Liposuction in Medellín · Day 3 of 7
Day 3 after liposuction in Medellín
Bruising and swelling are normal. A short outing to somewhere calm near your hotel is fine if you feel up to it.
Short answer
On day 3 after liposuction in Medellín:
- Not today Exercise · Showers, baths and pools
- With care Compression garment · Walking · Fluid from the cuts · Flying home
Good options today: Museo de Antioquia and Plaza Botero, Exotic fruit tasting at the market, Metrocable ride over the hillsides.
Today's rules
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
Walking
Walk every day, a little more than the day before. Normal walking and general movement are fine.
Source: Kaiser Permanente · NHS
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
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
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
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.
4 things you can do today
Museo de Antioquia and Plaza Botero
Fernando Botero's paintings indoors, and his bronze sculptures on the busy square outside.
Gentle walking, some open-air walking, about 2 hours
Exotic fruit tasting at the market
A guided walk through a busy market, tasting fruits most visitors have never seen.
Gentle walking, shaded or covered, about 2.5 hours
Metrocable ride over the hillsides
A seated cable car ride from Acevedo station over the hillside neighbourhoods, with wide views of the valley.
Seated, shaded or covered, about 1.5 hours
Parque Explora and aquarium
An interactive science museum with a large freshwater aquarium. Indoors.
Gentle walking, indoors, about 2.5 hours
Also fine today: Medellín Botanical Garden · Pueblito Paisa on Cerro Nutibara · Colombian cacao and chocolate workshop · Cafés in Provenza, El Poblado · Museo Casa de la Memoria · El Tesoro or Santafé mall · Museum of Modern Art of Medellín (MAMM) · Colombian cooking class
2 things to skip today
Guatapé and El Peñol day trip
Why not: Too much walking and effort for this stage. About 2 hours each way is too long a ride for this stage.
Not during the 7 days this guide covers. Ask your surgeon when it is safe.
Hotel spa with steam and hot tub
Why not: It involves swimming or water contact. It means steam, hot water or sauna heat.
Not during the 7 days this guide covers. Ask your surgeon when it is safe.
Where to eat today
- Arepas. Corn cakes with cheese or butter, at every bakery and street stand.
- Bandeja paisa. The regional platter: beans, rice, ground beef, crackling, egg, arepa and plantain. Huge and heavy.
- Empanadas. Fried corn pastries with meat and potato, sold on every corner. Crunchy.
Put every day of this guide in your calendar, with your dates