Preparing for an injection lipolysis session

Injection lipolysis dissolves a localised fat deposit using a product injected into it. It is not a treatment for obesity, nor a substitute for weight loss: it addresses an area that resists while the weight itself is stable. A consultation that concludes otherwise is a useful consultation.

What to expect

A course usually comprises two to four sessions four to six weeks apart. Each session lasts around thirty minutes, under local anaesthetic or cooling depending on the area.

The aftermath is the real constraint: marked swelling and tenderness for three to seven days. The result is judged two to three months after the last session, not between two.

Preparing, 72 hours before

As with any injection: no aspirin, anti-inflammatories or omega-3 for three days, and no alcohol the night before. Drink normally and eat before coming.

Wear loose clothing, and schedule the session well away from any event: the swelling of the first days shows under fitted clothes. Your weight should have been stable for several weeks — otherwise it is the weight that is addressed first.

What to tell us

A current or planned pregnancy, breastfeeding, a clotting disorder or anticoagulant therapy, liver or kidney disease, a skin infection on the area, a hernia in the region to be treated.

Also mention any history of an eating disorder: it is not a contraindication in itself, but it is information the doctor needs in order to answer you honestly.

How the session goes

The area is marked standing — fat does not sit the same way lying down — then the product is placed in a regular grid, in small amounts. The number of points and the volumes are recorded: they set the next session.

Afterwards, and what to do

Expect distinct swelling, tenderness to the touch and sometimes bruising. Small nodules may be felt under the skin for a few weeks: they settle on their own.

No intense exercise for forty-eight hours, no hammam or sauna for a week. If a compression garment has been prescribed, wear it as instructed: it is what limits the swelling.

When to call us back

Call in case of pain that increases instead of easing, spreading warm redness, fever, a hard nodule persisting beyond a few weeks, or an area that stays numb.

None of the above replaces the prior consultation: it alone says whether this procedure is right for you, and on what terms.