What To Expect After Liposuction
Liposuction is one of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures performed every year simply because it is a safe and effective surgical treatment that helps to eliminate stubborn fat and significantly refine the body’s contours. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Mark Schwartz performs liposuction on a wide variety of body regions including the neck, abdomen, thighs, hips, buttocks, arms, back, knees, calves, and beyond, and it is especially effective for bulges of fat that remain despite dietary and exercise efforts. Liposuction involves inserting a metal tube called a cannula through very small incisions to loosen unwanted fat and remove it via vacuum suction. Depending on the extent of fat being removed and whether other surgical procedures are being performed in tandem, liposuction can be performed under local or sedation/twilight anesthesia.
There are a variety of liposuction techniques however, Dr. Schwartz prefers to use tumescent liposuction with the power-assisted liposuction device. During tumescent liposuction, the treated area is infused with a solution of dilute local anesthesia that helps blood vessels to constrict and this minimizes bruising and post-operative discomfort while facilitating the removal of fat. The use of power-assisted liposuction incorporates gentle vibration to help loosen cells in areas of denser fat and facilitate their removal.
Liposuction Recovery
Liposuction patients are usually sent home wearing a compression garment after surgery, which needs to be worn for 2-3 weeks to help the skin conform to the body’s new shape. Small amounts of fluid may drain from the incisions the first night since there is often extra tumescent solution that is not removed during the liposuction procedure.
Although most patients are back to work within a few days after liposuction, swelling, soreness temporary numbness and occasionally bruising are to be expected for one to two weeks after the procedure. It is important to avoid strenuous activity as the body heals and Dr. Schwartz provides specific post-procedure instructions to follow. As with other surgical procedure, the small incisions should be protected from sun exposure and their appearance will continue to improve over the next few months following surgery and will eventually be undetectable once healing is complete. Liposuction results are long lasting, but it is important to maintain a stable weight with a healthy diet and exercise after you have recovered.
Interested in learning more about liposuction? Contact board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Mark Schwartz, at 212.737.9090 or info@drmarkschwartz.com.
