The compression garment is an important part of your recovery, and it should be worn for three to six weeks after surgery. The compression helps reduce swelling and support your body as it heals.
After you have had surgery, you will be given a compression garment that is designed to fit your body and needs. The garment is typically covered by your insurance. You will be shown how to properly put on and take off the garment so that you can do this at home without assistance from anyone else. It’s important to wear the compression garment for three to six weeks after surgery. During this time, you may want to use other methods of support such as elastic bandages or wraps if needed.
Read on to learn more ABOUT How Long Compression Garment After Tummy Tuck, How to Lower Your Chances for DVT After Surgery
How Long Compression Garment After Tummy Tuck
How wearing post-op compression garments can help Tummy Surgery results
Compression garments are garments that help recovery following most plastic surgical procedures. These garments are an essential part of after-surgery care following plastic surgical procedures such as tummy tuck – abdominoplasty, breast surgery, liposuction and different post-weight loss body surgeries, etc.
Why should I wear compression Garments following liposuction and Tummy Tuck?
As stated above, compression garments are an essential part of postoperative care and recovery. These garments help accelerate the healing process of your body following liposuction or tummy tuck surgery. In addition to accelerating recovery, it also reduces excessive skin sagging following liposuction and helps achieve better contour to your abdomen following a Tummy Tuck. Furthermore, it helps reduce postoperative pain, swelling, and bruising associated with these procedures.
What are the benefits of using a Body compression garment?
Helps reduce swelling.
- Postoperative swelling occurs when excess fluid builds up in the cavities of your abdomen following a Tummy tuck or any site where liposuction is done. This results in you gaining weight. Compression garments can help alleviate swelling by applying appropriate pressure to the affected area by redistributing fluids. The pressure exerted by these garments helps compress lumps and bumps that appear following Tummy Tucks.
Reduces postoperative bruising.
- The cannula used in liposuction disrupts blood vessels during the fat extraction process during its to and from motion. Compressive garments compress the blood vessels and prevent RBC breakdown and percolation. Thereby reducing bruising associated with the procedure. The chance of postoperative bruising is considerably higher in patients that do not use compressive garments.
Can help reduce postoperative pain.
- Pressure applied by the compression garment helps keep your tissues in place following the surgery. This helps protect the incision site and inner structures from injury and also reduces the chance of pain and inflammation in the body.
Helps reduce postoperative skin sagging.
- A side effect of fat removal through liposuction is the creation of loose skin at the sight of fat removal. By using compression garments you enhance your body’s healing. This is due to the fact that compression garments hold the skin to underlying tissues snugly following your surgery.
Helps reduce infection.
- Compression garments act as physical barriers preventing direct contact of infectious agents with the incision site. Thus reducing the chances of infection.
Maintains postoperative changes in the correct shape.
- The new contour to your abdomen following Tummy Tuck or liposuction results are kept in the correct shape after the surgery by the postoperative use of these garments. Compression garments maintain postoperative changes in contour.
Promotes circulations.
- Every surgery has a certain risk of clot formation and migration, including liposuction and tummy tucks. Migrated clots can obstruct pulmonary vessels and cause pulmonary embolism, which is a life-threatening complication. Compression garments promote proper circulation and reduce the formation of clots, thereby preventing clot-related complications.
Allows easy mobility
- Garments help keep the tissues in place while you move around during your recovery. Thus, allowing you easy mobility and comfort by reducing the chance of straining at the incision site.
Helps in breakdown of keloids
- Following liposuction and tummy tuck, excess scar tissues may be formed around your healed wound resulting in keloid formation. Compression garments help breakdown this scar tissue.
How to choose the best tummy tuck compression garment?
- A tummy tuck, also known as Abdominoplasty, is a surgical procedure wherein excess skin is removed from the stomach area. This leads to a smoother and tighter midsection.
- It is a large body contouring plastic surgical procedure, and it requires the use of postoperative compression garments for up to 2 months following surgery. As this is a considerable amount of time, it is important to choose high-quality compression garments. The quality of the garment determines the extent of your comfort during the process of recovery.
- Some features to consider before getting compression garments include;
- Correct fit. It is essential to facilitate proper healing and proper fluid drainage.
- The material of the garment should have Antibacterial properties that prevent bacterial growth on your abdominal skin. By controlling bacterial growth, you also decrease offensive odours.
- Compression garments having breathable materials provide you comfort by reducing sweating and maintaining proper aeration. Furthermore, reduced moisture prevents bacterial growth.
- It’s important the garment material is durable.
- Compression garments having zippers or hook-and-eye closures reduce friction. These help in the easy removal of the garment when you require showering.
- Also, an opening in the crotch area eliminates the need to remove the garment while using the bathroom.
Are there any other ways to reduce swelling in addition to compression garments?
- There are a few things you can do to reduce swelling and fluid collection that occurs after Tummy Tuck or Liposuction in addition to compression garments, which includes:
- Applying cold compresses at the swelling site. However, a cold compress should not be applied directly to the skin. Patients should wrap any cold compress (ice or gel pack) in cloth before applying to the site of the swelling.
- Elevating your incision site above the heart level helps in excess fluid drainage, thereby reducing swelling.
- Reducing the intake of salty foods: Na+ ions in salty foods have water-holding properties, resulting in excess fluid accumulating in the body and causing it to swell. So it would be best if you reduced the intake of high salt foods.
- Avoid the use of diuretics.
How tight should your compression garment be after surgery? And how do you know it’s the correct fit for you?
- Wearing compression garments that are too tight or too loose impairs healing and causes more harm than good.
- These garments should ideally provide adequate support to your abdomen’s healing areas following liposuction or Tummy Tuck without causing you discomfort.
- It should snugly fit the new contours of your body.
- A good way to determine if your garment is the correct size is to slide your hand inside the garment when you are wearing it. The garment is a good fit for you if you can do this without too much strain or ease.
- Wearing garments that are too tight risks damage to blood vessels and bleeding, so garments of adequate size need be chosen.
Timeline for wearing garments
Stage One
The use of stage one garments begins immediately following liposuction or Tummy tuck surgery. They help remove excess swelling due to fluid accumulation caused by body processes increasing circulation at the site of surgery. These garments allow easy drainage of fluids postoperatively. They have zippers, hooks and eyes, which help reduce friction while wearing and removing. Patients will need to wear stage one garments for 1 – 2 weeks or more, depending upon the surgery’s nature. Stage one garments also have an open crotch; this eliminates the need to remove the garment while using the bathroom. Patients that are in stage one garments should wear them 24/7. The only reasons to remove stage garments during this time is for bathing and garment cleaning.
Stage Two
The use of stage two garments occurs during the second stage of wound healing post-surgery. And are worn from the second postoperative week onwards (Usually 2-8 weeks). You will move on to stage two garments once your fluid retention starts to decrease. Unlike stage one garments, stage two garments do not have zippers, eyes or crotch openings. These garments provide similar compression as stage one garments and are ideal for day to day use. You can comfortably wear Stage two garments under clothing. However, they do not need to be worn 24/7.
How to Lower Your Chances for DVT After Surgery
While you’re recovering at the hospital, it’s important to keep your blood moving to lower your chances for blood clots. The DVT prevention plan your doctor makes for you might include:
Blood thinner medicines. These are also called anticoagulants. They make it harder for your blood cells to stick together and form clots. You take them by mouth, shot, or through an IV.
Doctors don’t prescribe blood thinners after all surgeries, because they can cause excessive bleeding. Your doctor will decide if they’re right for you. You can ask them to explain the benefits and risks.
Simple movements. These can improve blood flow. Depending on the type of surgery you had, your care team might suggest gentle exercises like:
- Leg lifts while you’re in bed
- Moving your feet in a circle or up and down about 10 times an hour while you’re sitting in a chair or lying in bed
- Squeezing your calf and thigh muscles regularly
If you got your hip or knee replaced, your doctor might have you start working with a physical therapist the day after surgery.
You might need to take pain medicine so you can exercise comfortably.
If you can’t exercise after major surgery, ask your doctor if someone on your care team should massage your lower legs and move your legs through range-of-motion exercises.
Getting mobile. A nurse will help you get out of bed to move around as soon as possible after surgery. It’s good for your blood flow.
Elastic compression stockings. Your doctor may recommend these to help keep your blood flowing and to stop it from pooling in your veins, which could cause clots to form. Compression stockings fit snugly and may feel uncomfortable at first, but you may get used to them after you wear them a few times.
Compression device. This type of gadget applies pressure to your legs to get blood moving and prevent clots. They have names like “sequential compression device” or “intermittent pneumatic compression” device.
Your care team wraps plastic sleeves around your legs, and a connected pump inflates and deflates them. Take the sleeves off before you walk somewhere (like to the bathroom) so you don’t trip and fall. Your care team can help you remove them if you need a hand.
How to Help Prevent DVT Once You’re Home
Follow these tips after you leave the hospital and start recovering at home:
If your doctor gave you blood-thinning medication (anticoagulants), keep taking it exactly as prescribed. Ask the doctor or a pharmacist if you should avoid certain foods or drinks while you’re on the medicine. Also ask what to do if you accidentally skip a dose.
If your doctor wants you to use compression stockings, make sure they tell you often and how long to wear them. Check your legs and feet for redness or sores each time you take the stockings off. Call the doctor right away if you notice changes in your skin.
If the doctor wants you to use a compression device at home, follow their instructions on how to do so exactly. They’ll tell you how long and how often to use it. Remember to take the device’s sleeves off before you walk around.
Follow your doctor’s instructions on getting active again. Your doctor may keep certain activities off-limits at first. But in general, move as much as you can to keep your blood flowing.
If your care team had you doing gentle movement exercises in bed or in a chair at the hospital, keep doing these at home. You could also ask a loved one to help you move your arms and legs while you’re in bed or if you need to use a wheelchair.