Swelling after liposuction and tummy tuck is a common side effect that occurs immediately after surgery. It’s usually worse in the first 10 days, but can last up to 4 weeks. Swelling is caused by fluid buildup around the treated areas, which can cause pain and discomfort.
In most cases, swelling goes down over time as your body releases this fluid into your bloodstream or lymphatic system. You may be able to help speed up this process by applying ice packs for 20 minutes at a time at least 6 times a day for the first few days. You should also avoid sitting for too long at one time and getting up slowly when you do sit down. If swelling continues for more than 2 weeks after liposuction or tummy tuck, contact your doctor immediately because it could indicate an infection or other complication that needs treatment right away.
Read on to learn more. How Long Does Swelling Last After Liposuction And Tummy Tuck, Swelling After Tummy Tuck 6 Months and Uneven Swelling After Tummy Tuck
How Long Does Swelling Last After Liposuction And Tummy Tuck
Many people struggle with excess body fat every day. When a healthy diet and exercise fail to get rid of fat bulges, liposuction is often a good option to achieve their desired body contour. Liposuction can target many areas, such as the abdominal region, thighs and hips.
Unfortunately, some men and women may have unrealistic expectations for their liposuction procedure, and when their desired results are not immediately achieved, they often feel as though the surgery was not successful. Knowing what to expect after the procedure and following your plastic surgeon’s after-care instructions can help you achieve the desired results.
What happens after the liposuction?
After the procedure, you can expect to feel mild discomfort, and see bruising, redness and swelling. Prescribed medications can help ease the discomfort. You may be instructed to wear a compression garment to help reduce swelling and promote healing. Swelling usually starts to go down by the end of the first week but wearing the compression garments should continue until week four or as otherwise directed. Some degree of swelling may last for as long as six weeks, but within a few days, you should be comfortable enough to return to work.
Will I have scars?
During the liposuction procedure, small incisions are made in order to remove the excess fat cells. These incisions are small and made in inconspicuous areas whenever possible, so they are less noticeable. You should receive after-care incision instructions to care for them after the procedure. These instructions should help to ensure that the incisions heal with minimal scarring.
How can I help promote healing and good results?
While liposuction removes a certain number of fat cells in the treatment area for good, the remaining cells can continue to store fat and grow in size. Following a healthy diet, drinking plenty of water and participating in a regular exercise routine (once your surgeon clears you to do so) can help promote healing, maintain a healthy body weight and help you achieve your desired body contour after the swelling goes down.
Will I see results right away?
Chances are, you probably won’t see the results you want right after your procedure. If anything, for a short while you may feel as if you have gained weight or are looking larger in the area treated. While liposuction can remove up to 10 pounds of fat cells during a procedure, fluid retention and swelling can cause you to look bloated. As the swelling goes down, you can begin to see results.
You may also notice that some of your skin is loose in the area treated with liposuction. Loose skin can firm up over time. However, depending on a variety of factors, such as age or how much fat was removed, surgical intervention may be necessary to tighten up the skin. Every person is different and your plastic surgeon can talk with you about skin tightening as part of your body contouring procedure if warranted.
Depending on how much fat is removed, you can expect to see final results between 1-3 months after the procedure.
How do I maintain my new look?
It’s important to keep in mind that liposuction results are not necessarily permanent. While the fat cells are removed from your body for good, some fat cells still remain and can grow. It’s up to you to take good care of yourself so that you can enjoy your slimmer look for a long time. Eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of water and follow a regular exercise routine. You can begin simple walking soon after the procedure and within a few weeks be ready to begin a low-intensity workout routine and build up from there.
Liposuction can remove stubborn excess body fat and help you achieve your desired body contour, but it is essential to have realistic expectations and know that maintaining your new look long-term requires a commitment to a healthy lifestyle.
Swelling After Tummy Tuck 6 Months
I had a TT 6 months ago and I’m still swollen. I’ve been told that the swelling will go down, but it has not. After I had my TT, the doctor prescribed me hydrocodone for pain. Now I’m concerned about taking it because of the possible side effects that come with hydrocodone (constipation). Do you think taking the hydrocodone could be causing all this swelling?
I have been working out consistently since my surgery and eating healthy. Is there anything else I can do to get rid of this extra fat?
I am 6 weeks post op and still have swelling. I had a TT, lipo of upper/lower abdomen and flanks, breast lift with implant exchange and BBL.
I am still very swollen. My nipples are swollen but they don’t hurt. I also have some bruising around the bottom of my breasts (side). There is no pain at all in my tummy but I do have some pain in my back and chest area. My lower back is the worst at night when I lay down. It feels like someone is sitting on me and it hurts to move a certain way. The only time I feel completely normal is when I get up in the morning after sleeping all night on one side or the other so that part isn’t too bad as long as you don’t move too much during the day because then it hurts worse if you move than if you didn’t move at all!
I really hope this goes away soon because it’s starting to get depressing for me!
Uneven Swelling After Tummy Tuck
I had a tummy tuck done on March 5th, 2015. I had a c-section on July 3rd, 2014 and after the c-section I developed a hernia in my abdomen. The hernia was repaired and the doctor said that he would only have to use drains for about 1 week after surgery and then he would remove them. He told me that if I wanted to get bigger breasts or a tummy tuck he could do it at the same time as the repair of my hernia, but he would not do both at once because they are both major surgeries and would require separate incisions. He said that if I wanted bigger breasts he could do that 6 months after having my first child (which was 2 years ago).
I decided not to get bigger breasts because they were already quite large before having children and I was happy with how they looked. So I went ahead with fixing my hernia instead. After surgery I noticed that there was a lot of swelling around my belly button area which seemed odd since my belly button wasn’t even cut open during surgery. However, after about 2 weeks of being home from the hospital everything seemed to be going well so I didn’t worry too much about it since he said
Without examining you, it’s hard to make specific recommendations, but I can give you some advice on your situation in general.
Before making any decisions, I would advise waiting till the swelling has gone down. A full recovery after surgery could take up to six months.
After surgery, it is normal for patients to experience uneven swelling over their bodies. Several factors, such as the type and quantity of tissue removed and the location of incisions, can contribute to this (if any). Additionally, swelling can be different for each individual based on their age and general health.
If you are worried that there may be a fluid collection or seroma, it is best to have your surgeon have a look at it. Surgical intervention may be required to prevent further complications if there is evidence of infection or fluid collection.