Do you intend to have cosmetic procedures like liposuction? If so, have you looked into what you'll need following surgery?
At Elite Practitioner, we offer manual lymphatic drainage massages and other post-op recovery tips to give insight into why it's essential for your recovery.
What Is Liposuction?
If you are thinking about getting liposuction, you are at the right place. Did you know that liposuction is the cosmetic surgery therapy that ranks in second place for its popularity?
Liposuction is a surgical technique that, despite the fact that it is relatively risk-free and has the potential to assist in the effective removal of stubborn fat pockets from the body, nevertheless requires careful attention and management in order to ensure a complete recovery.
Therefore, when recovering from surgery, it might be helpful to have an idea of what to expect in order to make the process go more smoothly.
Even though liposuction does not need significant incisions, it is critical that you are aware of how to properly care for your body in the days and weeks following the procedure.
Taking care of the regions where incisions have been made is essential, considering an infection or scarring might compromise the outcome. Here's your guide on post-liposuction care.
Your Complete Post-Operative Care Kit for Liposuction
Make sure that you have all of the following items within easy reach before your operation:
- Clothing that is relaxed and comfortable.
- Towels of a darker color and waterproof mats to sit on in order to absorb any fluids that may leak.
- Proper bedding to prop your head and body for comfort
- Bottled water for increasing hydration
- Crackers made of soda for nausea
- Medications to treat pain or natural anti-inflammatories (arnica)
- Proper fitting compression garment
- Preplanned post-operative manual lymphatic massages
- Proper follow up with your surgeon or another qualified medical professional
The First Three Days and Three Nights
- It is common for red fluid or blood to leak into bedding and clothing within the first twenty-four to seventy-two hours after surgery. Before beginning the liposuction procedure, the region will have the fluid injected into it in order to ensure your safety during the procedure.
- The compression garment advised by your doctor should be worn at all times, with the exception of when taking a shower. Wearing proper fitting compression clothing can help minimize swelling and speed up the healing process. When you no longer need to wear the compression garment, your plastic surgeon will inform you.
- In order to avoid the formation of blood clots, you should move around every two hours. This will also assist in reducing edema by helping to maintain fluid movement throughout the body.
- Check with your plastic surgeon before taking a shower after surgery since some of them will let you do so 24 hours after the procedure, while others may want you to wear your first compression garments for two to three days before allowing you to take a shower.
- You don't need to scrub the region if you just run soap and water over it while you're in the shower. However, the regions in question need to be dried carefully with a fresh towel.
- You should wait two weeks after surgery before getting near water that is not flowing. This is to prevent infection. Stagnant water covers things like bathtubs, swimming pools, hot tubs, lakes, and seas, among other bodies of water.
Lymphatic Drainage Massage After Lipo
It would not be inaccurate to say that manual lymphatic drainage massage after liposuction is essential in operation aftercare. Therefore, this type of massage is performed after the procedure.
After liposuction surgery, it is not uncommon for the majority of patients to have increased stiffness and swelling in the treated areas. This is because liposuction has the ability to generate an excessive quantity of lymphatic fluids.
Therefore, plastic surgeons strongly advise their liposuction patients to have manual lymphatic massages.
Suppose the swelling and inflammation that occur after surgery are not addressed. In that case, these conditions can develop into fibrosis, a disease in which the tissue becomes permanently tougher, or a seroma, which causes a pocket of fluid to form up in the body.
What Exactly Is a Lymphatic Drainage Massage
A manual lymphatic drainage massage is a light, manual massage that is performed in such a way as to promote the movement of lymph fluids around the body. Your body's lymphatic system plays a role in the process of removing and reducing the number of toxins that are present.
Your immune system relies heavily on your lymphatic system to function properly. So if you want your body to be able to clear itself of toxins, it is critical to have a lymphatic system that is healthy and functioning properly.
To put it another way, the fluids that make up the lymph should be able to move and flow.
Because of the pressure exerted by your blood arteries and the activity caused by your muscles, the lymph fluids can flow freely through a healthy body.
However, suppose your lymphatic system is not functioning. In that case, the lymph fluids will not circulate, which will result in the buildup of lymph nodes, which means that your lymph nodes will have difficulty eliminating toxins from your body.
In addition, a few disorders might prevent lymph fluids from moving normally through the body.
Or, if you have undergone surgery that causes an excessive amount of lymph fluid to be produced, your body may not be able to naturally 'deal with it' the way that it would typically be able to do so.
In any event, it is essential to have a little assistance from a light lymphatic drainage massage if your lymphatic system does not function effectively on its own. This aid may be quite beneficial. It will speed up the movement of the lymph fluids already present in your body.
How Soon After the Procedure Can I Begin Lymphatic Massage?
Each patient is different, and so are the things that led to their condition. For example, some patients are instructed to begin their recovery as soon as three days following surgery.
In contrast, others are told to wait two weeks or even one month before beginning their physical therapy.
The timing of when you should begin lymphatic drainage massage sessions is something that your plastic surgeon is the best person to advise you on.
What Intervals Should I Schedule Lymphatic Massage?
It is recommended that lymphatic massages be performed on a consistent basis for a minimum of six sessions.
Again, the person who should give you advice on how frequently to receive a lymphatic drainage massage is your plastic surgeon. Patients, however, often receive it once per day or once every other day.
Are Lymphatic Massages Painful?
No, and the reason why this is not the case is that the massage that is being provided is not of the deep tissue variety. On the other hand, this treatment consists of a light physical massage that is performed with the intention of providing some relief from swelling and fluid retention.
During the course of treatment, the vast majority of patients doze off or find it incredibly relaxing. However, immediately post op is commonly felt due to the pressure near the surgical areas. Should you begin to feel pain that is excessive during your session, notify your MLD provider immediately. Discomfort is expected, extreme pain is not.
Is There Any Danger Involved When Receiving a Lymphatic Drainage Massage?
No, manual lymphatic drainage massage does not have any negative side effects as long as it is conducted by an experienced professional who is aware of what they are doing.
Going back to most people's original query of "do I need it?" The answer is no, but having it would be of great use to you if you had liposuction due to the benefits for your long term healing plan. However, it is not a must to have; having it would be highly advantageous for you.
Following liposuction, receiving a massage that focuses on lymphatic drainage is an excellent way to speed up the healing process. When we refer to it as "essential" for liposuction aftercare, we are not exaggerating in the slightest.
Concerns Regarding Your Cuts and Stitches
After liposuction surgery, you can remove the outer bandages from the incision site anywhere from 24 to 72 hours later, depending on your surgeon's preferences. Your incisions may be closed with stitches, or they may be left open after the procedure.
Keep the tape or steri-strips that are covering the incisions in place if you have them. Either the steri-strips should be left alone and allowed to come off on their own, or your surgeon will remove them at his/her medical facility.
Make sure you dress comfortably in loose-fitting clothing. Your incisions might get irritated if you wear clothing that is too tight, which would slow down the healing process.
When Should You Get in Touch with Your Healthcare Provider
Be on the lookout for indicators of infection, such as increasing redness, swelling, profuse drainage or pus, a putrid odor, discomfort, and warmth at the site of the incision.
A fever that is higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit might be an indication of an illness or something else entirely. Therefore, it is crucial that you get in touch with your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms.
What Occurs Typically
After surgery, it is common to experience some bruising and swelling. Bruising will progressively go away within two to six weeks. However, swelling has been known to last intermittently up until twelve months post operatively.
Therefore, you should observe an improvement immediately; however, some people will continue to experience swelling for a longer period, which will gradually go down.
As we mentioned before, engaging in lymphatic drainage massage can significantly help reduce swelling and bruising.
What's Next?
Our professionals at Elite Practitioner are here to assist you if you have any questions regarding post-surgery treatments or what aftercare you should consider employing after having liposuction, such as manual lymphatic drainage.
Don't hesitate to get in touch with us if you have any queries.
Check out what we have to offer and where you can find us now for more details on anything and everything related to cosmetic surgery.
