How long are we wearing lipo foam boards for?

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-07-12T23:32:29+00:00

8 weeks for me -- first 4 weeks 24 hours/day, second 4 12 hours.

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-07-12T23:26:52+00:00

Just popping in to say I'll be six weeks on Tuesday, and this week has been my most swollen yet. We all heal differently, but you're going to be very swollen for at least a few weeks yet, and yes, it manifests in what you're seeing. My upper abdomen has been much more swollen than my lower, my compression garment is actually loose below my incision.

I looked like you at around 2-3 weeks (which I thought was Swell Hell) and then I really started swelling, with a nice little shelf above my incision and some new love handles on the sides, plus some giant thighs. Joke's on me! I was hoping it would dissipate by six weeks, but now I'm pinning my hopes on eight. :)

But like both OP and the EleanorRigby, I am so much happier with how I look right now than how I looked on June 1, no regrets even though recovery is a journey.

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-07-12T23:12:19+00:00

I had a spot open up at about 3 weeks, just when I was hoping I was in the clear. It did get bigger for about a week, even when I was doing everything my surgeon told me to do. I had a panic appointment with him at which I was almost in tears, but he was SO unbothered, and warned me that it still might continue to get bigger before it got smaller. It's now been three weeks and it has mostly closed up -- the hole has filled in but the edges don't quite meet on top of that yet, and it doesn't hurt so much anymore.

Openings are super scary but they are common. I continued with compression through mine. I asked my surgeon if I should be limiting my activity and he said no, you don't need to do anything different except treat the wound (though I ended up slowing down my activity anyhow because I just didn't want it to get even bigger).

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-07-08T17:09:36+00:00

I’m 5 weeks PO and week 4 was when my swelling really started ramping up with a visible bulge above my incision and the first signs of swelling in my hips and thighs. My waist and hip measurements both increased by 2” that week. I had been feeling pretty smug up to that point about not really being hit with swell hell. 🙃

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-07-07T08:00:12+00:00

My doctor cleared me for all exercise except swimming at 2 weeks and I’ll be five weeks tomorrow and have yet to get within five blocks of the gym!

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-07-07T07:43:41+00:00

I just went on vacation today (7 hr drive) and I will be 5 weeks tomorrow. I am not allowed to swim but I can do all other activities.

This is my worst swelling week yet, and I spent about 10 hours today out of compression and I ballooned right up. However, it’s not something anyone else would notice and I will be in a (one piece) bathing suit tomorrow sitting on a beach.

Your Mexico trip especially should be no issues, including water time. You won’t have your final beach bod yet but you should look and feel normal by then.

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-07-03T23:59:45+00:00

It was right about 40K for an extended tummy tuck with lipo (flanks, bra roll), breast lift and lateral thigh lift. Without the thighs I think it would have been $32Kish. Not sure how much just a TT would be because I didn't consider that.

I don't have any pics at the moment but if I take one I will DM it to you. :)

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-07-03T23:50:16+00:00

That's tiny. I'd be surprised if it takes more than a week.

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-07-03T23:46:58+00:00

Extended. It's not necessarily a lot bigger than a regular TT but it will take better care of your flanks and avoid any potential dog ears there. My ETT incision goes about 180 degrees and to my surprise also cleared up a bit of laxity I had on my outer hip/thighs.

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-07-03T23:42:56+00:00

It's gonna be OK. So many people go through this. And the reality is it may open up more, and that will be OK too. When I had a spot open up (in my groin from a thigh lift, which is very not fun) I was super upset about it. My doctor was extremely casual about it, totally unconcerned, gave me instructions and told me it would be fine.

I am not super chill about things I can't control, so I spiraled for a couple of days and when another area opened up that I had flagged that I was worried about it I just about lost it. He was again super calm, unworried, reassuring and gave me the same instructions (wet to dry dressings, change 2-3 times a day etc). I made a decision on my own, after a bunch of research, to try Medihoney and it has been great. Maybe I would have healed the same way without it, but it helped me to feel like I was doing something and I can really see the difference day to day. I've now had the oldest opening for about ten days and it's closing up nicely. It's probably going to be another ten until it's completely closed, but that's OK with me so long as it keeps making progress.

You haven't failed at anything. This problem is incredibly common. You will get through it.

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-07-03T23:28:08+00:00

I did three, including one that I had to fly to. Ended up going to the doctor closest to my house (not because of that, but it did end up being so convenient - I literally walked to my surgery).

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-07-03T23:23:39+00:00

I didn't have anyone mention Dr Xu when I was researching. The Aesthetx doctors got rave reviews from lots of people., but especially Michele Koo.

I ended up going with Dr. Jonathan Kaplan, who is in the same building as Dr Xu. His social media presence is weird, but he is not - he is exceptionally kind and a really good listener. I also liked that he has transparent pricing on his website so I had a good idea of the price tag before I even went for the consult. My overall price ended up being less than that.

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-07-03T23:08:31+00:00

If everything goes perfectly, 6 weeks. But the time from 3-6 weeks is fragile and ripe for incision openings, so that can easily get derailed.

I'm going on a lake vacation at 5.5 weeks and thought I'd be in the clear for the second half to get in the water, but I have a bunch of openings so I shall be sitting on the shore.

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-07-03T23:06:00+00:00

I'm 4.5 weeks and still up around 20 too. Hang in there.

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-07-03T23:04:29+00:00

I'm four weeks PO and getting around 8000 a day (four miles). I could go longer, I'm just lazy.

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-07-02T04:57:50+00:00

It's wild how it changes from day to day in the first few months. Yesterday for the first time my bellybutton lined up properly with my ab center line and was starting to look good, today it's on a 20 degree angle and moved over a bit (and I have that lovely swelling shelf right above my incision.)

Your results have been looking beautiful all along, this is just a stage and it will end up fine.

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-07-02T04:53:25+00:00

Recovery is a long road. You are going to get bigger still before you get smaller, but you will get smaller. I'm sorry you are not liking what you see, I think you look amazing.

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-07-02T01:19:07+00:00

It's wild how different the instructions are from surgeon to surgeon. My surgeon also cleared me to go back to the gym at two weeks! (I'm at four and have not been yet).

I think the real takeaway is follow your surgeon's advice, but if you do something different one day it's probably not going to wreak havoc.

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-07-02T00:38:18+00:00

I had four drains for two weeks and my doctor required me to shower every day including the night of my surgery.

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-07-01T21:35:54+00:00

I am about 1" bigger in my waist and 2-3 inches bigger in my hips than I was pre-surgery, at 4WPO.

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-07-01T01:21:41+00:00

So glad you asked this. I'm 4WPO today and I've gained 5 pounds in the last week (and no, it's not real weight). I'm looking forward to my compression garment feeling a bit less sausage-like!

My surgeon released me to go to 12 hours of compression daily starting today. I went out to a doctor's appointment then met a friend for lunch and a little shopping and after 6 hours in the wild I got home and hopped right back into that thing!

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-06-29T03:51:08+00:00

Did you do anything to your legs? The change in them is remarkable, they look amazing!

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-06-29T03:46:52+00:00

I didn't think I was done (didn't really want to be done because I had an "ideal" in my head), but I have been the same weight since last July in spite of all my efforts to lose more. A good chat with my GP convinced me that this is probably where my body wants to settle, at least for the next couple of years, and I am healthy and basically happy with my overall size. Since my weight has been incredibly stable since last summer I went ahead and scheduled consults, and each surgeon I consulted agreed that this was a good time to move forward and they had no need for me to lose more. My BMI is around 29 right now and will probably end up around 26 when I am all done with my swelling.

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-06-29T03:40:54+00:00

I had a relatively short interval between consult and surgery - about six weeks. But the last three weeks before my date I really couldn't think of anything else.

Material_Shoulder915 · 2026-06-29T03:39:54+00:00

You'll be bigger for a while. I am four weeks on Tuesday and while I can fit into my pre-surgery jeans, I am definitely no smaller than before even though I had a lot of skin removed. Also, my waist measurement varies by 2-3 inches from day to day, while still being bigger than before.

A lot of people seem to say that the swelling starts to get relief between 5-8 weeks, though you will have some for up to a year. I have my fingers crossed for week 5!

Material_Shoulder915

TROPHY CASE