Swelling of Liposuction - How Long Until It Goes Down?

I had Liposucction six weeks ago and one place looks lumpy and looks like if I have something in there that moves. I'm still numb and I now I have a lump. Will this go away? How long does it take for swelling to go away?

Answer:



Numbness, bumpiness and swelling are common and normal after liposuction. Time, regular exercise, and gentle massage generally resolves these issues. Most patients will see 80% of their result at 1 month after surgery but the final result will not be seen until after all swelling resolves and the tissues have had a chance to shrink. This is usually 4 to 6 months postop. after-care period is very important , particularily after lower extremity area liposuction.
The lymphatic tissues, or the tiny vessels that remove fluid from the tissues, are significantly damaged during liposuction. It is this reason that the swelling lasts so long. These tiny vessels need to reestablish themselves to remove this fluid. This can take up to 6 months.

There is still remodeling that takes place for months after surgery , so your true final result is really about 6 months after surgery.Your reference to "lumps" and "something that moves", though, is concerning. See your surgeon, as you may have a seroma (the "something that moves")--a fluid collection that needs to be drained. The description of a lump and something moving is unusual. significant lumpiness may mean that the fat was removed in an uneven fashion. if there is some asymmetry from the procedure, then the lumpiness may be from some areas not being treated adequately.This process could be very much depending on the location of liposuction. usually the lower extremity liposuction has the longest time for the resolution of swelling. and the patient neads wear compression garment and massag the area.
So the skin contraction and shrinkage takes approximately 6-9 months to occur, meaning you may not see your final result/outcome for 6 months to one year after your surgery. The compression garment is to be worn for the first 4-6 weeks to assist in the skin contraction . If you notice some hard or firm areas a few weeks after surgery, this is normal. You can gently massage the area with circular motions using a lotion to help expedite the softening process of the firm, calcified fat. Irregularities after liposuction usually flatten out, but occasionally these persistent irregularities are related to excessive removal of superficial fat, leaving a 'dent'. These can be troublesome, and some part of the body are susceptible to these contour irregularities (lateral thigh, inferior gluteal fold.

The use of ultrasonic liposuction is thought by some to have a more rapid resolution of swelling. The use of tumescent techniques may affect the amount of swelling in the tissues. These techniques involve injecting large amounts of dilute lidocaine into the fat prior to suction.In addition you need to remember, every patient has its own pace of healing and in some cases, the swelling can take up to six months to completely disappear
En Conclucion

There is some degree of swelling after liposuction. 75-80% of the swelling is resolved and absorbed within the first 4-6 weeks.
There will be an additional 20% of swelling that will take time to be resolved. Favorable contraction of tissues and skin take up to a year after surgery.However, you can accelerate your healing and improve your results by wearing tight fitting garments during the first 3 months after surgery
Or we can say there is three stage healing process.
The first stage takes 2-3 weeks. During the first 2-3 weeks the initial swelling is resolving and you can get a general sense for your new shape. The second stage takes 2-3 months and will show you the details of your new shape as the swelling subsides and your tissue softens. The final healing can take up to one year. It is not uncommon to have areas of numbness that take up to a year to resolve.