Liposuction Compression Garments

Liposuction surgery is the surgery, which removes excessive fatty tissues from the body by means of a suction tube. It belongs to the category of plastic surgery. Plastic surgeons advise their patients to wear elastic compression garments after liposuction, to apply some pressure on the treated area.

There are various ways of applying pressure to the operated area, such as elastic bandaging, elastic tapes and wraps etc. However, compression garments are the most convenient and trusted ones. These are user-friendly garments, specially designed to provide maximum comfort to the patient. These garments are made up of fabrics like Lycra, Nylon, Spandex or Tactel. Usually they are crotchless, which helps the patient to urinate and defecate without removing the garment.

Liposuction Compression Garments
In liposuction, after the removal of the excessive fat from the body, skin becomes loose. These elastic compression garments are specially designed to minimize the recovery time and to increase the comfort level of the patient. They support the treated area, by holding the loose skin tightly against the body. The skin tightens without sagging. The garments accelerate the recovery by improving blood circulation, minimizing swelling, flushing the body out of potentially harmful fluids.

Compression garments allow the patient to return to daily routines sooner. During the recovery time, cumulated fluids from the body flow in backward direction. It stops the supply of fresh oxygen and nutrients to the damaged areas, which results in the slow recovery process and causes some cells to die in some rare and severe cases. Body fluids are forced back towards the deeper tissues by the compression garments, which minimizes the swelling.

The time period, for which the patient is advised to wear these garments depends upon the types of liposuction surgery and the aftercare methods used. Usually the patient has to wear these garments for first two weeks, at the stage one and 2 to 8 weeks at the stage two. For incisions, which are closed with stitches, the period is 2 to 6 weeks. Sometimes, stitches in the skin incisions cause swelling beneath the skin, bruising and tenderness for a longer period; and hence requires prolonged use of elastic compression garments. In case of open drainage, the patient is advised to wear them for 3 to 6 days on an average. Even if the drainage has stopped, the garment has to be kept on the body for extra 24 hours.

Types of Compression Garments
These garments are used to support various parts of the body.

• Full body garments contain garments for the mid and lower part of the body. They are designed in such a way that they cover the back and stomach up to the under breast area. Various garments for the back, wings, flanks, knees, hips, calves, thighs are available.
• Abdominal garments, which are also known as abdominal binders are usually worn after the abdominal liposuction. It is also called as tummy tuck or abdominoplasty.
• Facial compression garments are used after the neck lift and face lift surgery. They cover the area around face, chin and lower face. Some of them are also designed to support the neck area.
• Arm and shoulder garments are worn after brachioplasty that is liposuction of arms and shoulders. It includes liposuction of arms, axilla (armpits), forearms, biceps, shoulders and upper back. The garments are designed to support these body parts. Some of these garments also cover the chest.
• There are garments to support men's genital area after the liposuction. They are called as scrotum support garment. They help to minimize swelling that can spread and descend downward to the genital area due to gravity.

However excessive use of these garments can result in the malfunctioning of lymphatic capillaries, which absorb residual tumescent fluid and inflammatory exudate from the tissues of the treated area. Now a days variety of comfortable, well fitting and high quality garments are available.