The Importance of a Strong Lipo 360 Recovery
How you recover from your lipo 360 procedure matters. A robust recovery process is crucial for achieving the best possible results. The more you aid yourself in your recovery, the better your results will look and the longer they will last. A healthy recovery process also minimizes your risk of infection and other complications.
It’s vital that you follow all of your post-op instructions carefully and have patience as you recover. It’s easy to get antsy and try to rush the recovery process, but slow and steady definitely wins this race.
How Long is the Recovery Process for Lipo 360?
It can take about six months to make a full and complete recovery from lipo 360, but you won’t be out of commission for all that time. It takes that long for all of the swelling and bruising to subside completely so you can see your final results and feel completely like your old self again. At month six, you’re focus will shift from recovering to maintaining your results.
When You Get Home From Lipo 360 Surgery
Whether you opt to be placed under general anesthesia or have your lipo 360 while awake, the surgery is an outpatient procedure. This means you will go home the same day that you have your surgery. You will, however, need to have someone else drive you.
How Will You Be Feeling?
You should expect to feel quite tired after your lipo 360 procedure, especially if you’ve had general anesthesia. You will likely spend most of the day napping and may remain groggy for a few days after your surgery. Local anesthesia also takes time to wear off, so you may be a little numb for a few hours.
Expect to feel some mild pain and discomfort when moving around as well. Lipo 360 focuses on the core of your body, so it may seem as if every movement is uncomfortable. You will feel considerably better, however, if you take your prescription pain medication as instructed.
It’s important to be aware that you will have some bruising and swelling postoperatively. This is normal and expected. The swelling does mean that what you see when you look at your midsection won’t be the final result of your procedure. You may not be as trim and toned as you were expecting, but this is not cause for alarm. Your new shape will take form over time as the swelling subsides.
RELATED: How to Sleep After Lipo 360 Surgery
Compression Garments
We will place you in a compression garment before you go home after your lipo 360 surgery. We know patients don’t always love wearing them, but compression garments are critical to proper healing and can help you get the best results possible from your surgery in several ways.
For one, these garments help reduce swelling by preventing the accumulation of fluid in the treated areas. They apply consistent pressure, which helps to drain these fluids and improve blood circulation, which facilitates faster removal of waste products and reduces inflammation. Reducing swelling and bruising also reduces pain and discomfort.
Compression garments also provide support to the skin and underlying tissues, helping them adhere properly to their new contours. This support is crucial in the early stages of healing when the tissues are still settling. By stabilizing the treated areas, these garments minimize movement that could disrupt the healing process or cause discomfort. They also help protect against wrinkling or sagging of the skin.
Failing to wear your compression garment increases the risk of swelling and bruising, which in turn increases the risk of hematomas and seromas. This can slow the recovery process, make it more painful, and increase your risk of infection. Moving around without your compression garment can also allow your skin to fold, wrinkle, or sag, negatively impacting the overall body contour achieved during your surgery.
Most patients need to wear their compression garment for about eight weeks after surgery. This is really not long when you think about the fact that you can enjoy your lipo 360 results for years after your recovery.
What Can I Eat After Lipo 360?
It’s best to avoid alcohol, caffeine, and very sugary or salty foods after lipo 360 surgery. Instead, focus on giving your body the nutrients it needs to heal. Hydration is very important for the first few days after surgery, so make sure you’re drinking plenty of water. Drinking plenty of water will help flush out anesthesia from your system. Consider electrolyte drinks to replenish lost minerals and maintain hydration.
Some people find that anesthesia makes them a bit nauseous, so you may need to take it slow when you get home. Light, easy-to-digest foods like broth, soup, toast, and crackers might be best if you’re not feeling well.
Once you’re feeling better, opt for protein-rich foods like chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, and beans. Berries, oranges, apples, and other foods high in antioxidants are also good choices, as are leafy greens like spinach that are high in vitamins A, C, and K. Reach for whole grains and healthy fats as well, and don’t forget to eat plenty of dairy for protein and calcium.
There aren’t any specific foods you absolutely can’t have after your lipo 360, but remember that maintaining your results long-term requires you to maintain a steady weight.
When Can I Walk Around After Lipo 360?
Walking after lipo 360 and other surgical procedures is important to help stimulate your circulation and avoid blood clots. You will be encouraged to get up and walk the day of your surgery, although you will need to do so slowly and carefully. Take short walks around your home every few hours.
For the first week, keep taking short but frequent walks to keep things moving. You can slowly increase the length of your walks over the next few weeks as you feel comfortable. If you experience any pain or discomfort, reduce the intensity and duration of your walks.
After the First Week
You will still have some bruising and swelling a week after surgery, but your pain should now be minimal and treatable with over-the-counter analgesics. You may still feel an occasional twinge when you move, and your midsection may still be sensitive to touch. At this point your incision sites should be healing well, but they may still be red or pink and slightly raised.
You can continue with light walking but avoid any lifting and other vigorous exercise or activities that could strain the treated areas. You will likely have a follow-up appointment with your surgeon this week or coming up very soon. Make sure you keep it so they can check your progress and make sure that you’re healing is on track.
After the First Month
A month after your surgery you should notice a significant decrease in bruising and swelling. You may still have some mild discoloration from the bruising, but things should be looking much better. Your pain should be mostly gone, but you may still want an aspirin or ibuprofen at the end of a long day where you were a bit more active. Your incision sites should be healed although they may still be pink and a bit raised. If you wish you can start applying scar minimizing treatments now.
With your surgeon’s approval, you can now return to most of your normal daily routine. Light exercises like cardio and mild stretching are now allowed, as well. Heavy lifting and intense, high-impact exercises are still forbidden. Patience is crucial at this stage. It’s easy to get impatient and push too hard now that you’re feeling better, but your body still needs a little time to get things back to normal.
After the Third Month
You should now feel like yourself again. You may still have some swelling, but your bruising should be gone and you shouldn’t be feeling any pain. Numbness around your incision sites is possible, but this may resolve as your nerves continue to heal. Any incisions are now well-healed, and the scars slowly starting to fade. Barring instructions to the contrary from your surgeon, you can now engage in all of your normal activities and exercises without restrictions.
Best Practices for Long-Lasting Results
A year after your lipo 360 procedure your surgical journey is complete. The swelling should now be gone and the results that you see in the mirror are final. You will be able to find your scars because you know where they are, but they will be fading and significantly less noticeable at this point.
Moving forward, maintaining your results is the name of the game. The more diligent you are the longer you can enjoy the results of your lipo 360. Here’s how:
- Maintain a steady body weight through a healthy diet and exercise regimen.
- Engage in regular physical activity, including both cardio and strength training exercises, to maintain a healthy weight and tone your muscles. Toning the muscles in your abdomen and lower back will help you maintain the shapely appearance of your lipo 360.
- Keep your skin hydrated by drinking lots of water and using a good moisturizer to maintain elasticity. This will prevent your skin from sagging. Avoiding smoking is also critical to skin health.