Are you curious about what life would be like for you following liposuction in New Jersey? Or how long does the recovery take after having liposuction done? There are some frequent myths about what patients should expect following liposuction surgery, and for that reason our team at Gartner Plastic Surgery in New Jersey will explain to you what you should expect after the procedure.
Liposuction is a surgical procedure, and just like any other surgical procedure, it requires a period of time for the patient to heal before they are able to return to their normal activities. You can expect the following big changes to your body after liposuction surgery. In this blog post, we’ll also talk about some of the recovery periods and what to expect after the surgery.
Contents
YOUR RECOVERY AFTER LIPOSUCTION IN NEW JERSEY
After your liposuction treatment, you will be required to wear compression garments in order to help alleviate any postoperative edema that may have occurred. After forty-eight hours have passed since your treatment, you will be allowed to momentarily take off these garments in order to take a shower. Please be aware that when you first remove them, you could feel a little dizzy or lightheaded. This is quite normal. You are free to wash with soap and water, but you should be very careful not to scrub your incisions while you do so. They are still fragile from the treatment you had done, so you should handle them with extreme caution. It is critical that you re-don your compression garment as quickly as possible after you get out of the shower or bath. All that said, here is what you can expect in the weeks to follow:
WEEK ONE TO WEEK THREE
Following liposuction surgery, you should expect to experience the most of your pain and swelling within the first one to three weeks after the procedure. However, after the first week has passed, you will begin to realize that each day brings a slight improvement in how you are feeling overall. Approximately one to two weeks after your procedure, the swelling will begin to subside, but it’s normal for you to experience a stiffness that may last for approximately three months after your procedure. This stiffness is a sign that the former regions are healing, and that you are well on your way to achieving your new, slimmer figure.
In the beginning, this hardness will start to relax, which will make it easier for the body to rid itself of edema and fluid. As this occurs, you will start to see your new figure reflected back at you in the mirror. Because the swelling in your body will persist for another one to three months, the image you see in the mirror ninety days after surgery is not even close to representing your final result. That said, having patience is absolutely necessary during the recovery process.
WHY IS PATIENCE REQUIRED THROUGHOUT THE LIPOSUCTION HEALING PROCESS?
When the anticipated benefits of a treatment do not materialize right away, it is not unusual for patients to worry about how their results will turn out. It’s important to remember that this is a natural occurrence and a part of the healing process as well. It is necessary to gain an understanding of the fact that everyone’s body is unique and that your body will react at a different rate than the body of any other patient. That being said, patience is extremely important during the recovery process as the results will take some time to settle.
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR LIPOSUCTION TREATMENT IN NJ
Here are a few things that you should be aware of after your liposuction treatment in New Jersey:
THERE WILL BE SOME SWELLING WHICH MEANS THAT THE RESULTS YOU SEE RIGHT AWAY ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE OUTCOMES YOU WILL SEE IN THE END
You should expect to have some swelling in the treated area in the immediate aftermath of liposuction. This is to be expected and considered typical. It is fairly uncommon to look in the mirror after liposuction and not notice the reduction you were hoping for – be patient and give it some time.
In addition to the swelling, you will most likely still have some tumescent fluid in the area shortly after the treatment, and this fluid will eventually drain. It’s possible that your results will appear amazing right after the surgery, but if they don’t, just give it some more time. After around three months, when we anticipate the results to be at their best, that’s at that point that you will be able to see your full results.
YOU ARE GOING TO REQUIRE A RIDE BACK TO YOUR HOME AFTER THE PROCEDURE
During the procedure, we will administer oral sedatives to help you relax and feel more at ease. It is common to feel groggy after the treatment has been completed; therefore, you shouldn’t make plans to attend any parties in the days immediately following your procedure. After a liposuction procedure, you won’t be permitted to drive yourself home, so you’ll need to make arrangements for another person to accompany you there.
At Gartner Plastic Surgery, we don’t let patients take taxis or ride-sharing services like Uber or Lyft; instead, we insist that they be accompanied at all times by a responsible adult. In the event that this is not at all possible, we will be happy to help you locate a reliable medical transportation service.
IT’S LIKELY GOING TO BE NECESSARY FOR YOU TO TAKE SOME TIME OFF FROM WORK
Liposuction is a type of cosmetic surgery. There are a few exceptions to this rule, but in most cases, you should make preparations to be absent from work for the next forty-eight hours. Not only are you going to feel a little drowsy, but you’re also going to probably have some drainage and just feel a little bit fatigued in general. It is not a good idea to schedule liposuction at the same time as a significant job project or an important deadline as you will need to take some time off of work.
YOU MIGHT BE EXPERIENCING SOME ACHES OR PAINS AFTER YOUR PROCEDURE
The human body is unique for each individual, therefore individuals also experience pain differently to varying degrees. After surgery, some individuals won’t experience any pain at all, while others may. It is essential to have the understanding that experiencing some level of pain or discomfort in the aftermath of a liposuction operation is typical and does not necessarily indicate that something is wrong. To guarantee that you have speedy access to pain relief in the event that you require it after your liposuction, we give each and every patient a prescription for pain medicine that they can fill themselves if necessary following the procedure.
IN MOST CASES YOU WILL HAVE SOME DRAINAGE AFTER THE SURGERY
It doesn’t matter what kind of liposuction surgery you get; afterward, you’re going to have some incisions, and you should anticipate some leakage from the treatment area over the course of the next 48 hours. One of the possible reasons why you do not want to go back to work is because of this.
You will be given the requisite gauze and medical tape, and you will be expected to replace both of these items on a consistent basis over the course of the following few days. In most cases, the incisions should heal on their own without the need for stitches; nevertheless, there are some circumstances in which a single stitch may be required.
THERE WILL BE FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENTS SCHEDULED FOR YOU
You are not out of the woods just because the procedure is finished. In order for your surgeon to check the incisions and make sure that you are healing properly, you will need to return after the procedure. In most cases, you will have another appointment two weeks after the first one. However, certain locations may require more regular follow-ups.
IT WILL TAKE YOU A FEW WEEKS UNTIL YOU ARE BACK TO NORMAL
Do not anticipate that you will be able to return to your regular routine after taking a few days off. Your body is continuing to recover even though you are unable to observe the process. For the next few weeks, you will only be able to participate in activities that have a low impact. When you are able to resume your normal activities after surgery, your surgeon will let you know. Although two weeks is a good rule of thumb, certain individuals, particularly older patients, may require additional time; therefore, it is essential to keep all of your follow-up visits.
YOUR SKIN WILL HEAL GRADUALLY
When fat is eliminated by liposuction or weight reduction, the skin that was previously stretched out can now feel a bit looser than it did before the procedure. Ask any woman who has gone through pregnancy or breastfeeding to witness the skin contracting back into place as time passes. You won’t see results right away if you paired your liposuction with a skin-tightening therapy like a laser or radiofrequency treatment, however. That said, it takes around three months for the full effects of these treatments to become apparent since they stimulate the production of collagen, which makes the skin more elastic.
IF YOU HAVE SCARS, THEY WILL BECOME LESS NOTICEABLE AS TIME PASSES
Some liposuction patients will have visible scarring at the incision site after the procedure. This scarring will be roughly the size of a freckle and will fade with time. Because these are carried out in discrete areas, the vast majority of individuals are unlikely to notice them unless they are specifically called out. It will take some time, but these scars will eventually fade away. It is imperative that you adhere to the aftercare recommendations that have been provided by your surgeon in order to reduce the visibility of any scars that may have resulted from the procedure.
YOU’RE NOT IMMUNE TO FAT
After having liposuction, the thought that you can eat whatever you want could cross your mind, but unfortunately, this is not the case at all. Even though fat cannot be recreated, this does not mean that additional calories will simply slide off of you. As is always the case, your level of weight loss or increase will be directly proportional to the food and exercise plan you follow.
LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR LIPOSUCTION TREATMENT IN NEW JERSEY
Liposuction procedures have the capability of producing incredible results for men and women but it’s important to be aware of exactly what to expect after the procedure in order to ensure you have good results. Book your appointment with one of our New Jersey experts at Gartner Plastic Surgery by giving us a call or filling out a contact form and we’ll be in touch with you shortly!