Can I Go On A Cruise Three Weeks After Liposuction?

Q: I am scheduled to have liposuction of  my abdomen, thighs and hips in two weeks. Three weeks later I am scheduled to leave on a ten day cruise in the Mediterranean. Do you think I will be Ok for this trip and fully recovered, my doctor says I should be just fine by then?

A: The simple answer is no and this would not be how I would schedule those two events. Liposuction takes much longer to fully recover from than almost all patients think. It is one thing to try and go back to work in a week or two because you have to and can’t get the time off work or extend it any longer. It is another to go on an elective trip that is prescheduled/prepaid, involves overseas travel, and is done for the purpose of pure enjoyment. While you no doubt can make the trip, you will not find it as enjoyable as you would like. Being swollen and sore is no way to go on a pleasure trip. While I fully understand the desire to look good and have a more sculpted body for the trip, you would be well served to postpone your surgery until afterwards. The minimum amount of time I recommend to my patients after major liposuction surgery is six week recovery before embarking on vacations, extended travel and cruises.  

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana