The drains prevent fluid from accumulating between the skin and muscle and are typically removed about a week after surgery.
Tummy tuck recovery week 2 how to#
We’ll provide instructions about how to care for incisions and surgical drains. You’ll need someone to drive you home and remain with you during the first couple of nights after surgery. Tummy Tuck Recovery TimelineĮven though the time it takes each patient to heal is unique, some general recovery guidelines can help you anticipate what to expect during this process. After removing excess skin, I suture the incision. The procedure also includes repositioning the bellybutton in a way that looks natural. A tummy tuck is often combined with liposuction to remove pockets of fat. I begin the procedure by making a curved, horizontal incision low on the abdomen and then lift the skin and repair the underlying muscles. It removes excess skin and tightens abdominal muscles, creating a flatter stomach and restoring confidence.
Tummy tuck surgery is a popular plastic surgery procedure for men and women, especially those who have lost significant weight or have been pregnant. It provides a timeline describing what occurs through the first several months after surgery and explains the physical limitations you should anticipate on a week-by-week basis. That’s why I’ve created this recovery guide to supplement the detailed post-operative instructions we provide abdominoplasty patients. Many patients, especially those who are younger and healthier, underestimate the toll a tummy tuck takes on the body and the amount of time needed for recovery. Being prepared and knowing what to expect can make that process much easier. (212) 249-4020.When I consult with patients considering a tummy tuck at our Richmond, VA, plastic surgery practice, their excitement about transforming their bodies is tempered by reservations about the recovery process. I’m happy to discuss your body contouring and tummy tuck goals with you at my New York plastic surgery practice, and I invite you to request a consultation using our online form or by calling us at In some cases, we can also enhance your results by performing liposuction along with a tummy tuck or combining them with a breast enhancement procedure as part of a mommy makeover. If you are bothered by a belly bulge or loose, excess tummy skin, I hope that you’ll explore your options. A tummy tuck truly offers a beautiful transformation for the right patient. You can see some of my patients’ tummy tuck before and after pictures in our online photo gallery. Then, by 6 weeks or so, they start to get happy again … And by 3 months after their surgery, they are typically very happy with their results. It’s really uncanny how patients are happy at first, then complain about bloating in the lower belly at the 2- to 3-week mark. Interestingly, the skin wound from tummy tucks is almost never a source of discomfort.
On those occasions when I do hear a tummy tuck complain about pain, it is typically either the center of the tummy because of the muscle tightening, or in the groin area because of the way I close the wound. But the one thing I rarely hear during tummy tuck recovery is that a patient has “pain” or that the operation “hurts.”ĭon’t get me wrong, they certainly do use their pain medication, so I know that there is some level of discomfort, but this is not their primary concern.
They tell me that they are “exhausted.” They tell me that they feel “tight” and have difficulty finding a comfortable position sleeping at night. I even made a YouTube video to help patients understand the phases that a tummy tuck patient goes through when they are recovering from the operation.įew patients actually complain about the pain after a tummy tuck. This can take several weeks or months to completely resolve. Tummy Tuck Recovery Stagesĭuring the postoperative period, there is a lot of swelling – especially in the lower tummy. You can learn more about how we conceal tummy tuck surgery incisions in our related blog post. Also, he was concerned about how visible his surgical scars would be once his incision healed, so we were careful to place the incision where it would be hidden when he was shirtless. He returned to work 10 days after the procedure and was back in the gym by 6 weeks post-op. My patient pictured at right is a 32-year-old man who had a tummy tuck to eliminate loose skin after weight loss. For some folks it’s a matter of when they can get back to their regular daily routine for others, it’s when they will be out of discomfort of any sort and for some, it means getting back to the gym and performing at their peak exercise ability. That’s a little difficult for me to offer a generic answer to this concern because I don’t necessarily know what each person considers to be “recovered” after abdominoplasty.
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