Things to Consider Before and After Liposuction

Liposuction is an effective method used to remove excess fat that cannot be removed by diet and exercise. Liposuction, which is generally used in the abdomen, breast, face, hip, thigh, arm, neck and jowl areas to correct the body form, can be applied in combination with face lift and breast lift surgeries.

Liposuction is a procedure applied for body shaping, not for weight loss. Patients who will undergo liposuction, an invasive surgical technique, should have a good general health condition and a body mass index below 30. It is important for the success of the liposuction procedure that the person does not smoke and has hard and flexible skin. The condition of patients with a health problem related to the circulatory system, diabetes, and a weak immune system should be evaluated in detail by the doctor. Before the application, the patient should inform his doctor about issues such as allergy history, drugs taken regularly, and stop taking some painkillers and blood thinners 2 weeks before the procedure.

Depending on the technique used in the liposuction operation and the skin structure of the patient, bruising, pain and swelling are possible. After the operation, the patient is dressed in a corset to control swelling and the new body shape, and this continues for 3-4 weeks. After the application, the patient usually resumes work within a few days and normal activities within 6 weeks. Since the fat removed by the liposuction method is filled with blood and fluid, there is no immediate change in the person’s weight after the application. The final result can be reached within 1-3 months after the application.

Are Liposuction Results Permanent?

With the liposuction procedure, the fat and fat cells in the person’s body can be permanently eliminated. However, if the person does not have weight control, does not eat regularly and does not do sports, weight gain and fats may occur again due to the expansion of fat cells in the body. In order to preserve the new body shape obtained after liposuction, sugar, sweets and pastries should be avoided. The preferred nutrition program should include protein, vegetables, fruits, grains and less fat. Also, care should be taken to exercise regularly.

During the treatment process, plenty of water, herbal tea and unsweetened natural fruit juice can be drunk. Fluid intake plays a very important role in the healing process. Fresh vegetables should definitely be included in the nutrition program. When consuming fruit, it should be taken into account that many fruits have high sugar content. Attention should be paid to the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids, fish and walnuts. While legumes and nuts are included in the nutrition program, whole grain diet should be preferred.

Meat, chicken, skim milk and dairy products, legumes, whole grains should be consumed as rich sources of protein. Salty diet should be avoided during the healing process. Having a high sodium level can hold water in the body, increasing edema and swelling and delaying the healing process. Therefore, salt restriction should be done for at least 2-4 months after liposuction. Instead of salt, spices such as onion, garlic, dried basil, cinnamon, parsley and thyme can be added to the diet.

Again, consumption of sugary and floury foods should be limited after liposuction. Otherwise, you may face an undesirable situation such as weight gain. Alcoholic beverages should be avoided as they may adversely affect the healing process and cause dehydration. 

The incidence of complications after the liposuction procedure is extremely low. The main complications are usually due to inadequate technique, failure to manage the preoperative or postoperative period successfully. Some points should be considered in order to achieve the target result and manage complications appropriately.

Regularly taking of blood thinners should be discontinued 2 weeks before the operation. Before the operation, it should be ensured that there is no varicose, thrombus – clot in the legs. If such situations are in question, first, the treatment should be applied and then the liposuction procedure should be applied. 

General anesthesia is mostly used for large areas such as legs and trunk during liposuction application. Local anesthesia can be used for liposuction applications in smaller areas. After the liposuction application performed under general anesthesia, the patient is kept under control in the hospital for 2 nights. The first night is focused on increasing the comfort of the patient by giving intravenous fluids, antibiotics and painkillers. 

The liposuction recovery process is a quick and easy procedure. However, it is possible to feel mild to moderate pain in the first 48 hours. Simple painkillers can be taken for pain felt during the healing process. Bruises occurring 2-3 days after the application are expected to disappear spontaneously within 1-2 weeks. It is important to use a corset for about 3 weeks in terms of limiting edema formation, and less edema formation. It also plays a role in the shape recovery of liquid free fats in the environment. 

It is considered a necessity to use the liposuction corset every hour of the day for the first 2 weeks after the liposuction application and to get up and move at intervals for a few hours in terms of reducing edema and preventing the formation of blood clots.