8 Tips for Liposuction Recovery

*Model

by Dr. Steven Wallach

As with any surgical or minimally invasive procedure, the results of liposuction largely depend on how your body heals from the procedure. For this healing process, there are both factors you can and can’t control, for example, you can’t control your body’s natural healing response, but you can control things like your diet and behavior.

For the factors during recovery you can control, Dr. Wallach will provide detailed instructions for how best to take care of your body after undergoing liposuction. These instructions often include the following eight pieces of advice depending on the specific surgical plan.

1. Eat Well

Always an important aspect of a healthy lifestyle, eating a balanced and nutritious diet following liposuction ensures your body is supplied with the vital nutrients and energy you need throughout recovery. Furthermore, a proper diet that constitutes vitamins and antioxidants can help protect your body from infection both during the sensitive period of recovery and in your daily normal life.

2. Keep Doing Exercise

Upon undergoing liposuction, allow your body to rest, as it’s necessary to avoid pain and allow the tissues to heal. After a period of 24 hours, Dr. Wallach may recommend taking some short or light exercises like walking to keep your circulation normal and encourage healthy blood flow. In addition to that, it allows the body to remain flexible.

3. Know What to Wear

After undergoing liposuction, it is important to be intentional in how you dress. Putting on tight-fitting clothes may irritate incision sites and prolong the healing process. Therefore, it’s recommended to wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes to help you remain comfortable and promote quick healing.

4. Avoid Soaking

Spending much of your time in water may, at times, slow the healing process and increase the risk of infection. Therefore, you should avoid immersing your body in any water until you’re fully healed. Dr. Wallach recommends showering rather than bathing in the days after liposuction.

5. Stay Hydrated

After liposuction, you will likely need more water than normal. In addition to plain tap water, you can have other hydrating beverages, but avoid taking those substances that have higher proportions of sodium.

6. Attending Follow-ups

Going to all your follow-up appointments is crucial in the healing process as Dr. Wallach will determine your progress and update your instructions and restrictions as you heal. Missing appointments can not only result in a fee, but also cause you to miss out on relevant, important information.

7. Avoid Drinking and Smoking

You are advised not to neither smoke nor drink before or after liposuction. Doing this reduces the risk of complications and helps your body recover faster. It also reduces the rate of bacterial infections. It ensures that your blood flow is normal and you stay properly hydrated.

8. Practice Proper Hygiene

Maintaining general cleanliness is important after liposuction to ensure the incision sites are clean and free from infections. Following Dr. Wallach’s  instructions on wound care also helps you achieve the most seamless scars that are nearly invisible.

To learn more about liposuction and what it takes to recover from this fat reduction procedure, it’s best to hear it straight from the expert himself, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Steven Wallach. Call our New York City office today or contact us online to find out what you can expect from liposuction.