After your Liposuction surgery, you will feel some discomfort. Your physician will prescribe pain medication to make you more comfortable or recommend over-the-counter medication. Your Liposuction surgery incisions will be covered with a large dressing that is worn for the first 24 hours. On the second day, this dressing is replaced with an elastic wrap. For larger areas treated, you will be asked to wear a compression garment for at least one week.
Many Liposuction patients experience bruising and swelling in the first 24 hours that may extent for a few days after their surgery. Drainage tubes to reduce swelling and excess blood may be in place, and these may remain for a few days following Liposuction surgery.
Generally, Liposuction surgery patients can resume hair washing 48 hours after Liposuction surgery. Exercise and other strenuous activities should be avoided for up to four to six weeks until the swelling is gone. Most Liposuction surgery patients can resume office work and other light activities within one to two days after Liposuction surgery.
Full healing might take up to three months, so be sure to schedule your Liposuction surgery well in advance of any major social events such as a high school reunion.

After the Liposuction surgery, the patient will need to wear a compression garment continuously for two to three weeks for larger areas and about one week for smaller areas. If ankles or calves were treated, compression hose will need to be worn for up to six weeks. The compression garments can be removed during bathing 24 hours after the Liposuction surgery. In some cases where large amounts of fat have been removed; a drainage tube under the skin in the area of the Liposuction surgery may be inserted to prevent fluid build-up.
Mild side effects after surgery can include a burning, prickling sensation on the treated areas after the Liposuction surgery and for up to one month. The patient should expect swelling of the tissues below the area treated for up to six to eight weeks after Liposuction surgery. Wearing the special elastic compression garments at all times will help reduce this swelling and help achieve the desired final results.
The incisions involved in a Liposuction surgery are tiny (they can be compared to a big mosquito bite), but in rare some, the Liposuction surgeon may close them with stitches. These will be removed typically a few days after Liposuction surgery. However, most Liposuction surgeons use no sutures. They rely on dressings to cover the incisions.
After the Liposuction surgery minor bleeding or seepage through the incision site(s) is common. Wearing the compression garment also helps reduce fluid loss after surgery. Blood clot formation after Liposuction surgery is exceedingly rare. The risk of blood clot formation is reduced by wearing the compression garment after the surgery, and with the resumption of normal mild activity soon after a Liposuction surgery. Excess fluid and blood accumulation generally comes from not wearing the compression garments. If necessary, this excess fluid can be drained off with a needle in the doctor's office.

Liposuction surgery is virtually painless and requires minimal or no downtime. However, for the first postoperative day, there may be some discomfort that will require light pain medication. Your surgeon will prescribe you oral pain management medications to take after liposuction surgery.
A Liposuction surgery does not require any hospital time. The patient may stand up after the surgery and walk. It is required that after the surgery the patient has arranged for transportation back home. It is also recommended that someone stays with you the first night. Soreness or aching may persist for several days. A person can usually return to normal activity within a week. Postoperative bruising after a Liposuction surgery will go away within 10 to 14 days. Your Liposuction surgeon may prescribe you with additional medication to help heal the bruising and swelling faster. Postoperative swelling begins to go down after a week. It may take three to six months for the final results to be reached.
Some patients lose sensation in the area that has been suctioned after surgery, but most feeling usually returns with time.