Dr. Ary Krau’s liposuction patients typically want to recover from surgery as quickly as possible so they can enjoy their body contouring results. He is happy to share that there are a few things patients can do to speed up recovery, which he will outline in this post.
Watch Your Diet
You don’t want to restrict your caloric intake as your body is trying to heal, but try to be mindful of what you eat during recovery. Stick to unprocessed, natural foods that are full of vitamins and other nutrients. Minimize your salt intake to reduce water retention and control swelling. You might also find that eating smaller meals more frequently (as opposed to three large meals a day) helps prevent bloating.
Hydrate Appropriately
Drink an adequate amount of water during recovery; for most people, this is about five to six glasses a day. Don’t overdo it — you don’t need to drink gallons a day. Avoid fruit juice, Gatorade and energy drinks; these have sugar and sodium you don’t need. Stick to water and put a few slices of fruit in it to add natural flavor. Eating fruits and vegetables with high water content, like watermelon, strawberries and zucchini, is also very hydrating.
Start Walking When Ready
For the first day or two after surgery, you may be groggy, fatigued or feel generally “out of it.” This is very common. When you feel ready, start to take slow, short walks to aid circulation and promote a swift recovery. If Dr. Krau clears you to, you might want to do some slow, gentle stretching exercises. Hold off on more strenuous activity for a few weeks.
Give Your Body What It Needs
The most important way to enjoy a quick and safe recovery is to listen to your body and give it what it needs — whether that’s rest, activity, food or water. Don’t push yourself to resume your normal activities too soon; if your body needs more time to recover before going back to work, listen to it. If you don’t, you could jeopardize your liposuction results.
Have Questions about Liposuction Recovery?
If you have questions or concerns at any point during your liposuction recovery, Dr. Krau and our team are here for you. Give us a call or send us an email.