Most patients are back at desk work within a week of liposuction and through the worst of the swelling by six weeks — but the final contour takes about three months, and in larger volumes longer. Liposuction has a shorter recovery than skin excision surgery, not a trivial one.
Week by week
| When | What to expect | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1–3 | Aching and bruising, like a deep muscle injury; leakage from the small incisions on day one | Walk regularly; garment on continuously |
| Days 4–7 | Bruising at its worst; swelling building | Light activity; many return to desk work |
| Week 1 | First review with the nursing team | Driving once off strong pain relief |
| Weeks 2–4 | Areas feel firm and lumpy; this is normal and temporary | Gradual return to most activity |
| Week 6 | Second review; garment comes off; firmness softening | Full exercise for most patients |
| Month 3 | Contour close to final; swelling largely settled | Normal activity |
| 6 and 12 months | Final refinements; review at twelve months | — |
A compression garment is worn for six weeks, day and night. Dr Kumar reviews his surgical patients for twelve months after surgery.
The lumpy stage
Between about two and six weeks the treated areas often feel firm, uneven and lumpy under the skin. This is normal — it is the tissue healing and fluid resolving — and it settles. It is the stage at which patients most often worry that something has gone wrong. Massage, as directed by Dr Kumar’s nurses, helps it along.
Why the garment matters
Liposuction leaves a space where fat used to be. Compression holds the tissue against the underlying structures while it heals, controls swelling and influences how the contour settles. Wearing it inconsistently in the first six weeks is the most common self-inflicted cause of a disappointing contour.
Swelling is the long part
Bruising resolves in two to three weeks. Swelling is slower and uneven — it shifts through the day, is worse in the evening, and takes about three months to settle in most areas. Larger volumes, and the lower limbs, take longer. Judging your result at six weeks is judging it too early.
Getting ready
- Nicotine. Complete abstinence from all nicotine, not just smoking, for six weeks before and after surgery.
- A stable weight. Liposuction reduces the fat cells in an area; gaining weight afterwards changes the result.
- Time the garment. Six weeks of continuous wear is easier to plan for in cooler months.
- Arrange a lift home. You cannot drive after a general anaesthetic.
What is normal, and what is not
Normal: leakage from the incisions on the first day, bruising that tracks downwards with gravity, firmness and lumpiness for weeks, numbness in the treated area, and asymmetry in the early weeks as each side settles.
Worth a call: fever, redness spreading from an incision, calf pain or swelling, breathlessness, or pain that is getting worse rather than better. Dr Kumar’s nurses would rather see you early than late — 1300 267 726.
Common questions
When will I see the result? Roughly three months for most areas, longer for larger volumes and the legs.
Will the fat come back? Treated fat cells are removed, but remaining cells can enlarge with weight gain, and fat may then distribute differently.
Will my skin tighten? Only where elasticity is intact. Where it is not, this was probably the wrong operation — why liposuction alone will not fix loose skin.
Is lymphatic massage necessary? Dr Kumar’s nurses will tell you what is useful for your case rather than applying a blanket rule.
Can I fly? Not in the first two weeks, because of clot risk. Tell the team if you are travelling from Orange or further.
Next step
Bring a GP referral — it is required to see Dr Kumar. He consults at Westmead, Penrith and Orange. Call 1300 267 726. More about liposuction and costs.
The initial consultation with Dr Kumar is $400, with a Medicare rebate of approximately $88 where you have a GP referral. Surgical fees are quoted individually after your consultation, in a written itemised quote.
All surgery carries risks, and individual results will vary. Read more about the risks of surgery here. A GP referral is required to see Dr Kumar.
Dr Rohit Kumar (MED0001630444) Registered medical practitioner, specialist plastic surgeon (specialist registration in surgery – plastic surgery).
