Updated June 2026 · Reviewed by Salud Sharpstown’s fitting team · 20 years of post-surgical experience
Stage 1 worn 24/7 for weeks 0–3. Stage 2 for weeks 3–8 — where the result shows.
After liposuction or Lipo 360 you need Stage 1 compression worn 24/7 for weeks 0–3. Even, continuous pressure prevents seroma (fluid pockets) and helps the skin contract uniformly across every treated zone — for Lipo 360 that means full-torso coverage: abdomen, flanks and back.
From week 3–4 you move to Stage 2 — and this is the stage where lipo results actually show. Most women wear it 6–8 weeks. Some never stop.
7500 Bellaire Blvd, Sharpstown · open daily 11am · walk in, free · 20 minutes
Weeks 0–3 · Stage 1
Worn 24/7, off only to shower. Continuous pressure is what prevents seroma — this is the least negotiable window of the whole recovery.
Week 3–4 · The switch
Swelling drops, Stage 1 loosens, and your measurements change. Get re-measured before you buy Stage 2 — free at Salud.
Weeks 3–8 · Stage 2
Shaped to your new contour while the skin finishes settling. This is where the lines you paid for become visible.
General timelines from 20 years of fitting — your surgeon’s post-operative protocol always comes first.
Ask a Colombian fitter · answered by Salud’s fitting team, 20 years
Why does lipo compression have to be 24/7 at first?
Lipo leaves space where fat was removed. Without continuous pressure, fluid fills that space (seroma) and skin can heal unevenly. The first three weeks of round-the-clock wear are what those zones need to close clean and flat.
Is a Lipo 360 garment different from a regular lipo garment?
The coverage is. Lipo 360 treats the full circumference — abdomen, flanks, back — so the garment must compress all of it evenly. Spot lipo can use a more targeted cut. Same staging logic either way: Stage 1, then Stage 2.
When do lipo results actually show?
Not in week 1 — you’re mostly looking at swelling until week 3–4. The contour emerges through the Stage 2 weeks as skin settles, with most women seeing their result by weeks 6–12. The garment work you do early decides how clean that result is.
My faja rolls down or digs in — is that normal?
No — rolling and digging mean the size or cut is wrong, and creases can mark healing skin. That’s a fit problem, not a you problem. Salud fixes it in a free 20-minute re-fit.
Can’t I just use a faja size chart and order online?
A chart sizes a body that holds still — yours won’t. After surgery your measurements change week to week as the swelling drops, and Stage 1 and Stage 2 are different sizes. A size chart can’t see your swelling or your surgeon’s plan; a Colombian fitter can — free, in about 20 minutes. Only order online if you truly can’t come in: Formera ships in 2–3 days.