are difficult to see early on and sometimes it can be worse than after the surgery.

patients need to wait a 3 to 4 months are mandatory for all the swelling to go down as well as lumpiness. (Jacques Haddad, MD, Montreal Plastic Surgeon)

Recovery for liposuction is relatively quick, but bruising and swelling can remain up to two or four weeks. Residual swelling lasts for several months, but it’s usually not very apparent.

Swelling can persist up to 6 months following liposuction. Wearing your compression garment as instructed by your Plastic Surgeon is crucial. You may switch to a Spanx type garment after 4 weeks. The numbness is normal and will most likely resolve within 6 months after your surgery.

It is also normal for the skin to appear lumpy at this point. As far as something moving, you would have to be evaluated in order to determine the cause. (Christopher J. Morea, MD, Raleigh-Durham Plastic Surgeon)