Liposuction - Surgical Recovery
Length of surgery
Operation takes 45-150 minutes depending on the areas to be treated. This can be done under local anaesthetic though it is usually by general-anaesthetic.
Nights in hospital
Can be a day case or one night stay.
Dressings and stitches
You will have small stitches and water resistant dressings on the incisions. The area treated will usually be taped up or a pressure garment applied once on the ward or the following morning. You will need to wear the pressure garment day and night for two weeks and then during the day for a further 4 weeks.
Post-operative instructions and recovery
Day 1 You should be taking it very easy! Relax in the hospital or at home.
Day 2-5 You can be up and about but you may be in some discomfort.
5-14 Your stitches will be removed and most of the swelling and bruising will settle over this next week. You will be feeling much better from here onwards. You can start exercising gently and build it up over the next 10 days.
Week 3 onwards you will be nearly back to normal.
Time off work and socializing
Allow 3-14 days. People vary in recovery. Most patients are very comfortable at one week and feel more stiff than in pain. Recovery will depend on the size of area treated.
Time to exercise
Walking a distance at 3 days, gentle swimming by 10-14 days. Strenuous exercise (aerobics etc) should be avoided for 3 weeks, contact sports for 6 weeks.
Driving
Although you may feel able to drive by 3-5 days you need to be completely free of pain and have no restriction to be covered by your insurance. This may be in your second or third week.
Final outcome
Although most of your result will be noticeable immediately it will continue to improve over the first three months.
Follow up
Wound check and removal stitches dressings at day 5-7. Then see Mr. McCulley at 3 months. NB There are no charges for any follow up appointment relating to your surgery.
