Patients who opt out of lymphatic drainage massages may experience a significantly larger amount of swelling in the treated liposuction area(s). This post-surgical swelling will also take longer to dissipate without massage, causing delays in a patient's recovery timeline.
Without a drain, the fluid might gather up in a large pool and be painful. The pressure of the fluid inside might stop the wound healing properly. So the surgical drain allows extra fluid to drain off harmlessly.
Fluid may drain from the cuts (incisions) for several days. The fluid will be bloody at first, but will turn clear in a few days. The area will probably be bruised and swollen for at least 10 to 14 days. You will be able to return to your normal activities as soon as you feel comfortable.
What Are the Best Ways to Reduce Lipo Swelling? Doctors recommend several best practices to help keep swelling down after your liposuction procedure. These include wearing your compression garment, using ice packs in affected areas, staying hydrated, and in some cases, massages.
With open drainage and high compression the tumescent drainage usually ceases in 24 to 72 hours. After liposuction of an unusually large abdomen or thigh, drainage may persist for several days. Once all the drainage has ceased, external compression is no longer essential.
After such a procedure, there is a lot of excess swelling and fluid and the drains are very important to remove all of this excess fluid so that it does not accumulate under the skin.
The color of the fluid usually begins as cranberry (blood tinged) and as the days after surgery go by, the color becomes pink or yellow. The more active you are, the more fluid will be produced.
A seroma occur commonly after liposuction. It is not a serious complication. Without treatment, a seroma will usually resolve slowly over several weeks to many months. But we prefer to drain it to avoid risk of infection and also to help skin heal in the best possible way.
Another reason, Benatti said, may be because liposuction destroys the “architecture” of fat cells just below the skin. So fat regain may be redirected to still-intact visceral fat cells.
Without lymphatic massage, the inflammation can evolve into fibrosis (a permanent hardening of the tissue) or a seroma (pocket of blood) can form. Dr. Lee recommends lymphatic massage after liposuction to make sure patients get the best possible results.
Following the procedure and for the next 48 to 72 hours the fat cells will drain their contents, thereby shrinking the cells. The contents are picked up by the lymphatic system, processed through liver and excreted through sweat and urine.
Gentle massage using a cream or body butter can help reduce swelling, tightness, and discomfort after liposuction. Keep your hand soft so you can make as much skin-to-skin contact as possible with each massage stroke. Make your strokes as firm as is comfortable, but don't make yourself miserable!
After 2 Weeks: By now most of the swelling has typically subsided but you may still see irregularities. You may also begin to notice loose skin in the areas treated with liposuction. This is normal and your skin will continue to tighten over the next 2-3 months.
The drained fluid is collected into a dressing, bag, or container. You should see the drainage decrease after you go home, and you may see it change color. You should be shown how to empty the drain before you are discharged, and you should ask if you need to measure the drainage.
– Is drain removal painful? Patients may experience a pulling or pressure sensation, however there is generally no pain experienced during drain removal. Drain removal takes only a few seconds. The stitch securing the drain in place is first removed followed by gentle removal of the drainage tube.
Though you are probably anxious to see your final results immediately after getting liposuction, swelling can take several months to diminish. So don't feel discouraged if you still see signs of residual swelling months after your procedure — this is to be expected and should continue to improve over time.
Only small amounts of weight can be removed during liposuction due to risks from the procedure. Only fat under the skin can be removed by liposuction, not the internal fat that surrounds our organs and is more important in obesity-related medical problems.
Patients who have undergone liposuction can expect to experience some swelling and bruising during the first four weeks after their procedure. This bruising is a normal part of recovery and usually subside within 4-6 weeks.
The 3 classic symptoms of fat embolism syndrome—respiratory distress, cerebral dysfunction, and petechial rash—usually appear within 24–72 hours after liposuction in 85% of the affected patients [15], with a symptom-free interval of 12–30 hours after injury [16].
Most seromas are reabsorbed back into your body in about a month, but in some cases it can take up to a year. If the area becomes painful or the seroma doesn't improve, your doctor can drain the seroma.
A general recommendation is to have three to five massage treatments, but some patients may experience benefits from as few as one to two treatments. Your cosmetic surgeon can advise you as to whether lymphatic massage will benefit you following your liposuction or other surgical procedure.
Approximately 1 to 2 weeks following your procedure, the swelling will change to firmness that may persist for about 3 months following your procedure. This firmness indicates that the firmer areas are healing, and your new, slim physique is on its way.
Allow yourself sufficient time for healing properly before removing the drains-a premature drain removal could lead to infection, infection-related complications, and possibly other associated risks such as hematomas or seromas (fluid buildup).