Very few people end up with complications or an undesirable outcome from liposuction. That's the good news; the bad news is that there is no guarantee that one of those very few people won't be you. Luckily, you really have the power to help ensure a successful procedure.

Here are some tips that will help you achieve liposuction success:

After Surgery

You want to recover quickly, have great results and get back to your daily life quickly right? So here are some things you need to do after surgery to help you get back to work and normal activities:

• Wear compression garments around treated area for up to 4 days
• Start walking immediately (most surgeons suggest walking the day after surgery and building up to two or three miles a day)
• Take antibiotics regularly
• Many surgeons suggest taking the herbal supplements Arnica or Bromelain (these help reduce swelling around the treated areas)

What the Experts Say

"When I was in my residency, we did a study and found that the best way to get fluid out of the veins was through muscular activity." Dr. Robert Jackson, President of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgeons.

"Some people don't wear their garments as fastidious as some, and we notice that the swelling goes down faster in those patients that wear their garments and are very diligent about following our instructions."  Dr. Anthony Griffin, diplomat of the American Academy of Plastic Surgeons and featured plastic surgeon on Extreme Makeover.

You also need to be aware of the warning signs of complications:

• If you begin to experience shortness of breath contact your doctor immediately (this could indicate a blood clot that has progressed into the lungs, fat embolism in the lungs, which is usually self-remedying, or may just be due to fatigue or over-taxing the body)
• Undue cramps or pain around treated areas should also trigger an immediate visit to your doctor (this could indicate many possibilities from blood clot to infection, though it may be something minor that can be easily treated)
• If your healing is not progressing rapidly after the second or third day, you may want to consult your physician as well
• If you are undergoing liposuction after massive weight loss, you should be even more conscious about possible complications (especially blood clots)

What the Experts Say

"We tell patients that 'in three or four days if you get short of breath we want to hear about it'." Dr. Griffin

"When they're sitting…that garment will tend to sort of roll up in the mid section so I make sure they are sitting straight so that garment doesn't crease or roll up or that no creases form in it, which can adversely affect the results; it could also slow down the healing process." Dr. Rodger Pielet, Clinical Associate at the University of Chicago.

Before Surgery: How to Prepare

If you really want to have a successful outcome it is important to realize that a good outcome is as much a result of good preparation as it is good after care.

Here is the suggested routine that Dr. Jackson offers to all of his patients prior to liposuction:

• Drink a lot of Gatorade the night before surgery (this will help prevent a fluid shift)
• Take 500 mg of Vitamin C two times a day
• Take a good multivitamin two times a day
• Stop taking any herbal supplements or medication that might interfere with the procedure or anesthesia (at least 2 weeks prior)
• Scrub rigorously with soap for ten minutes at a time, twice daily (this will help reduce the risk of infection)

Here are a few more things to keep in mind:

• Make sure that you have purchased all of your medication and necessary garments before hand and have in an accessible location so that you have everything you need to treat yourself
• Make sure you are at a stable weight
• If you are going to start taking Arnica you can start taking before hand (to decrease swelling)
• You may want to start antibiotics a few days before to help cut down on the risk of infection

What the Experts Say

"If you're in the process of losing weight you may have some nutritional issues, you may have some other issues. Also, if you decide to lose 50 pounds after this stuff you're going to have loose skin." Dr. Griffin

"I think one of the things that causes complications and problems afterwards is dehydration. Again, there's usually significant fluid shifts, so I encourage people to get themselves really well hydrated the night before." Dr. Pielet

Other Stuff to Keep in Mind

One of the biggest complaints that patients will have following surgery is the way they look: such as developing divots or areas that do not fit with the overall aesthetic. Because of this surgeons tend to proceed with caution. For this reason the touch-up or re-operation rate for liposuction is relatively high in comparison with other cosmetic procedures.

Of the doctors that spoke with us for this article, the re-operation or touch-up rate was reported as high as 15%. Both Dr. Pielet and Dr. Griffin are now using the Liposelection system by Vasar, and believe that this machine can help give patients a better result. Dr. Griffin credits his switch to this system with a 20-30% decrease in the amount of touch-ups he is doing.

In addition to this, all three doctors agreed that the aesthetic outcome of the procedure has a lot to do with the surgeon performing it. As Dr. Jackson puts it, "not all surgeons can visualize what the patient will look like afterwards." Dr. Griffin, who spends some of his spare time sculpting and painting, believes that his artistic skills carry over to the surgical arena and help him in offering better aesthetic outcomes.

What the Experts Say

"The biggest complication, which I consider a complication, are contour irregularities. I think that you're better off erring on the conservative side and going back and taking out a little bit more than over doing it." Dr. Pielet