The duration of the procedure, generally thirty minutes to two hours, varies depending on the amount of fat and the number of areas to be treated. Liposuction is performed under general, loco-regional (spinal, epidural), or assisted local anesthesia (neuroleptanalgesia) depending on its extent.
2. Recovery after liposuction
The length of hospitalization varies depending on the amount of fat removed. The procedure can be performed on an outpatient basis for smaller liposuction procedures. For larger volumes or areas treated, an overnight hospital stay is necessary.
Recovery time following liposuction is proportional to the amount of fat removed and the number of areas treated.
Discomfort and pain following the procedure are generally moderate. This is more accurately described as "discomfort." A feeling of fatigue may be felt during the first few days. Some areas are more painful than others, such as the hips.
Bruising as well as edema usually appear in the treated areas. Moderate compression is applied to the treated areas (a girdle or compression garment) to improve comfort. It will remain in place for at least about two weeks.
Post-operative physiotherapy, involving lymphatic drainage and early massage starting on the 3rd or 4th day following the procedure, allows for faster recovery and greater comfort by draining edema and bruising before they even have time to set in. Any changes in skin sensitivity resolve within a few weeks.
Sports activity can be resumed three weeks after the procedure.
It is best not to expose the treated areas to sun for about three weeks, the time needed for all bruising to disappear and for 75-80% of the edema to resolve.
3. Results of liposuction
While the result of liposuction can be clearly visible at the end of the procedure, it will then be partially masked as post-operative edema sets in.
After three weeks, the result starts to reappear as the edema gradually resolves. However, the skin takes about 3 to 6 months to fully retract onto the new contours and adapt to the new silhouette.
The final result can be assessed within this 6-month period after the procedure, once the edema has completely disappeared and the skin has fully retracted. The results achieved are lasting, since the fat cells are permanently removed (they only multiply during growth in childhood). Any remaining fat cells can increase in volume in case of weight gain, but in that case, more harmoniously, since the "unsightly" fat cells have been removed.
In addition to liposuction, XBody muscle electro-stimulation sessions may be indicated to optimize and enhance the result of the procedure. XBody indeed develops muscle architecture and "dries out" the skin (reducing cellulite or orange peel skin).
Possible imperfections and risk of complications after liposuction
In some cases, localized imperfections may be observed: insufficient correction, residual asymmetry, surface irregularity.
These imperfections can generally be treated during an outpatient "touch-up" procedure from the sixth month onward. They are not so much due to the surgeon's work as to the unpredictability of healing and any weight variations following the procedure.
Early post-operative physiotherapy, involving massage, skin mobilization and lymphatic drainage, helps limit these risks. While complications following liposuction are rare, it should be considered a surgical procedure that carries the risks inherent to anesthesia and the medical act itself (see Risks in surgery).
Smoking increases the risk of surgical complications in any type of surgery: Stopping smoking 6-8 weeks before the procedure eliminates this additional risk. If you smoke, talk to your doctor, surgeon and anesthesiologist, or call a smoking cessation helpline to help reduce risks and give yourself the best chances. Infections are extremely rare and are prevented with prophylactic antibiotic treatment. In case of pain in a calf, phlebitis should be considered a possibility, requiring contact with the anesthesiologist or surgeon. A preventive anticoagulant is often prescribed for 10 days.
