Liposuction Swelling
Liposuction Swelling and What You Should Know About It
Out of all of the side effects for liposuction, swelling is perhaps the most disheartening. After going through a procedure to remove unsightly fat, the last thing anyone wants to see is swelling in the area or unattractive lumps. If you have or are planning to undergo liposuction, there are certain things you should know about liposuction swelling and how to reduce it quickly as well as certain factors that may make you more prone to it.
Why Does Liposuction Swelling Occur?
Swelling after liposuction occurs for various reasons. Liposuction, like any medical procedure, is essentially traumatic to the body. When your body undergoes trauma it reacts by releasing a water-based fluid from inflammatory cells. This swelling, or edema as it is also called, is simply a defensive mechanism.
In regards to liposuction specifically, the procedure is particularly traumatic to lymphatic tissues in your body. These tissues and tiny fluid removing vessels can be severely damaged during liposuction, and account for the long healing time. Liposuction swelling can take months to completely subside, although most of it will be gone within a month. There are certain things you can do to help speed along this process, however.
How to Help Reduce Swelling
After your procedure, your surgeon will most likely give you a healing timeline and some advice as to how to avoid additional swelling and discomfort as well. The following are common methods currently used to reduce the amount and length of swelling after you’ve undergone liposuction.
Depending on the type of liposuction you undergo, one of the most recommended methods for reducing and preventing swelling is diligent use of compression garments. Although they can be uncomfortable to wear, these garments help flatten out the empty tunnels left behind following the procedure by applying a good amount of external pressure. Compression pantyhose is commonly recommended for pregnant women whose legs are swelling as well. Just make sure you shop around for comfortable garments. If the garments are ill-fitting you won’t want to wear them.
Massage is another method that many surgeons recommend following liposuction. Massage, particularly lymphatic drainage massage, can help speed up the healing process by assisting in the drainage of lymphatic fluids that accumulates following the procedure. Although some surgeons recommend daily massage, this can be impossible for some people to fit into their schedule. Try to maintain a regimen of at least 3 times a week, and supplement with home massage after consulting with your surgeon. This should last only a few weeks.
Factors that Affect Swelling
There are some factors that will greatly affect the amount of swelling you will experience. Of them, location of the liposuction is one of the most significant. Liposuction in the lower portions of the body frequently results in greater swelling than in other areas. Additionally, if you have fibrous fatty tissues or are having liposuction repeated, swelling will be increased as well.
If you have an overly aggressive surgeon or undergo tumescent liposuction, you also have increased risk of swelling. Liposuction is a very common procedure in this day and age, and because of this, many surgeons unfortunately are getting lax in their standards of care. They’re used to the procedure and feel comfortable using more excessive pressure. This raises the swelling risk considerably in tumescent liposuction where fluid is injected into the fat tissue.
Some races also have a higher risk of swelling. People of Mediterranean or of African descent tend to experience a greater amount of swelling, and more frequently.
If you have any further questions about liposuction swelling, be sure to discuss them with your surgeon.