Most patients can expect to take at least one week off of work after a tummy tuck or liposuction procedure. This includes time spent in the hospital and at home recovering. The amount of time required depends on your overall health, the extent of your surgery, and how quickly you heal. In some cases, patients need more than a week off work; however, they will be able to return sooner than someone who didn’t take enough time off from work after their procedure.
How long is recovery from tummy tuck and lipo? As with any surgery, recovery is the most important part of the process. While the results of your surgery will be permanent, the recovery period can be difficult and uncomfortable. It’s important to plan ahead so that you don’t have any unexpected difficulties during this time.
Read on to learn more on How Long Is Recovery From Tummy Tuck And Lipo, Recovery From Tummy Tuck With Muscle Repair and Tummy Tuck Recovery Time Off Work
How Long Is Recovery From Tummy Tuck And Lipo
Body contouring procedures are some of the most satisfying procedures to perform. As a plastic surgeon in the Richmond, VA area, I love helping patients feel comfortable and confident in their own skin. CoolSculpting®, tummy tuck, and liposuction procedures are popular because they are extremely effective. These treatments can slim and sculpt targeted areas and reduce stubborn pockets of fat, reshaping the body.
If you struggle with curves and bulges that won’t go away, a body contouring treatment may be right for you. Here are the different results and recovery times you can expect from these 3 body contouring procedures.
CoolSculpting
What it is: CoolSculpting is a nonsurgical body contouring treatment that reduces fat by freezing and destroying fat cells.
Results: It can create a modest fat reduction in areas such as the abdomen, flanks, and thighs. CoolSculpting may require multiple treatment sessions, especially if addressing more than one problem spot. Results gradually develop over the course of a few weeks as the body naturally sheds the frozen fat cells.
Recovery time: There is little to no recovery time required after CoolSculpting. Patients can return to their regular schedules immediately after treatment. Any temporary side effects, such as slight swelling or tenderness, are easily treated with over-the-counter medication.
Liposuction
What it is: Liposuction is a surgical procedure that uses a cannula to suction fat tissue out of the body.
Results: Because of the targeted nature of this procedure, it can create more dramatic contouring and fat reduction in multiple areas of the body. Typically only a single surgery is required to achieve strong results. Liposuction is also easily added to other body contouring surgeries to create a more dramatic effect.
Recovery time: Downtime after liposuction varies depending on the case. Usually, about 1 week is required for returning to work, and 4 to 6 weeks for returning to exercise.
Tummy Tuck
What it is: A tummy tuck is a surgical body contouring procedure that removes excess abdominal skin and tightens the underlying muscles.
Results: This surgery results in a flatter, firmer abdomen and a more defined waist. Tummy tuck surgery is a good choice for patients who struggle with excess lower belly tissue that won’t go away with diet or exercise. A single operation can noticeably transform both the profile and silhouette of your stomach, hips, and flanks.
Recovery time: Because a tummy tuck is a more extensive surgery, it requires around 1 to 3 weeks of recovery before patients can return to work. Vigorous exercise, such as running or weight lifting, should be postponed until 4 to 6 weeks after the procedure.
Choosing the right body contouring procedure isn’t always easy. Each of these treatments can sculpt the body and create flattering, satisfying results. By knowing more about each option ahead of time, you and your doctor can decide which choice is best for your personal aesthetic goals.
I have no idea of your overall health or how much belly fat you might have.
After surgery, you might anticipate experiencing some discomfort for a few days. For at least 4 weeks, you should take it easy and avoid vigorous exercise and heavy lifting. Even while you might not feel better right away following surgery, you should start to feel better quite shortly.
Swelling and bruising are common in the days following surgery, but they should subside after a week or so.
Occasionally, numbness at the incision site is to be expected, but this, too, should fade with time.
Recovery From Tummy Tuck With Muscle Repair
Recovery from a tummy tuck is a slow process and varies for each individual. Recovery time depends on the extent of surgery performed, your general health and compliance with your postoperative instructions.
It is important to understand that more than one week in bed is not necessary and can cause more harm than good. The length of your recovery will likely be determined by your tolerance for pain as well as the type of work that you do.
If you have any questions about your recovery please don’t hesitate to ask your board-certified plastic surgeon or call our office at (423) 726-8200.
The recovery from a tummy tuck is a long and tedious process, but it is well worth it in the end. Your body will be bruised, swollen and sore. You may experience pain in your back and legs from lying flat on your back for so long.
The first few days are the worst. After surgery, you’ll have drains in place to help with swelling. These drains will be removed after three to four days. The stitches used during surgery will dissolve on their own or be removed by your doctor when they come out on their own. It’s important that you don’t pull on these stitches because they can cause scarring if the pull them out too early or tear if they are pulled out too late.
Your incision will be painful and hard to move around immediately after surgery, but this should improve over time as your body heals itself from the trauma of surgery and stitches coming out of your skin. You will also have some bruising around your incision area that should disappear within two weeks as well as some swelling of your abdomen that usually subsides within six weeks after surgery
I would recommend that you follow the advice of your surgeon. It is best to allow the body to heal naturally, and avoid any strenuous activity for 6 weeks. In my practice, patients are able to return to work at about 8 weeks after surgery.
I hope this helps.
I am a week post op from a full tummy tuck with muscle repair and I can’t say enough about my experience with Dr. Stuart H. Bentkover. I had lost about 40 lbs but still had loose skin and sagging. My stomach muscles were no longer tight and the fat was just hanging there. Dr. B is an artist, he knows how to sculpt your body so that it looks natural and you look great in clothes or out of clothes! He really takes his time making sure everything is perfect and then will go back in if it needs to be adjusted. The surgery center was very nice and clean, their staff was wonderful! The first night after surgery is the worst pain because your stomach muscles are not tight yet so they are pulling on your stitches which hurts like crazy! I brought my own pain meds with me and took them every 4 hours around the clock while sleeping etc….I was able to get off pain meds after 3 days using Tylenol and Advil which helped tremendously! Recovery was easier than expected but still took weeks before I felt normal again…I’m now 8 weeks out from surgery and still have some swelling but it’s getting better everyday! I would highly recommend Dr. B
Tummy tucks are one of the most popular cosmetic procedures. But like all surgeries, they carry risks. The most common complication is a wound infection, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS).
Athlete’s foot is a skin infection caused by fungi. It can affect your feet and between your toes. Athlete’s foot affects about one in 10 people at some stage in their life and it’s more common in men than women.
The exact cause of athlete’s foot isn’t known
It’s not clear exactly what causes athlete’s foot but it may be due to:
wearing shoes that don’t allow your feet to breathe
sweaty feet or damp socks
walking barefoot in public places such as swimming pools or gyms
Tummy Tuck Recovery Time Off Work
The recovery period for a tummy tuck varies from person to person and depends on the size of your surgery, your overall health and the nature of your job.
A typical recovery time from a tummy tuck is about two weeks. You’ll need to take it easy during this time, although you may be able to return to work within a few days of the procedure.
The best way to determine when you can return to work after a tummy tuck is by following your doctor’s advice and taking it one day at a time.
If you have any questions about returning to work after surgery, talk with your doctor or another healthcare professional who can help guide you through the process
It is important to realize that there are many variables that can affect recovery. The most important factor is what you do during your recovery process. If you follow the instructions of your surgeon, you will experience a faster recovery process and return to work in less time.
The average full recovery from a tummy tuck procedure takes approximately six weeks. For example, if you have an incision that runs vertically down the center of the abdomen and around the belly button, this will take longer to heal than one that only goes around the belly button.
If you have any questions about what type of incision was made or would like more information on how long it will take to recover from your surgery, please contact our office.