The popularity of cankle liposuction is growing thanks to its ability to create slim and beautifully toned legs. However, before you see the outcome of your surgery, you must wait for the swelling to go down. You will notice that your ankles and calves appear swollen almost immediately after your surgery. For the next two weeks or so, they will continue to swell. While this is normal, it’s only natural to want to reduce the swelling as quickly as possible. Therefore, here is our expert advice to help speed up the process.
Wear Your Compression Garment
Your surgeon will have given you a correctly sized compression garment for you to wear post-surgery. He or she will also have given you instructions about how and when to wear it. The instructions will also tell you how long you should wear the garment. It is very important to adhere to this advice. Lymphatic fluid build-up and inflammation typically cause swelling after liposuction. When you wear a compression garment, there is pressure placed on the treated site. This forces your body to absorb the lymphatic fluids, preventing them from building up beneath the skin. This, in turn, reduces swelling. You will need to wear your compression garment for around four to six weeks.
Have A Massage
Following a liposuction procedure, a lymphatic drainage massage can help reduce swelling. After the veins and arteries, the lymphatic system is responsible for reducing waste and stale water. A skilled masseuse can mobilize any excess fluid, enhancing and speeding up the healing process.
Exercise Gently
Immediately after your procedure, you need to rest. This will keep the swelling down. Yet, you still need to stay mobile to guard against blood clots. While strenuous workouts are out, you should take short walks to stimulate your lymphatic system. This prevents lymphatic fluids from building up. Over time, you should gradually increase the amount of activity you do. Your surgeon will advise you about your exercise levels. He or she will also let you know when you can return to the gym and more rigorous workouts.
Eat Healthily
Your surgeon will tell you that a healthy lifestyle is the best way to maintain the results of your procedure. Your diet is also the key to reducing swelling after your surgery. Avoiding alcohol and salty foods will help to minimize the swelling in your legs. When your body has an increased salt level, it retains more water. Meanwhile, alcohol dehydrates the body. This causes it to retain water, resulting in puffiness and swelling. The best diet is an anti-inflammatory plant-based one after your procedure. Try to eat unprocessed whole foods, including berries, nuts, vegetables, and oily fish. These healthy foods will keep your body in good condition and will limit swelling and water retention.
As experts in liposuction, we can offer you all the guidance and information you need. Contact the Artlipo team today to ask more about how to reduce swelling following your cankle liposuction procedure. We’re happy to give you our expert advice.
Dr. Thomas Su, is the owner and cosmetic surgeon of Artistic Lipo. He has led our full-time clinic specializing in awake-only liposuction since 2007. Dr. Su began his medical career in internal medicine, practicing that until 2005, when he began to provide a full spectrum of non-invasive cosmetic procedures.
