What Should You Expect During the Recovery Process?

Once surgery is complete and you are sent home to begin recovery, you should arrange to have someone stay with you for the first 24 hours after surgery. This is because you will be groggy and may need help getting around and taking your medications.

You should have all your medications, drinks and towels beside your bed. You may experience nausea during the first 24-48 hours after surgery. To reduce the nausea, you may want to take a nausea pill one hour prior to taking pain medications and antibiotics. It is important to keep hydrated, but you should avoid acidic fruit juices and plain water as these can make nausea worse.

You may see blood-tinged fluid draining from the incision sites made during liposuction. This is normal and will usually stop within half a day. You may want to place a towel on your bed to avoid staining. If you notice draining from incisions where the implant is placed, you should contact your doctor immediately.

You should expect some swelling and slight bruising which will disappear 5 to 8 weeks following surgery. You should wait for the swelling to completely disappear before buying new clothing.

You will be required to wear a support garment that may be removed when you take a shower. After your first shower you will need to apply Vaseline or lotion to the liposuctioned areas. You can also begin massaging the fat injection areas. These areas should be gently massaged three times a day for six weeks. Gentle massaging will minimize dimpling of the skin by distributing the fat at the injection sites. You will experience numbness for 4 to 6 weeks after surgery. Massage will help sensation return to the area.

You should sleep on your stomach for the first two weeks following surgery. Avoid putting direct pressure on your buttocks. If you must sit, use a very soft cushion.

It is very important to clean the incisions in the shower and then with alcohol after each bowel movement or once daily for the first two weeks following surgery.

It is important to move around after surgery as this will reduce the risk of blood clots in the legs. Most patients can go back to work two weeks following surgery. During this time, you will still need to avoid strenuous activity. Normal activity can usually be resumed six weeks after surgery.

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