Post Op Instructions

Postoperative Instructions For Lipo Patients

Congratulations! You have succeeded in doing something that you have wanted to do for many, many months. The following is a list of instructions that will help you know what to expect in the days following your procedure.

If possible have someone stay with you on the day of surgery. It is normal for patients to become light-headed when rising from a sitting or lying position. You may also become very light-headed when you remove your garments. Please have someone help you the first time, or lie on the floor when doing so.

You should expect a large volume of blood tinged anaesthetic solution to drain from the incision sites during the first 24-48 hours. This will vary from patient to patient. In general the more drainage there is, the less bruising and swelling there will be. You may have a few incisions drain for up to a week. Even though the fluid is red, it is only about 1% blood, with the remainder being local anaesthetic and tissue fluid. Maxi-pads are recommended for bandages over your incision sites. These should be changed twice daily to prevent infection.

The day following your surgery you may remove your garment to launder it. Have a very brief shower, change your bandages and put your garment back on wet. Dry the garment with the hair dryer. Do not put your garment in the tumble dryer or it will shrink.

You are not to have a bath or hot tub for 3 weeks after your procedure.

The surgical garment must be worn 24 hours a day, with the exception of it being removed for showering, for the first week and 12 hours a day for the second week. If your surgical garment was placed on you inside out, please continue to wear it inside out. This will assure no irritation from the seams. Dr Salmon may require some ladies to wear the garment longer.

If you have several areas done you may need help changing your maxi-pads. You could have several incisions per area treated. If the neck area was treated you must wear the compression garment 24 hours a day for the first 2 days, without removing it for any reason, and 12 hours a day for the following 2 days.

Postoperative medication will be given to you before your surgery. This will consist of Panadeine, which you can take for pain relief after your surgery, every four hours if required, and an antibiotic, either Flucloxacillin, Doxycycline or Ciproxin, which you will start the morning of your surgery. You must complete your course of antibiotics. If you cannot tolerate your antibiotics you must advise the surgery so that we may change it for you.

Do not gamble with your health following cosmetic surgery by not taking your antibiotics.

If you experience nausea or vomiting it is probably due to the medication. Try to take your medication with food, rather than on an empty stomach. If it persists, please contact the clinic.

Meals are not restricted. Drink plenty of clear fluids. We recommend 8 glasses of water a day, starting the day after your surgery.

When your incisions stop draining, apply a little Vaseline to the incisions. Cover it with a band-aid only if your garment is rubbing on an incision.