Have you ever noticed that you have the tendency to become impatient waiting on something you have decided you want? We do this with food, with weight, and many other aspects of life. In our arena, we see that patients can quickly become frustrated if the results of procedures like liposuction do not show up right away.

If you’ve looked into cosmetic treatment of any kind, you may have come across strong messages about expectations. Cosmetic treatments like liposuction can accomplish specific goals and can achieve outstanding results. However, if those results do not match patient expectations, there is bound to be frustration and maybe even dissatisfaction. This is why we spend a fair amount of time discussing expectations and why we’re going to do so again now in the area of liposuction.

What to Expect from Liposuction

You may know that liposuction will remove a select amount of fatty tissue. You may know that the fat cells that are removed will not come back. It is also important to know that liposuction will not result in weight loss. The scale may stay exactly the same as it has been for years. However, your body will look different and that is the goal. Another aspect of liposuction that needs to be understood is that results are not immediate.

Liposuction is a surgical procedure that does submit a degree of disruption to an area of the body. After surgery, then, we expect a patient to encounter swelling. Swelling can mask the body contours we’ve achieved for at least a few weeks.  In fact, it can take up to 12 months for the full effect of liposuction to be completely evident.

Managing Postoperative Swelling after Liposuction

After liposuction, a compression garment is typically applied. The purpose of compression is to inhibit fluid retention and promote symmetry during the recovery process. Patients are advised to wear their compression garment as directed for as long as directed by Dr. Rosenthal.

Swelling will also decrease subsequent to movement. We do not suggest rushing back into the gym or the yoga studio but we do encourage patients to move around as soon as they feel ready after surgery. Short walks around the house or even down a hallway promote circulation that decreases fluid retention so swelling can diminish faster.

Would you like to know more about liposuction? Schedule a consultation with Dr. Rosenthal at 408-559-4700.