Things You Should Know to Prepare for Liposuction
Did you know that there’s a difference between being healthy and looking healthy? Millions of people diet, work out, and eat healthy, but even with all of those efforts, they still aren’t seeing the kind of results they expected. But, through the plastic surgery procedure of liposuction, many clients are able to get the body contouring they need to achieve the healthy look they’ve always wanted.
It’s important to remember that liposuction procedures are not treatments for obesity. To be an ideal candidate for liposuction, you should be close to the body weight that’s appropriate for your height and other specified and recommended physical characteristics.
While you’re getting excited and full of anticipation as to how you’ll look after your procedure, there’s some work you have to do to get there.
Pre-op Liposuction Tips
Preparing yourself for your liposuction procedure isn’t complicated or overwhelming. In fact, it’s pretty simple, and it can dramatically affect the outcome and quality of your results. Here are some pre-surgery tips to follow and check off:
- Make certain to listen to the instructions from your doctor before you undergo your procedure. If you’re uncertain about something, don’t hesitate to ask about it. By paying attention to and following your doctor’s instructions you can help minimize any possible risks and side effects from your surgery.
- If you’re taking blood-thinning medications, at least two weeks before your surgery, stop taking them. If you’re taking drugs that contain aspirin, in addition to anti-inflammatories and Vitamin E, they can thin your blood. As an alternative, take Tylenol.
- Refrain from smoking no less than 2 weeks before your liposuction procedure, and don’t smoke for a month after the procedure. There are risks involved with surgical procedures that can affect the functions of the body while undergoing the surgery and during recovery, such as the way nicotine can inhibit the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the surgery site.
- Make sure that you clearly understand all of the instructions that will accompany the prescriptions your surgeon prescribes. Also make sure that you have all of your regular prescriptions filled before you undergo your surgery so that they will be ready and waiting for you after you return home.
- Be realistic about your efforts to lose weight before your surgery. A drastic loss of weight prior to your liposuction followed by a quick re-gain of it during your post-surgery recovery could affect the outcome of your results negatively.
- You’ll want to have a stock of foods that go easy on your stomach along with foods that promote regular bowel movements. As you recover, have foods like crackers, soup, applesauce, and jello on hand. High-fiber foods such as prune juice along with mild laxatives should be on your shelves because pain medications are often the cause of constipation.
- Have a cozy retreat for sleeping set up before you leave to have your procedure. Make it inviting with lots of soft, fluffy pillows around. And remember to have your phone close by the bed.
- Pick up lotions for reducing scars such as Mederma to have on hand while you recover. And benadryl or oatmeal soap will also come in handy should you experience post-op itching.
- Arrange for a friend or family member to drive you to and from your surgery, and to stay overnight for the first night following your liposuction. The first few days and nights it’s good to have someone you can count on to help you with meal preparation and get anything you might need for the immediate time following your procedure.
- On the day of your surgery, be sure to wear loose-fitting clothes that you’ll be able to comfortably put on to return home.
Paired with the advice you’ll receive from your plastic surgeon, these tips should help you adequately prepare for your liposuction surgery, and make a smoother transition into your recovery so that any possibility of experiencing complications is greatly reduced. Follow these tips and you’ll be sure to find yourself showing off the new you in no time at all!
Post-op Tips
When your liposuction procedure is done, results that will be long-lasting are achievable if you incorporate these tips into your recovery routine. Here are some tips to help you along the journey.
- Wear the compression garment you’ve been asked to wear. Following a liposuction procedure, your body has a natural response function to fill the area that was treated with fluid. By wearing a compression garment, you will greatly reduce pain and swelling that typically accompanies the surgery. And, it will also work with the body to help it form its new and improved proportions.
- Many patients choose to wear their compression garments on a constant basis during the two weeks following their surgery at least, or until they notice that the swelling has subsided. It’s perfectly okay to also wear the compression garment for comfort if you wish. Some surgeons recommend wearing the garments for about six weeks following surgery.
- Stick to a healthy diet. You want to drink an adequate amount of fluids to maintain good hydration. Your body can easily swell for several days and more liquids are essential to prevent you from getting dehydrated. By also limiting your fat and calorie intake for a later time following your surgery, you can see long term significant improvements following the liposuction.
- It won’t be as easy to gain fat in the treated areas of the liposuction, but it’s still possible if you don’t manage your diet carefully. By maintaining a healthy diet you can sustain the positive results of your liposuction procedure and maybe even enhance them. Remember from earlier that liposuction should not be used as a substitution for losing weight, and it’s not a protection against gaining weight.
- Resume exercise. While it’s tempting, you don’t want to become too sedentary during the early parts of your recovery. If you can begin some light walking activity it can help reduce the chances of getting blood clots, which is a great risk following any surgical procedure.
- Walking can also help you feel more like yourself and the way you’re used to feeling after your procedure. Try very hard not to become so sedentary that you fall into bad habits that can turn you into a couch potato. At the same time, over exerting yourself with strenuous exercising should also be avoided for approximately 4 weeks.
- Many patients will notice that they notice the results of exercising more easily when they have less fat due to liposuction. This is a good motivator! You’ll want to maintain a healthier lifestyle because of the more immediate results you’ll see, and exercise will become something to look forward to.
- The long term results you’ll see may vary compared to other patients who have the same procedure. This is because healing takes less time for some people. You should avoid generalizing about when the results from your liposuction will be very noticeable. The swelling which occurs initially following surgery diminishes after the first few weeks.
You may notice that smaller amounts of swelling will persist over a few months. Skin might also tighten gradually over a period of months, and this is typified as the final results of the liposuction procedure. This is why it takes a few good months to see complete results. But no matter how long your recovery may take, you’ll see the long-term results in a slimmer, more trimmer you. The process is pretty similar for all patients.
Trust Aristocrat Plastic Surgery & MedAesthetics
As an expert in liposuction, Dr. Kevin Tehrani uses his technical skill, artistic eye, and the most advanced liposuction technologies to sculpt the body. Every procedure is highly customized for you based on your anatomy and how you wish to look.
For inquiries or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Tehrani, click here.