One of the most important things to understand about liposuction in Houston is that every patient is vastly different. The surgical process is generally the same, but the way the body responds can vary from person to person. In other words, your recovery journey may look different than your friend’s or neighbor’s. This is why you should fully understand the way this procedure works before you make your appointment. Below, we cover what to expect at home after a liposuction.
What to Expect At Home After a Liposuction
Part of understanding the surgery is also knowing what to expect at home after a liposuction. At the office of Dr. Cain Linville, we make sure to set our patients up for success beyond the operating room. We will equip you with a full set of instructions and supplies that you will need to make your at-home recovery journey an easy one.
Returning Home After Surgery
Liposuction is an outpatient surgery. You can typically return home on the same day of your appointment after the medical staff clears you to leave. Liposuction is not a super-intensive surgery, but it still requires an incision and general anesthesia. This will leave you groggy and a bit dazed for the rest of the day. It is normal to feel some pain and swelling, which can be treated with over-the-counter painkillers. You should be feeling much better in a few days and might even be able to return to work at that time.
When the liposuction surgery is complete, you will be sent home with a compression wrap around the treatment area. This might be wrapped around your arms, legs, abdomen, or any other part of the body that has received treatment. You will be instructed to leave the wrap on for a certain amount of time – usually 4 – 6 weeks.
Caring for Your Healing Body
To make sure that you do not experience any undue stress or hardship while healing, try taking as much time off of work as you can. Even a few days of rest at home can allow your body to relax and speed up the healing process. A big part of the liposuction recovery process requires self-care, which can look like:
Eating Well
You should be feeling well enough to resume your regular diet within a day or two following your liposuction surgery. However, if you find that your stomach is too upset or you are getting sensitive to certain foods, you can try eating meals that are more bland. Doctors usually recommend yogurt, toast, chicken, and plain rice as a cure for any kind of stomach ache.
Changing Bandages Often
Depending on where you received a liposuction treatment, you might be instructed to change out your bandages. Incisions leave open wounds that need to be dressed properly in order to avoid infection. Your doctor will let you know how often to change bandages and what kind of bandages to use. If you still experience a lot of bleeding or drainage after the surgery, get in touch with your surgery staff right away.
Taking the Right Medication
You might have to pause certain medications when getting liposuction. Open surgery presents a bleeding risk, so certain blood thinners might have to be put on hold for a few days. The surgeon will let you know when it is safe to start taking your regular medications again. In addition, you might be prescribed a new medication that can help you manage symptoms of pain and discomfort during the healing process.
Following Up with Your Surgeon
Your surgeon will want to check back in with you after about a week or so of your recovery. This is a required follow-up appointment to make sure that you are healing correctly and that you are not dealing with adverse complications. The follow-up appointment is the perfect time to express concerns about how you are healing and to learn more about what to expect once your results start to shine through.
For the most part, liposuction recovery is a fairly straightforward process. From the moment you receive your surgery, you will be taken care of and well-informed about the steps you can take to ensure your full recovery. During your initial consultation, you will be able to cover topics such as the length of time the surgery takes, what to expect before your operation, and how to smoothly recover while you watch your new results come to life.
To get started on this lifelong journey, contact Dr. Linville and let us know about the areas of the body you are looking to improve upon.
