How To Get Rid Of Fluid After Liposuction

After liposuction, wearing a compression garment is one of the most effective ways to reduce swelling and accelerate healing.
Lymphatic drainage massages can also help reduce fluid build-up under the skin after liposuction and prevent severe swelling.
After the first 48 hours of getting liposuction, starting a regimen of moderate activity and eating an anti-inflammatory diet can also help reduce swelling and speed you along the road to recovery.
This article was medically reviewed by Eugene Elliott, MD, cosmetic and reconstructive surgeon at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA.
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Liposuction 's popularity is growing. According to the annual Plastic Surgery Statistics Report, 258,000 people in the USA opted for the surgery in 2018, up 5% from 2017.

While you'll ultimately have a more sculpted body, you may endure some swelling first. Different types of liposuction cause different levels of swelling. For example, laser liposuction causes minimal swelling compared to the most common form of liposuction, tumescent liposuction.

The swelling will appear one-to-two days post-surgery and will increase for up to two weeks. By using compression garments, massages, and monitoring diet, patients can minimize swelling and speed up recovery time. Here's how.

Use a compression garment

One of the best ways to reduce swelling after liposuction is to use tight-fitting underclothing called a compression garment says cosmetic surgeon Ryan Neinstein. "I recommend compression garments which go above and below the area of treatment. For instance, a girdle with shoulder straps and shorts would be used for abdomen and waist contouring procedure "

Swelling after liposuction surgery is often caused by inflammation and a build-up of lymphatic fluids. Compression garments work by placing pressure on the area of surgery, which forces the body to reabsorb lymphatic fluids so they don't build up under the skin and cause swelling.

Neinstein warns against using basic shapewear like Spanx: "Shapewear does not provide the same compression needed to help enhance healing after any procedure, especially liposuction."

Patients will wear their compression garment for four to six weeks, depending on swelling severity. A 2013 study found that compression garments reduced swelling, with only 1.7% of patients experiencing persistent swelling after the standard recovery time. Patients eventually were able to manage the persistent swelling by extended use of their compression garment.

Get a massage

For liposuction, lymphatic drainage massages have proven to significantly reduce swelling. "The lymphatic is the third system after arteries and veins, responsible for draining stale water and waste. A trained masseuse will be able to mobilize the excess fluid from swelling to enhance and speed up healing," says Neinstein.

Neinstein, as well as most plastic surgery websites, will advise you to get a massage from a licensed massage therapist. But these sessions can become expensive, so it's possible to do self-massage. However, if done incorrectly, it can actually cause more pain than relief.

You can ask your therapist to show you simple self-massage techniques. The University of Toronto's Health Network (UHN) also has a self-massage guide which includes advice like:

The focus is on the skin surface. It's not a deep-tissue massage, so ensure your touch is light.
Pull and stretch the skin, avoid rubbing it. This stimulates the lymphatic vessels under the skin.
Move slowly in the direction of the flow of the lymphatic system — e.g. wrist to shoulder, ankle to knee.
The UHN cautions against straining your shoulders, neck, arm, or hand while doing this. It also advises avoiding massage if you have an infection in the area that has swelling. For more information, visit the guide.

Go for a walk after a few days of rest

To keep swelling down, rest is vital post-surgery: "For the first three days, small vessels after surgery reconnect like two pipes coming back together," says Neinstein. "Physical activity needs to be reduced, otherwise swelling will be significant.

During the first 48 hours, patients should walk from room to room indoors, to prevent blood clots. "Blood clots are of concern after general anesthesia, where the blood has stopped and pooled during the procedure in the legs," says Neinstein.

After that, they can get back to regular activities like showering and longer walks. In fact, it's important to resume activity after the first two days of limited movement, to farther reduce the chance of blood clots.

Research has suggested exercise like walking can help reduce swelling because it stimulates the lymphatic system, which will prevent the build-up of lymphatic fluids. "After the first three days, we gradually increase activity and, using our custom movement program and proper nutrition, I expect patients at moderate exercise in two weeks and full throttle at three weeks," says Neinstein.

Your level of activity will depend on your fitness routine before surgery: current guidelines suggest adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week for overall health. Moderate exercise is anything that raises your heartbeat, like a brisk walk.

Watch your diet

It goes without saying that, if you're going to opt for liposuction surgery, watching your diet post-surgery is important to maximize the results. Neinstein says to avoid foods like salt and alcohol to reduce swelling after liposuction.

Increased levels of salt in the body cause it to retain more water, while alcohol, a dehydrating substance, also causes the body to retain more water, which causes swelling and puffiness. "I suggest patients stick to a plant-based anti-inflammatory diet," Neinstein tells Insider.

The anti-inflammatory diet includes mostly unprocessed, whole foods including fatty fish, Brussel sprouts, nuts, and berries. For more information check out our article about the anti-inflammatory diet.

How To Get Rid Of Fluid After Liposuction

Source: https://www.insider.com/how-to-reduce-swelling-after-liposuction#:~:text=After%20liposuction%2C%20wearing%20a%20compression,liposuction%20and%20prevent%20severe%20swelling.

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