Dr. Anna Wooten, MD, the
founder of Beleza Plastic
Surgery, is certified by the
American Board of Plastic
Surgery and is a member of
the American Society of
Plastic Surgeons.
Her unique and extensive
education and training
brings a special perspective
to the discipline and art of
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
Scarring may occur after liposuction surgery. These scars
are usually small and are located where the physician makes the incision to
remove the excess fat tissue. When the anesthesia wears off, some pain is
expected around the treated area. If the pain is extreme or continues for a long
period of time after the surgery, the patient should contact Dr. Wooten. If the
patient has pain combined with abnormal swelling, this can be a sign of
infection and, again, the patient should contact Dr. Wooten. In general, one
should walk around as soon as possible to reduce swelling. Depending on the
extent of the liposuction, patients are generally able to return to work or
school between two days and two weeks. If non-absorbable sutures are placed,
they will be removed after five to ten days. Swelling from liposuction will
subside in anywhere from two weeks to two months. Bruising will fade in as soon
as a few days or as long as two weeks later. Numbness may last for several
weeks. These things are all normal. The final result will be evident anywhere
from one to six months after surgery, although the patient will see a noticeable
difference within days or weeks, as swelling subsides.
Some ways to speed up recovery are to drink enough water to prevent dehydration,
avoid using heating pads on the treated areas, postpone soaking the wounds until
they are sealed usually 48 hours for sutured wounds and a little longer for
unsutured wounds, and, if any dizziness is experienced, the patient should take
it easy: stand up slowly, get help for showering, and removing the compression
garment slowly.
The incision where the surgeon inserted the cannula may be leaky or may need to
be drained fluids for several days. The patient will need to wear special
compression garments around the treated area to keep the skin tight after the
liposuction procedure. Dr. Wooten will tell you how long to wear these, but in
general it is expected to wear these for 4-8 weeks. Dr. Wooten will also include
information about wearing compression garments, whether or not one should be
taking any antibiotic medicines, and the level of activity that is safe after
the liposuction procedure. Also, information will be provided about potential
problems of which one should be aware. An example of this would be the signs of
infections.
After a few weeks, the stitches will dissolve or be removed and the swelling
should begin to go down. Most of the swelling will disappear after three weeks
or so, although some may remain for several months. In most cases, the patient
would avoid strenuous activity for a month or two.
