What Are the Best Foods to Eat After Liposuction?

Liposuction, a cosmetic surgical procedure that removes localized pockets of fat, has become increasingly popular among individuals seeking to enhance their body contours. While it is an effective tool for sculpting the body, liposuction alone is insufficient to maintain the desired results. A healthy and balanced liposuction diet that provides the body with the essential vitamins, minerals, and protein needed for healing and tissue regeneration plays a crucial role in the post-liposuction recovery process, supporting the healing of tissues and promoting long-term fat reduction and weight maintenance. Understanding the best foods after liposuction is essential for optimizing the procedure's effectiveness and achieving lasting results.

In this article, we mention the importance of a healthy diet after liposuction and provide useful tips on what to eat after liposuction and what to avoid after the surgery. We also explore the recommended foods to eat after lipo.

Read more: Liposuction Surgery Types: What is the Safest Lipo Method?

Foods to Eat After Liposuction

After liposuction, your three daily meals should be divided into five small meals spread throughout the day because your stomach cannot hold much food. Also, you must be more careful about what to eat after lipo and when to eat to prevent digestive problems. Read the following if you wonder about the best foods to eat after liposuction. 

Stay hydrated after liposuction. 

After lipo surgery, drinking at least six glasses of water daily is important to flush out toxins, prevent infection, improve digestion, reduce swelling, prevent scarring, and regulate blood flow. Also, water helps your skin to be more elastic; therefore, your skin will adapt to the new contour sooner and better.

Get enough protein to reduce swelling.

Lean protein in white meats, egg whites, beans, nuts, and whole grains can improve your natural healing process and reduce swelling. In addition to protein-based foods, you can have protein drinks to make your skin and muscle tissues regenerate faster. Remember that you need your doctor’s approval for protein drinks and supplements to your diet after liposuction. Protein-based foods to reduce swelling after liposuction can include lean meats, fish, Greek yogurt, legumes, and eggs.

Read more: What Should I Do To Reduce Post-lipo Swelling?

Do not forget fiber-containing foods. 

After liposuction, whether done under general or local anesthesia, you will experience mild to severe constipation. As straining during the bowel movement can rupture your stitches and cause pain, adding more fiber-rich foods to your diet after liposuction is important to regulate your bowel movements. Beans and legumes, leafy vegetables, and fresh fruits such as apples and bananas are rich in fiber and antioxidants; therefore, they can improve your digestive function and help your body to burn more fat. 

Take as many as vitamins. 

Add more vitamins C, A, E, B12, and K to your post-liposuction diet to have elastic skin, fewer scars, and a healthier body. Fruits such as oranges, apples, berries, kiwi, cantaloupe, and papaya are rich in vitamins C and A and must be eaten the first week after the operation.

Taking vitamins after liposuction is so important that some surgeons ask the patients to administer them intravenously or take daily supplements and other medications.

Take necessary mineral supplements.

As you can’t eat much food for weeks after liposuction, you should take dietary supplements of iron, magnesium, and zinc to compensate for nutritional deficiencies. Taking mineral supplements can also reduce inflammation, promote the immune system, increase collagen production, prevent the formation of blood clots in the arteries, and facilitate wound healing. 

What Foods to Avoid After Liposuction?

After liposuction, your body is more vulnerable, so you should avoid foods that irritate your digestive system and prolong your recovery. What not to eat after liposuction (for 4 to 6 weeks) as be as follows:

• Saturated and trans fats;
• Foods rich in sodium and sugar;
• Processed meats such as bacon and sausages;
• Sodas and bubble water;
• Fried and fast foods;
• Refined grains such as pasta and rice;
• Raw dairy products; 
• Caffeinated and alcoholic beverages for 14 days;
• Salad dressings;
• Allergen foods;
• Red meat and
• Spicy foods.

Read more: What Not to Do After Liposuction for a Better Result?

What to Eat after VASER Lipo?

Although the method of VASER lipo differs from traditional liposuction, their recovery and post-op diet are quite the same. Just like other liposuction techniques, you need to add lean protein (fish, chicken, turkey), whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, soy-based foods, food supplements, healthy fats, and legumes to your diet after liposuction, and avoid having saturated fats, processed foods, and too much red meat.

How Long Should I Stick to a Post-Liposuction Diet?

Most surgeons recommend following a post-liposuction diet for at least four weeks after the surgery because it takes almost four to eight weeks for the body to recover. Sticking to a healthy and balanced diet will preserve your new contour, and you will get used to a specific eating habit. When your body has recovered, and your digestive system returns to normal, you can resume your typical food schedule.

Why Have a Healthy Post-Liposuction Diet?

One of the main requirements for getting liposuction is having a stable BMI, which can only be achieved by having a balanced diet before the surgery. However, eating healthy should not be limited to pre-lipo; it must continue forever.

The major advantage of having a healthy post-liposuction diet is that liposuction results will last much longer, and you can enjoy your fit and slim body for years. Also, after liposuction, the blood fat level reduces, and the body’s metabolism increases; therefore, you should have a proper diet after the surgery to maintain good health. The other benefits of having a healthy diet after lipo include the following:

• Speeding up the wound healing process;
• Preventing nausea, vomiting, and constipation caused by anesthesia;
• Boosting the immune system;
• Increasing energy and strength, especially in the first days following the operation;
• Preventing infection and inflammation;
• Preventing the formation of blood clots by regulating the blood flow.

Read more: Liposuction Aftercare: Useful Tips for Lipo Recovery Period.

Bottom Line

Liposuction is becoming more popular every day in Iran. The most important reason people select Iran to perform liposuction is that Iran presents the most reasonable, well-qualified treatment procedures by well-experienced plastic surgeons.

Liposuction in Iran

To arrange a medical trip to Iran, you can trust our team at Raadina Health. We at Raadina Health understand your concerns and will be with you from when you arrive until you leave Iran. Please get in touch with us for a free consultation.

FAQs about Diet after Liposuction

1) What is the best diet after liposuction?

Each body reacts differently to liposuction, so there is no definite diet after liposuction. You can use the general tips in this article and ask your surgeon what to eat after liposuction and what foods you should eat and avoid after your operation.  

2) How long after liposuction can I eat?

You can have water, juice, or broth an hour after the surgery. You can start having solid foods if your stomach can tolerate these fluids without abdominal pain and vomiting. However, it is suggested not to have heavy and raw foods -such as raw fruits and vegetables- for the first 12 hours after liposuction.

3) How long should I follow a post-liposuction diet?

You must maintain a healthy diet for the rest of your life; otherwise, the results of lipo surgery will go away, and the local fats will return.

4) Can I have carbohydrates after liposuction?

Carbohydrates should be avoided for six weeks after the liposuction surgery. Also, you should change your lifestyle and reduce the intake of carbs for the rest of your life.

5) Can I eat bread after liposuction?

Patients are recommended to opt for whole-grain bread as it is healthier than refined white bread. Whole grain bread is rich in fiber, which aids in digestion and can help prevent constipation, which is common after surgery.

6) What foods can reduce swelling after liposuction?

Foods that can help reduce swelling after liposuction include pineapples, ginger, turmeric, leafy greens, berries, and foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna, and flaxseed. Staying hydrated is also important for reducing swelling after surgery.

7) Can I eat rice after liposuction?

Yes! Rice is a good source of carbohydrates that can provide energy for your body as it heals. However, it's important to choose whole grains like brown rice or quinoa over refined white rice, as whole grains offer more nutrients and fiber. Additionally, be mindful of portion sizes and avoid adding excessive fats or sauces to your rice dishes. 

8) Should I lose weight before liposuction?

Patients generally should reach a stable and healthy weight before undergoing liposuction. This is because liposuction is not a weight loss procedure but rather a body contouring procedure. It is more effective when used to target specific areas of stubborn fat resistant to diet and exercise. Additionally, being at a stable weight before the procedure can help ensure better and more consistent results.