PostOpTrip

Liposuction in Istanbul · Day 1 of 7

Day 1 after liposuction in Istanbul

You are back at the hotel after a night in hospital. Rest, keep the garment on and let your companion handle everything. The picks below are for them.

Short answer

On day 1 after liposuction in Istanbul:

  • Not today Exercise · Showers, baths and pools
  • With care Compression garment · Walking · Fluid from the cuts · Flying home

For your companion today: Basilica Cistern, Topkapı Palace, Bosphorus sightseeing cruise.

Today's rules

With care

Compression garment

Wear the compression garment or bandages constantly for several weeks, taking them off only to shower. How long depends on the area treated, often 3 to 4 weeks or longer.

Source: NHS · Kaiser Permanente

With care

Walking

Rest today and take a few short walks around your room or hotel. Someone should stay with you for the first 24 hours after a general anaesthetic.

Source: Kaiser Permanente · NHS

Not today

Exercise

Nothing strenuous in the first couple of weeks. Sources differ on when it is fine: Kaiser Permanente says strenuous exercise may be fine in 2 to 3 weeks, while the NHS suggests gentle exercise at 3 to 4 weeks and avoiding strenuous activity for 10 to 12 weeks. Ask your surgeon.

Source: NHS · Kaiser Permanente

Not today

Showers, baths and pools

Showering is usually fine 24 to 48 hours after surgery if your surgeon agrees. No bath for the first 2 weeks. The sources cited here give no date for pools, the sea, hot tubs or the hammam, so ask your surgeon.

Source: Kaiser Permanente · NHS

With care

Fluid from the cuts

Fluid can drain from the small cuts for several days, bloody at first and then clear. Light gauze under the garment helps.

Source: Kaiser Permanente

With care

Flying home

The sources cited here give no fixed date. Stitches usually come out after about a week, so plan the flight after that check and with your surgeon's clearance.

Source: NHS · NHS

Confirm with your surgeon. These are general activity limits from published aftercare guidance. Your clinic's written instructions always come first, and they may be stricter or looser for your procedure.

Day 1: a rest day at your hotel

Today is for resting at the hotel and short walks as your surgeon advises. The picks below are for your companion, all within a short ride of the clinic district.

  • Basilica Cistern

    The cool, dim underground cistern with the Medusa heads. Walkways get packed at midday; go at opening time.

    Gentle walking, indoors, about 1 hour

    See times and prices

  • Topkapı Palace

    Courtyards, the Harem and the treasury. Three hours of walking with long open-air stretches between buildings.

    A few hours on foot with breaks, some open-air walking, about 3 hours

    See times and prices

  • Bosphorus sightseeing cruise

    Two hours on the water past palaces, mansions and both bridges. Pick a seat in the covered cabin or the shaded side of the deck.

    Seated, shaded or covered, about 2 hours

    See times and prices

  • Turkish hammam

    Steam, hot marble and a vigorous scrub. A must for your companion, a no for most patients.

    Gentle walking, indoors, about 1.5 hours

    Open in Maps

Nothing to skip today

Nothing on our Istanbul list breaks today's rules. Keep following the food and care rules above.

Where to eat today

  • Esnaf lokantası lunch. Tradesmen's canteens serve soups, stews, rice and vegetable dishes from steam trays. Point at what you want. Let soup cool if you have had dental work.
  • Mantı in Kadıköy or Beşiktaş. Tiny dumplings under garlic yogurt and chilli butter. Ask for the butter on the side if you need it mild.
  • Milk puddings at a muhallebici. Sütlaç, kazandibi and tavuk göğsü: soft, cool and very Istanbul.

Put every day of this guide in your calendar, with your dates

Questions people ask