Liposuction Recovery Time

Liposuction is removal of fat from areas in the body by dissolving it and sucking it out with an aspirator.  During the process of liposuction small incisions are made on the skin to assist in the insertion of the cannula and draining of the fatty tissues. The draining may take place for a day or two. 

The incisions are stitched back to close the wound.  Generally the surgeon does not stitch it up for a couple of days and leave the wound open for draining of the body fluids.  After two days or so, the surgeon may stitch it back or simply close the wound with a medicated adhesive plaster.  If the wound is larger, it may require stitching.  Even in large wounds, the surgeon stitches up only part of the wound at once after the surgery and does the rest after a couple of days.  The reasons for this are the same as described above. 

Recovery time of a liposuction is based on a number of factors and what is that the patient calls recovery. If liposuction is done without complications and local anesthesia, the patient can go back to her / his apartment / house on the same day after the operation.  However rest is advised for a few days after the operation. 

The stitches heal up after five to seven days.  The patient will be required to wear a body binder for a few days / weeks after the surgery.  This is to contain any swelling that is likely to take place after the operation.  This also assists the skin in tightening around the area where liposuction has been done, otherwise loose skin is likely to hang and this will require another skin tuck surgery.  Liposuction recovery time for younger patients is faster.  The older patients take a bit longer to recover from a liposuction.  This is due to the age factor and the non-elasticity of the skin.

As mentioned the recovery from liposuction (period) will vary from patient to patient based on their individual health and the amount of fat being removed.  The larger amount of fatty tissues being removed, the more rest is required as the body has to compensate for the loss.  It is advised to take a lot of fluids after a liposuction to help in the recovery time. 

During the recovery time after a liposuction, one is likely to experience pain.  The pain is controlled either by prescription medication or any over the counter pain killers.  However it is advisable to consult your doctor before taking pain killers.  Numbness associated to liposuction recovery will remain for a couple of weeks. It will go with time so will the swelling.   Recovery from a knee liposuction is faster than a faster than liposuction form another part of the body. 

Summary:
In totality the recovery time after a liposuction is somewhere between six months to a year.  It is after this period that one is able to feel that he / she has benefited from a liposuction.