One major concern that most of our clients share, and justifiably so, is the recovery time after various procedures. Whenever something is done to the human body surgically, there is inevitably going to be some pain. How long it takes to recover depends on the procedure and the patient, but there are some basic guidelines. Our Atlantic Coast Aesthetics Question of the Week comes from our Facebook audience and asks, “How long does it usually to feel not so sore from liposuction?”
Our founder and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Thomas A. Pane, says that patients should expect to experience a sort of diffuse, aching sensation for at least the first couple of days. This is going to depend greatly on the individual patient’s pain tolerance, overall health and healing capabilities. Many patients find postoperative discomfort from liposuction to be far less than they anticipate and that they can manage it simply with Tylenol. Others find that they need stronger pain relief in the form of narcotic painkillers. Generally, a 2-3 day supply of narcotic painkillers is sufficient to manage the immediate postoperative discomfort.
After the initial procedure’s postoperative discomfort wears off, patients often notice a “deeper,” more lingering discomfort as the site of the liposuction continues to heal. This is generally very mild and well-tolerated, to the point where it does not interfere with normal day-to-day activities. Proper postoperative care, wound and scar management and avoidance of environmental or habitual factors that may slow or interfere with healing can help reduce the timeframe for recovery. A “typical” timeframe may be as short as 3-6 weeks or as long as 3-6 months, depending upon the patient, how much adipose tissue was removed, how much scarring forms in the area where the fat was removed and other factors.
The scarring from the fat removal phase of liposuction may cause a pulling sensation on the skin or a lingering discomfort. Normally this subsides to the point where it does not interfere with normal daily activity. In cases where the discomfort does not subside, this may be a sign of problems with the surgical site including improper scar formation or maturation, fluid pocket development or infection. While these complications are exceedingly rare, it is always better to have a suspected problem checked out and proven to be nothing than it is to let a potential problem go until it becomes an actual one.
Despite what some people say, there is no functional difference between types of liposuction. Laser lipo, traditional liposuction, “tickle” or “smart” lipo all are designed to forcibly remove fat deposits from the body, so the healing process and discomfort are all going to be similar, and there is absolutely no difference in scar maturation. Because of this, patients are better off expecting more discomfort and finding less postoperative discomfort than the other way around. Again, how the individual patient can be expected to respond to liposuction is strictly assessed on a case-by-case basis, so there is no magical formula that patients can rely on regardless of the type or methodology of liposuction used in a given situation.
With all this in mind, assuming proper aftercare, nutrition and avoidance of environmental or habitual factors that can lead to complications, patients can usually expect minimal discomfort and a fairly swift recovery. Having a cosmetic surgeon who is skilled and up to date on the latest techniques for minimizing pain and scarring as a result of the procedure can also help tip the scales further toward less postoperative discomfort for the patient. Younger patients and/or those with higher pain tolerance usually recover from liposuction with minimal difficulty and discomfort. Finally, patients who follow postoperative care directions diligently and pay attention to changes in their bodies after liposuction tend to have higher success rates and a far lower incidence of difficulties than those who do not, although every effort is made to minimize postoperative discomfort during and after the procedure.
Did you know YOUR question could be ACA’s next Question of the Week? Just follow us on Facebook, call us at (561) 422-4116 or email us at https://acplasticsurg.com and ask away! You may find that Dr. Pane chooses your question to answer in an upcoming live Google Hangout, helping us help others while getting you the answers you need. Remember, the only bad question is the one you don’t ask, and getting honest, accurate information is the first step to getting the body and life you’ve always dreamed about!