Thigh liposuction is one of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures. It helps patients successfully get rid of stubborn fat deposits from their thighs and the surrounding body parts. While the procedure is generally safe, it is still a surgical procedure, and one needs proper care and attention for a successful recovery after liposuction.
Here are some tips to help patients feel more comfortable as they recover and ensure faster healing.
Tips For Recovery After Liposuction
Generally, it is advised that patients set aside time to rest after the procedure and not put themselves in a position to rush through recovery. However, certain things can help with the natural healing process of the body. Consider the following tips after thigh liposuction to make recovery smoother.
1. Eat Well And Healthy
Surgery can be tough on the body, even for healthy patients. Therefore, one must get good nutrition to promote proper healing after liposuction. Patients should make healthy food choices and follow a proper diet plan to achieve the best, long-lasting results from the procedure.
For proper recovery, it is essential to get the right foods, vitamins, nutrients, and fluids. Also, it is recommended for those undergoing recovery to consume foods with anti-inflammatory benefits. It will help relieve any discomfort and pain that is common after surgery. Some healthy food options to help with recovery after liposuction include:
- Anchovies, Salmon, or other fatty fish
- All types of Berries
- Veggies such as kale or broccoli
- Walnuts
- Turmeric
- Green Tea
One should also increase their daily water intake after the procedure. Keeping the body hydrated plays a vital part in recovery. For a change, it is a good idea to infuse water with some fresh fruit.
All these foods provide the body with the nutrients it requires for rebuilding and recovery after surgery. So, they make an important part of one’s diet plan during recovery.
2. Use Compression Garment
For better comfort and healing, patients should use a compression garment following the procedure. It can be crucial for draining anesthetic fluid at a faster pace. It will also help reduce pain, bruising, and swelling while speeding up recovery at the same time. Typically, surgeons recommend the use of compression garments for 4-6 weeks after thigh liposuction. It also helps the skin to get accustomed to the new contour.
3. Take Care Of Surgical Sites
It is very important to take care of the surgical incisions during recovery after liposuction. The incisions are also potential sites for infections. The infections are considered a serious complication and should be avoided in the first place by taking the prescribed antibiotics regularly.
Furthermore, keeping the surgical sites cleaner would mean that the scars can heal better and will be less visible. Therefore, if there is any discharge from the surgical sites, especially during the first few days after the procedure, patients should clean it right away. It is recommended to follow all the instructions provided by the surgeon for cleaning, dressing, and protecting the wounds.
In case, if the incisions get warm, red, or swollen, or if they open, bleed, or drain excessively, one should contact their plastic surgeon right away.
4. Watch Out For Any Complications
It is important to avoid complications after liposuction. An infection is the riskiest of all, and it can lead to sepsis and clotting that could potentially turn into a pulmonary embolism. While complications rarely happen after liposuction, it is good to know what one should look out for so early intervention can happen timely.
Patients must call their surgeon if they notice the following symptoms:
- Pain that keeps getting worse
- Fever
- Extraordinary swelling
- Breath shortness
- Leg pain
- Chest pain
- Swelling or redness in legs
All these symptoms indicate an infection, pulmonary embolism, or a blood clot. Patients should seek immediate medical help if these symptoms present.
5. Follow Post-Operative Instructions For Avoiding Scars
While there is a minimal risk of scarring, it may not be possible to avoid scars completely. Generally, these scars are hard to find as they are hidden strategically along skin folds, but it is important that patients follow the post-operative wound care instructions from their surgeon to recover with minimal scars. Scar cream may also be recommended to improve post-surgical scar recovery in some cases.
6. Other Tips
There are other things that can help patients recover better after thigh liposuction. Here we have listed a few to help patients with faster recovery.
- Take plenty of rest and sleep well in the weeks following the procedure. It will help the body heal better.
- After the bandages are taken off, icing the liposuction sites will ease any discomfort.
- Lymphatic massage may be helpful in reducing swelling. However, this should only be considered at least 2 to 3 weeks after the procedure.
Things To Avoid After Thigh Liposuction
While doing certain things listed above promotes better recovery after liposuction, there are a few things that should be avoided too. Here are a few of them.
1. Don’t Smoke And Drink Alcohol After Thigh Liposuction
Like other medical procedures, it is recommended not to smoke and drink before and after thigh liposuction. Smoking reduces blood flow and increases the possibility of infection. To get the best results, one must stop smoking 4-6 weeks prior to the procedure. They should not start smoking again for at least 4 weeks after their liposuction treatment. It will help them heal better and at a faster rate, and avoid complications.
Alcohol, on the other hand, dries out the skin and makes it harder for the surgeon to stitch the incision sites back together. As a result, the liposuction procedure may leave a larger scar because of the reduced flexibility of the skin.
2. Don’t Soak In Still Water Or A Bath
While patients can have a shower a few days after the procedure, they must not soak in still water or a bath. Despite the fact that they have small incisions that close off quickly, there’s still a possibility of an infection. Letting the incisions fully heal before trying anything where the patients submerge themselves in water will ensure a quicker recovery. It will also make sure that minimal scars are left behind.
3. Don’t Indulge In Strenuous Activities
One should not indulge in strenuous workouts or activities during recovery after thigh liposuction. Even if the patients do not feel too much discomfort, they should avoid resuming such activities soon after the procedure. When patients get overly active soon after the treatment, they experience more discomfort and increased swelling. It is recommended that one should give their wounds enough time to heal. They should start with a light walk and gradually get back to the normal activity levels. Such light movement may actually be helpful in speeding up the healing response of the body. Starting slowly also means that the body doesn’t get strained in the process and heals properly.
With these care tips, recovery after liposuction will become easier, better, and a lot faster. Anyone who gets thigh liposuction should also follow the post-op instructions provided by their surgeon to ensure proper healing and avoid any complications.
About Dream Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery
Bespoke surgical for cosmetic or medical reasons is what Dream covers to bring out the beauty in every individual. Going beyond the aesthetics and working on physical anomalies are what we value the most in leading our patients to cherish self-improvement and confident lifestyles.
Derived from Associate Professor Vincent Yeow’s long-standing experience performing plastic surgery in Singapore, our treatment plans deliver physical remodelling in our patients’ favour. One of the notable remodellings is droopy eyelid correction. The ptosis surgery used for treatment eventually fixes drooping eyelids, improves vision and enhances appearance.
Most importantly, as a trustworthy plastic surgery and aesthetic clinic, we treasure positive and natural outcomes for each individual. We will ensure to deliver the beauty refinement of your dream without compromising your safety and privacy.
