First Day Instructions
- Dr. Yates will reach out via the Symplast app. Send Dr. Yates photos and any questions
- MEDICATIONS – follow the medication instructions. Take the antibiotics until they are gone unless there is reason not to. Neurontin (Gabapentin) is helpful for nerve pain but not absolutely necessary if you find it is too sedating. Stool softeners should be taken if there are any concerns of constipation. Treat constipation aggressively, even with suppositories if you haven’t had a bowel movement within a couple of days of surgery. Avoid narcotic pain medications as able preferring either Ibuprofen or Celebrex and Tylenol. NO marijuana while on pain medications.
- ACTIVITY – Get up and walk but you will be slightly hunched over at the waist. Gentle flexing around 15 – 20 degrees is sufficient
- You will gradually stand more upright over the first TWO weeks
- EXERCISE – No exercise at all for 3 weeks. Low impact exercise such as walking and very light weight lifting is OK at THREE weeks.
- Full Exercise resumes at SIX weeks
- SLEEPING in a recliner is ideal, propped up with pillows under the head and knees is sufficient if a recliner is unavailable
- BLEEDING AND BRUISING – A small amount of incisional bleeding is normal
- Bruising and swelling are normal and will last for days to weeks
- DRAINS – If drains are used make sure you are stripping then and recording output. Drains typically stay in for about a week. They are ready to be removed with the drainage is less than 30 cc in a 24 hour period.
- GARMENT – Take the garment off to shower. BE VERY CAREFUL when removing the garment as we have found this is a common time for patient to faint. Get up slowly, with assistance and near a bed or a chair
- GARMENT – The first garment will be worn for THREE weeks. At that time most patients find it comfortable to wear something like Spanx, Flexees, or other stage 2 garments.
- FOAM – We will often place foam beneath the garment on the lower belly. This is an area that is prone to a greater degree of swelling and we have found foam helpful to limit this. When used, foam should be worn for the first week and can be removed to shower
- SHOWER – You may shower 1-2 days after surgery. Water directly over the incision and drains is fine
- SUTURES – All incisional sutures are internal and do not need to be removed
- TAPE or GLUE – The incision will be covered with incisional tape or adhesive glue. Leave this undisturbed. The tape will be removed at 3 weeks.
- LYMPHATIC MASSAGE – Lymphatic massage is helpful to control swelling and speed up recovery and is highly recommended. In some cases it may even contribute a better final outcome. This should be started within the first week and the first treatment can be as early as the day after surgery. We keep a list of local massage therapists if you need help finding one
- Your next visit is at three weeks. In-person or via app.
- AB Board – For patients who find they are seeing skin “creasing” when flexing at the waist an Ab Board (opens in new tab) placed above foam can reduce flexion
Massage
- Massage after liposuction can help decrease swelling. Whether this results in an improved final result is controversial and somewhat dependent on the specifics of the liposuction procedure
- Massage can begin as early as the first day after liposuction as tolerated
- The goals of massage are to help to drain swelling and fluid as well as promote healthy lymphatic drainage
- Massage is ideally performed under the direction of a licensed lymphatic massage therapist. This can be started immediately and a typical protocol would be 2-3 x per week for 2 – 4 weeks.
- For a number of reasons, such as convenience or availability, some patients prefer to do this massage themselves.
Professional Massage
- This can be started as soon as the day after surgery, preferably within the first week
- The technique of massage after liposuction is quite different than a deep muscle massage and best performed by someone with an understanding of lymphatic massage. Here are a few local lymphatic massage therapists and their contact information. If you know of a qualified lymphatic massage therapist we should add to the list in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, or Nevada please let us know. .
- Marty Tracy – Ogden, Utah. (801) 528-5066
- Maxine Kite – Layton, Utah. (801) 499-6344
- Sherri Williams – Salt Lake City, Utah. (801) 987-8786
- Ogden Massage for Pain Relief. (801) 503-0848
- Hillarie Christie (385) 202-6079. Home visits from Farmington to Lehi
- Paola Fongaro – Draper, Utah. pfmethod.com (opens in new tab)
Self-Directed Massage
- Massage can begin as early as the first day after liposuction as tolerated
- The goals of massage are to help to drain swelling and fluid as well as promote healthy lymphatic drainage
- To encourage drainage of the fluid press the palm of the hand on the treatment area and slide with gentle pressure towards the incisions. Lying on an absorptive pad is a good idea for this potentially messy situation.
- Possibly even more important than incision drainage is the promotion of healthy lymphatic drainage. Lymphatic drainage is different than incisional drainage. Lymphatics are the delicate tubes that drain swelling and fluid from the area back to the circulation. Lymphatics drain towards lymph nodes, these are mostly concentrated in the groin, axilla and neck.
- VERY HELPFUL – review lymphatic massage instructions. (opens in new tab) This 15-minute video is made by a licensed massage therapist and we’ve found it pretty helpful
- Step one – open up the lymphatic drainage pathways to the heart
- Step two – open up lymphatic pathways to the groin and axilla
- Step three – Move the fluid towards the lymph nodes
One Week Instructions
- There will typically be a peak of swelling by about one to three weeks after surgery
- Areas of swelling may benefit from additional massage or garment position adjustments
- If there seems to be more swelling than expected or there are any questions, please send Dr. Yates a message including photos through the app
Three-Week Instructions
- If your appointment is virtual, our staff will send you a message asking you to send Dr. Yates photos and any questions
- You are able to resume physical work and moderate exercise
- Full exercise at 6 weeks
- The liposuction areas are still a little swollen but improving
- You may change to second stage garments at approximately 3 – 6 weeks. These garments are to be comfortable and not “too” compressive, easy to wear, and just provide comfortable swelling support. Examples of good second stage garments are Spanx, Flexees, Marena, or M&D. All can be found online.
- The goal of the second stage garment is swelling control and comfort. These can be worn as long as you would like but most patients find little advantage after 6 – 8 weeks.
- If you feel you have been treated with exceptional care, leave a review!
- Schedule an online or in-person follow-up visit at 3 months.
Three-Month Instructions
- You have no limitations. Check-in with Dr. Yates with photos and any questions
One-Year
- You have no limitations. Check-in with Dr. Yates with photos and any questions
- Return to the office for postoperative photos
- Leave a kind review
- If interested, share a bikini or similar photo for us to share on social media. It is fun for patients to see.
General Recovery Tips
- Prepare your house for surgery: 1-2 weeks before surgery you should have your childcare, work arrangements, and caretaker lined up. Depending on the procedure you may have a few recovery items on hand. Start with an organized, clean house and full pantry. If you are making meals, simple prep. meals and disposable dinnerware.
- Prepare your body for surgery: The weeks before surgery are a good time to maximize a healthy diet and stay on top of exercise. Yoga and heart-healthy exercises are particularly valuable. For almost every procedure stopping smoking 6 weeks before surgery is valuable. For some it is critical. Avoid excessive alcohol and marijuana prior to surgery as well.
- Check your medications and supplements: Some medications such as aspirin, fish-oils and some supplements can contribute to bleeding and bruising after surgery. If you would like to take SinnEcch for bruising you would want to do so before surgery. The benefit is mild in Dr. Yates’s opinion but some patients swear by it.
- Stay away from illness: Avoid getting sick, wash your hands frequently and avoid contact will people who are ill.
