How Long to Wear Compression Socks After Lipo

Are you thinking about getting liposuction on your legs? If so, in order to reap the benefits that this cosmetic surgery can provide, you need to make sure that you set yourself up for success. It goes without saying that selecting the right doctor is crucial, but just as important is adhering to the after treatment procedures and care that are outlined by your doctor.

Post-liposuction surgery, your cosmetic surgeon will provide you with a detailed list of instructions, and chances are that “compression socks” is going to be on that list. How long should you wear those compression socks for? Keep on reading to find out – and to learn why compression stockings are an important part of liposuction recovery, as well as some other handy tips.

How Long to Wear Compression Socks After Lipo?

Why Compression Socks After Liposuction?

Compression socks are specially designed therapeutic garments that are designed to apply pressure to the legs. This pressure helps to increase circulation, and hence why they are an important part of liposuction surgery recovery. The increased circulation that these garments provide help to aid in the recovery process, minimizing pain and promote faster healing, and allowing you to achieve the best results possible. In fact, it can be argued that the use of compression garments following liposuction surgery may be one of the most important things that you can do to enhance the new contours to your body that this procedure provides.

Failure to wear compression stockings after liposuction surgery can impede your recovery. Patients who do not wear these garments are prone to more severe swelling and bruising, loose skin, and a dimpled or wrinkled appearance; all things that you definitely don’t want to experience. In order to avoid these adverse side effects, you definitely want to make sure that you wear compression stockings during your liposuction recovery phase, and that you are wearing them properly, and for the appropriate amount of time.

Compression Socks Explained

Now that you know the importance of wearing compression stockings following liposuction surgery, you’re probably wondering what the heck they are.

Compression stockings are constructed of highly durable, yet very flexible synthetic materials, such as nylon or Lycra. They are constructed in such a way that allows them to stretch in a graduated, multi-directional way, while maintaining the application of the pressure they apply to the treatment area. Compression socks are available in a wide variety of sizes and styles to accommodate bodies of all shapes and sizes.

In fact, compression socks are so important post-liposuction surgery that your cosmetic surgeon will actually wrap the area that was treated with the garments. He or she may also order and send you home with several different sizes so that you can adjust the pressure that the stockings deliver while you are healing and as the swelling decreases.

How Compression Stockings Help with Liposuction Recovery

Compression stockings will not only make your liposuction surgery recovery more comfortable and tolerable; they will also help to minimize the swelling and bruising that occurs after this procedure. Increased comfort, reduced swelling, and less bruising means that you will be able to heal a lot faster. Furthermore, the pressure that these garments apply to the treated area will help your body adhere to the new contours that were created.

When used properly, wearing compression stockings post-lipo surgery can help to:

Minimize swelling. Following liposuction surgery, the body will automatically produce fluids in an effort to heal itself. Those fluids can accumulate and stagnate, which can lead to swelling that’s not only unsightly, but that’s also painful. Since compression stockings apply consistent, even pressure to the area that was treated, they can help to prevent the build-up of fluid and reduce the amount of swelling you’ll experience.
Reduced bruising. Lipo is a surgical procedure, and it does impose trauma to the blood vessels that reside just below the surface of the skin. As the blood rises to the surface of the skin, bruising occurs. Compression stockings help to minimize the severity of bruising, as they can help to prevent blood away from the surface of the skin.
Reduced scarring. While the incisions that are made during liposuction surgery are usually small and discrete, scars can develop. Compression stockings can help to reduce the appearance of scarring, as they apply even pressure on the incision site, which ensures the skin remains flat and smooth while it’s healing.
Minimizes pain. A lot of patients have reported that compression stockings help to reduce the amount of discomfort they feel following liposuction surgery. They make moving easier while you’re recovering, too.
Improved results. While the post-liposuction recovery phase – and wearing compression stockings – may not be very glamorous, these garments can help to improve the final outcome of the procedure. The support they provide prevents the skin from becoming wrinkled or lax. It also aids in skin retraction, which allows for a tighter and better looking contour.

How Long Should Compression Stockings be Worn Following Liposuction?

So, how long should compression socks be worn following a liposuction procedure? Right after the procedure is complete, your cosmetic surgeon will fit you with the appropriate garments and will wrap the treated area with said garments before sending you home. While the amount of time will vary from patient to patient, typically, wearing these garments around-the-clock (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) for the first 6 weeks following the procedure recommended. During this time, they should only be removed for bathing.

Following the first 3 weeks, your surgeon will assess the treatment area, checking the swelling, bruising, the incision site, and your overall recovery. Depending on the findings of this assessment, your doctor may recommend and fit you for a smaller compression stocking in order to accommodate the reduced swelling.

In total, compression stockings are usually worn for 6 weeks following liposuction surgery. The amount of time your doctor will advise you to wear your garment depends on the specific details of your procedure, such as the amount of fat that was removed, the size of the treatment area, and your recovery.