Know What to Expect: Liposuction and Bruising By Stephen Hardy M.D. on September 19, 2016

Close-up of a woman’s midsection after liposuction, concealed partially by a towel Liposuction is rightfully known as one of the safest and most effective plastic surgery procedures for good reason. It is minimally invasive and it accurately targets isolated deposits of fat without disturbing surrounding healthy tissues. Millions of people have already benefited from this body contouring procedure, while each year hundreds of thousands of additional patients achieve the trimmer, more proportional figures they desire thanks to liposuction. You, too, may be among them if you are at or near your ideal body weight but are struggling to eliminate stubborn deposits of fat from your body.

Although liposuction is extremely safe, there are some side effects associated with the procedure, as there are with all surgical procedures, no matter how minimally invasive. Plastic surgeon Steven Hardy of North West Plastic Surgery Associates is careful to detail these side effects to patients before they commit to undergoing liposuction so that they can make conscientious, fully informed decisions about whether to proceed with treatment. For instance, he makes certain that they understand that there is a virtually inevitable relationship between liposuction and bruising during consultations at his Missoula, MT plastic surgery practice.

Do you want the honest facts about liposuction, including both the side effects and the many benefits of the procedure? If so, we encourage you to schedule your initial consultation with Dr. Hardy by contacting North West Plastic Surgery Associates today.

Bruising after Liposuction

Some bruising after liposuction is inevitable. This is due to the fact that the liposuction procedure causes temporary injury to the lymphatic capillaries that drain fluid away from damaged body tissues. Unfortunately, these injuries cannot be avoided, and the bruising that results from injuries to these capillaries will be especially apparent in the first week to two weeks after the surgery.

Contrary to what some may claim, however, extensive bruising can be avoided. When your liposuction is performed by a skilled, experienced plastic surgeon that uses the latest, most advanced techniques such as Dr. Hardy, complications resulting from tumescent solution remaining trapped under the skin after surgery and undue haste being used in the suctioning of fat cells are extremely rare. As a result, the bruising that can usually be attributed to such complications can generally be avoided, and any resulting bruising that does result is usually localized to the surgical sites rather than widespread.

The patient also bears some responsibility in avoiding extensive bruising. Dr. Hardy provides patients with detailed post-surgical instructions, which are to be followed to the absolute letter. Patients are supposed to wear their compression garments, do light walking, attend follow-up appointments, and care for their treated areas precisely as advised by Dr. Hardy. The failure to do so could interfere with their healing and increase the likelihood of extensive bruising and other complications, including increased swelling and even infection. On the other hand, patients who follow Dr. Hardy’s post-surgical instructions diligently are far more likely to experience comfortable, quick recoveries and achieve the best possible results.