What is a Stage 1 Faja?
The Stage 1 faja is the faja you will be wearing immediately when you wake up from your procedure, and it is part of the BBL package you can purchase before or during your pre-op appointment. It is low compression, meaning it will fit loosely on your body, not tight. It is NOT meant to fit like shapewear or a waist trainer. In addition to your Stage 1 faja, the BBL package comes with lipo foams and an abdominal board. Lipo foams are rectangular pieces of foam inserted between your garment and the areas where fat was suctioned. The lipo foams give a uniform smooth compression over the suctioned area. An abdominal board is a board that helps smooth out and flatten the tummy area after surgery and goes between your garment and your abdominal area.

When Will I be Sized for my Stage 1 Faja?
Before you have your new faja in your hands, you must be sized to determine the right fit for your unique body type. This will happen during your pre-op appointment, which usually falls on the day before your surgery except on Mondays. A trained pre-op specialist will measure your body, keeping in mind how it will transform after your procedure is done. Fajas come in size “small” (S) to “4 extra-large” (4 XL). Keep in mind that you will likely not be fit to the size you expect. Fajas tend to run very small, and we rarely have a patient that leaves in a size “small.”

Wait – the Faja I Woke up in After Surgery is a Different Size than my Pre-Op Faja!
Sometimes, the faja you wake up in will be a size larger or a size smaller than the size you were fitted for – and this is perfectly OK! We cannot predict exactly how your body will change during your procedure. The pre-op fitting is done to give us a rough estimate of what size you will receive after surgery. After your procedure has been performed, the surgeon will assess your body to determine what the best size for your new proportions is. Perhaps you had a BBL and your new booty is too large to fit the size you were originally fitted for. The surgeon will use his best judgement to determine what will work best for you.

Why Does my Stage 1 Faja Feel Loose?
The Stage 1 faja has LOW compression and is meant to be loose – not tight. It is not meant to fit like shapewear or a waist trainer. The purpose of the Stage 1 faja is to allow your body to have adequate circulation for proper healing and draining. Remember, during liposuction, fluid is inserted into the body to allow for fat removal. There needs to be adequate space between your body and the faja to allow this fluid to drain and for your delicate skin to heal. You may even notice that your stage 1 faja feels snug at first but begins to feel looser throughout the first few weeks of healing. This is a good sign! It means your body is draining fluids and doing the work it needs to.

Some patients also notice their fajas fit well in one area, say, their waist, but are larger around their arms or legs. This is because the fajas are not designed to each person’s unique height and body proportions. The faja’s purpose is to work on the areas of your body affected by surgery. A Stage 1 faja that fits slightly loose will not affect the success of your surgery results at all.

Can I Wear Undergarments Underneath my Stage 1 Faja?
You must refrain from wearing any undergarments beneath your Stage 1 faja. After liposuction, your skin is very sensitive and thin. Any added fabric could create ripples are marks in your skin as it is healing.

How Often Should I Wash my Stage 1 Faja, Lipo Foams and Abdominal Board?
It is VERY important to keep your Stage 1 faja clean to prevent any infections. After your first pre-op appointment, when you are given the OK from your surgeon to shower, you should wash your faja. Going forward, you should try to wash your faja every other day to keep them clean and free of any body fluids. PLEASE NOTE: when removing the garment for the first time, please be careful to proceed slowly as the skin is loose and you may feel dizzy as the compression is released.

Like your Stage 1 faja, lipo foams should be washed regularly – every day or every other day – to prevent infection. Some patients choose to buy multiple sets of lipo foams so that they have a spare while other sets are washing. They are economical, so buying a few sets shouldn’t hurt your budget!

Your abdominal board cannot be thrown in the wash, but if it gets dirty, you can spot clean it with a product like peroxide.

How Long Should I Wear my Stage 1 Faja?
Your Stage 1 fajas should be worn for three weeks after your procedure. It is important that you try and wear your Stage 1 faja all the time. You may remove it to shower and to wash it but should put it on right after. Some patients choose to purchase two Stage 1 fajas so that they can wear their spare when the other one is washing and drying.

Sleeping in your Stage 1 faja is also important. If you can tolerate it, you should sleep in your lipo foams as well. However, you must remove your abdominal board at night.