What Not to Do After Liposuction
Thinking about having a lipo procedure? There are several things you should avoid doing immediately after liposuction and in the long term after the procedure. Immediately after your procedure, you should avoid drinking alcohol, smoking, and exercising. In the long term, you should avoid living an unhealthy lifestyle. If you gain weight, you could require another surgery to restore your initial result. Here are some things you shouldn’t do after you have a lipo procedure.
Don't Drive Home Yourself
The first thing you should avoid is driving yourself home immediately after your procedure. Even though your surgeon carries out your surgery under local anesthetic, you are in no state to operate a vehicle. You need to arrange for a friend or relative to take you home. It's also wise to have someone at home to help you out for a couple of days after your procedure. They can do the heavy lifting for you and take care of you if you are sore and bruised.
Should I Avoid Exercise After Liposuction?
The answer to this question is both yes and no. You should avoid strenuous workouts immediately after your procedure. You definitely shouldn't go to the gym a couple of days after surgery. However, that doesn't mean you should lie in bed and do nothing either.
It's important to rest for a couple of days immediately after liposuction. It gives your body a chance to recuperate and recover after the trauma of surgery. After that point, though, you should start to do gentle exercise. You need to get up and move about. Make sure to walk around inside your home. Blood clots are a risk if you remain entirely stationary. After a few days, you can start taking gentle walks outdoors. Your surgeon will be able to tell you when you can begin to return to your regular workout regime.
Don't Get Dehydrated
Dehydration is a significant problem after surgery. You must drink plenty of fluids as this will flush out your system. You'll lose fluid from your incisions over the first couple of days. You need to replace this fluid with water. Also, drinking lots of water helps reduce excessive swelling after your procedure.
Avoid Blood Thinning Medication
If you take any blood-thinning medication just after your surgery, you could experience dangerous bleeding. Avoid Ibuprofen-containing medicines. If you need pain relief, your surgeon can prescribe you something safe. Alternatively, use an over-the-counter option like Tylenol.
Never Forget to Put Your Compression Garment On
Your surgeon will give you a compression garment to wear after your procedure. You must follow their instructions carefully with regard to wearing it properly. You'll need to wear it 24 hours a day at first. You should only remove it for showering. Your surgeon will inform you about when you can reduce the length of time you wear it for. Even if it is uncomfortable, you must keep it on. It will reduce fluid build-up and swelling after surgery. It'll also promote faster recovery and produce better results.
Don't Have a Bath or Go Swimming
You may like the idea of soaking in a warm bath after surgery, but you must avoid this at first. Your surgeon will give you information about when it's safe to bathe again. After a couple of days, you'll be able to take a shower, but baths are still off limits, because you could increase the chances of developing an infection. For this reason, you must avoid using a hot tub or going swimming too.
Don't Smoke, Vape, Or Drink Alcohol
Alcohol dehydrates the body, and this causes more fluid retention. You want to avoid this immediately after surgery since fluid build-up is already common at this time. Alcohol consumption also slows down the recovery process. You should avoid smoking and vaping as well. Nicotine restricts the blood vessels slowing your recovery and potentially causes problems.
Avoid Eating Unhealthy Foods
It can be tempting to snack when you're recuperating after your surgery, but be careful what you eat. You should avoid salty foods especially. Salt causes fluid retention, which will make your post-operative swelling much worse. In addition, salt dehydrates your body, which is bad for your skin elasticity. You should also avoid eating excess fatty and sugary foods. Remember that it's crucial to maintain a healthy body weight after liposuction. If you do not do this, then you may gain weight. Although the fat may not return to the treated area as the surgeon permanently removes the fat cells, it could return elsewhere. You could end up needing more surgery to restore your initial result.
Dr. Su at ArtLipo is a specialist in the field of liposuction. He can give you all the advice you need about your surgery. He will provide you clear outlines about what to do and what to avoid after your surgery. If you contact the team at ArtLipo now, you can learn more about what to avoid after liposuction.