Our liposuction recovery care instructions are designed to ensure your liposuction recovery is as smooth and uneventful as possible. You may resume your normal diet immediately. Drink adequate amounts of water, fruit juices or soft drinks (2-3L per day) to prevent dehydration.  This will also help to flush residual local anaesthetic from your body. 

– Avoid drinking caffeine-based drinks (including energy drinks) for 24 hours after the procedure 

– Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages for 72 hours after the procedure 

– Avoid taking sleeping tablets for the first 48 hours after the procedure 

When you arrive home you will be very tired.

Top Tips for a great liposuction recovery

The following is recommended: 

– Lay down and take a nap for an hour or so. You should protect your bed with a waterproof covering such as a mattress protector, and then covered with a towel or old blanket and then your sheet, at least for the first night. 

– Take a warm shower. This is necessary for two reasons:

– It feels good!

– It will allow the excess fluid to drain out of the incisions.

You should actually use your hands to try to force out as much fluids from the tiny holes as you can manage. You may take as many showers as you like. If you drain well in the shower the drainage should be over in about 24 hours. If you don’t drain well it may take several days. You should use the antiseptic solution for showering until all incision sites are no longer draining fluid. 

***PRIOR TO TAKING A SHOWER, YOU MUST ALWAYS LIE FLAT WHEN REMOVING THE LIPOSUCTION COMPRESSION GARMENTS. UPON REMOVING THE GARMENT – YOU WILL NOTICE THE DRESSINGS TO BE SOAKED WITH BLOOD-TINGED FLUIDS – THIS IS NORMAL. THE WOUNDS ARE DELIBERATELY KEPT OPEN TO ALLOW PROPER DRAINAGE OF THE NUMBING FLUIDS – HEALING IS ALSO MUCH FASTER WITH THE WOUNDS LEFT OPEN, AND WILL SEAL IN 48-96 hours. You must also sit up or stand up slowly to avoid a potential fainting episode. PLEASE NOTIFY A CARER WHEN YOU INTEND TO TAKE A SHOWER AND LEAVE THE BATHROOM DOOR UNLOCKED. ***

In the rare event of a potential fainting episode – this is to ensure immediate help is at hand. After showering, apply a small amount of the topical antibiotic cream provided to all incision sites before covering with the pad dressing secured with the supplied tape (the premier pad dressing should be applied with the blue line facing upwards). After a few days with no further drainage, you may apply the pore dressings directly to the incision sites. CONTINUE WEARING THE LIPOSUCTION RECOVERY COMPRESSION GARMENT. YOUR USUAL DAY CLOTHING CAN BE WORN OVER THIS. WEAR YOUR LIPOSUCTION RECOVERY COMPRESSION GARMENT 24 HOURS A DAY – this is crucial for the best liposuction recovery YOU MUST WEAR THE COMPRESSION GARMENT FOR 2 WEEKS CONTINUOUSLY DAY AND NIGHT AFTER THE PROCEDURE The longest that you can take it off is for 30 minutes at a time. So if it becomes soiled, just rinse the area, blot the excess water with a towel, and dry with a blow dryer. The effects of the local anaesthetic last for approximately 18 hours after the procedure. After this, you may begin to feel a little soreness at the treated areas. If you begin to experience more than a mild discomfort, it is recommended to take paracetamol +/- ibuprofen for a few days. You will have a formal follow-up appointment 4 weeks after the procedure. This can be performed over the telephone, via video link or in person. We will require standardised photographs to be sent to us electronically if you cannot attend in person. The follow-up liposuction recovery consultation will cover all aspects of your condition including the taking of photographs.