If you have had a full abdominoplasty, recovery time is typically 3 to 6 months. This procedure involves making an incision from hipbone down through the pubic area and removing excess skin and fat from your lower abdomen and waistline. You may also need liposuction on your hips or thighs during this procedure. A full abdominoplasty can result in permanent scarring along with other complications such as infection or blood clots if not properly treated by a qualified surgeon.
Recovery time for a tummy tuck depends on the type of procedure you have done and the extent of the surgery. If you have had a mini-abdominoplasty, recovery time is typically 2 to 4 weeks. This procedure involves making three incisions in your abdomen to remove excess skin and fat. You may need to wear a compression garment for up to 6 weeks after surgery.
Read on to learn more on How Long Is The Recovery Time For A Tummy Tuck, How Long Does It Take to Recover After a Tummy Tuck? and Is Tummy Tuck Recovery Painful?
How Long Is The Recovery Time For A Tummy Tuck
A tummy tuck or abdominoplasty yields the most amazing results that other belly fat removal options cannot match. However, as a surgical procedure it requires a longer recovery period than less-invasive cosmetic surgery. Whether or not a tummy tuck is for you may come down to how you fit the time it takes to recover from it into your lifestyle. By carefully planning for your tummy tuck recovery ahead of time, you can ensure that it doesn’t disrupt your lifestyle too much.
This article explains which factors play a role in your recovery after a tummy tuck and what the first few weeks after the procedure will look like.
The recovery time for a tummy tuck is approximately two to three weeks. The length of the recovery period depends on the extent of your surgery. The more extensive your tummy tuck, the longer it will take you to recover.
You may experience some discomfort during your recovery period. Medications can help control this discomfort and ease any pain you may feel. You may also want to use cold compresses on your incisions as they heal, which can help prevent swelling and bruising.
The most common side effects associated with a tummy tuck include:
Bleeding or bruising around your incisions
Swelling (edema) in the area where the incision was made
Pain from tightness or pulling of scar tissue
The recovery process for a tummy tuck can last anywhere from four to six weeks. During that time, you’ll need to take it easy and refrain from doing any strenuous activities.
The first thing you should know about your recovery is that it’s going to be painful. The tissue in your abdomen has been stitched together and you’re going to feel it as you start moving around again. That’s why it’s important to stay off your feet as much as possible during this time.
It’s also important not to lift anything heavy (over 15 pounds) or push yourself too hard during the first week of recovery. The goal here is to give your body enough time to heal without causing any additional damage or pain.
There will be some swelling and bruising around your incisions during this period, but this should go away after three days or so. The stitches themselves will dissolve on their own, but there will be some scarring on either side of each incision point — a result of how deep we go when making those cuts in order to remove excess skin from your midsection (as well as other areas).
The recovery period for a tummy tuck can be anywhere from 1 to 3 weeks. During this time, you will need to take it easy. You will be able to go back to work in about two weeks, but you should avoid strenuous activities such as heavy lifting or playing sports for at least the first week after surgery.
You may experience swelling and bruising in the first few weeks after surgery. This is normal, but if it persists more than a few weeks or becomes severe, contact your doctor immediately.
The incision site will likely be sore and tender for several weeks after the procedure. It’s important that you don’t rub or irritate this area while it heals so that scarring is minimized. Your doctor will provide you with specific instructions regarding how to care for your incision (e.g., when to shower/bathe/shave).
A tummy tuck is a surgical procedure to remove excess fat and skin from the upper abdomen and waistline. The surgeon also tightens the muscles of the abdomen and removes excess skin and tissue from the lower abdominal wall, as well as other areas.
The recovery time for a tummy tuck depends on several factors, including whether you have any complications or issues. In general, however, if you’re healthy, you should be able to return to normal activities about three months after surgery. You may need to wear compression garments (girdles) for several weeks after surgery.
Here are some things to expect during recovery:
Diet: You’ll need to avoid exercise that puts strain on your incisions for at least six weeks after surgery. After this time, you can gradually increase your activity level — but don’t push too hard too fast or you could injure yourself again.
Pain medication: Your doctor may prescribe pain medications (like oxycodone) at home until your incisions heal enough that they no longer hurt when you move around or sit up straight.
How Long Does It Take to Recover After a Tummy Tuck?
Very broadly, the recovery period after a tummy tuck lasts between two and six weeks. After six weeks, most patients are cleared by their surgeon to resume strenuous activity and exercise. However, every patient is different. How long your recovery may take depends on various factors:
- Whether you are a smoker or non-smoker
- Your body’s immune response
- Natural ability to heal
- Level of post-op activity
- Type of anesthesia
- Type of tummy tuck
Smokers typically face a more difficult recovery than non-smokers. For that reason, your surgeon will require that you disclose any prior smoking habits. Your recovery will also depend on the type of tummy tuck you’ve had, with a mini tummy tuck requiring less time than a full abdominoplasty with belly button repair. Your post-op activity will also play a role. This can be an issue particularly for mothers of young children, since heavy or frequent lifting can lead to complications after a tummy tuck if it is done too soon.
The best way to keep your risk of complications to a minimum is to make sure you follow all post-op instructions you have been given by your plastic surgeon. Recovering from a tummy tuck takes a bit of time, but it will be exciting to see your results almost immediately after your surgery.
Is Tummy Tuck Recovery Painful?
Our cosmetic surgery team at NuBody Concepts takes pride in making sure our patients are comfortable throughout their procedure. This includes being upfront with our patients as to what to expect.
It is fair to say that among all cosmetic surgeries, the tummy tuck has the hardest recovery. This doesn’t mean that you should be afraid of having a tummy tuck. It just means that other procedures, even surgical ones like breast augmentations, are a bit easier to recover from. It’s just a bit harder to avoid using our abdominal muscles, meaning any discomfort is felt more acutely.
Having a plan for the first 7 to 10 days will help you manage this period more easily. Make sure you organize childcare if you have small children so that you are not tempted to lift them up. You will not be bedridden – in fact, it is encouraged that you move around, so long as you avoid any strenuous movements.
Your Tummy Tuck Recovery Step by Step
Directly after the procedure
Your pre-op instructions will advise to make sure you’ve arranged for a driver/caretaker to take you home (Uber drivers are not allowed – it has to be a friend or family member). This is to ensure your safety during the expected after effects of the sedation.
After surgery and with sutures in place, your abdomen will be bandaged. You will be given a compression garment or binder to reduce swelling, prevent blood clots, and help shape your abdomen into the desired contour. You will need to wear your abdominal binder 23 hours a day, 7 days a week, for a minimum of two weeks, or as advised by your surgeon. The more diligently you wear this garment, the better your healing and results are going to be.
Week 1 of recovery
The first week of recovery is typically the most uncomfortable for tummy tuck patients. You can expect to feel soreness and experience bruising and swelling for the first week or two after surgery. Sticking closely to the medication regimen your surgeon prescribes will help greatly in keeping your discomfort to a minimum. Do nothing that increases your heart rate above resting, but do move around regularly as tolerated.
For 1-2 days after surgery, do not stand completely upright. Walk in a slightly flexed position until you no longer feel discomfort when standing straight. Eat when you are hungry and stay hydrated. Icing the wound isn’t necessary at all, but if you want to apply ice, you should wait 72 hour before applying it.
Make sure you follow your post-op instructions on showering as well as changing bandages and cleaning the drain if one was placed. The compression binder can be taken off for showering but should be worn all other times.
Week 2 of recovery
You should continue to refrain from strenuous activities throughout your second week, but you will begin to feel a lot better. Your bruising should fade and the swelling will beging to go down, although it most likely won’t be gone altogether. Continue to take light walks. Between 1-2 weeks post-op, you may feel well enough to go back to work, provided it does not require any strenuous activity.
Make sure you go to your follow-up appointment as scheduled by your doctor – typically after one week. At this point any stitches that were placed may be removed.
Week 3 of recovery
After about 3-4 weeks you should start feeling mostly back to normal. If allowed by your surgeon, you can begin a routine of light exercise by the third week. Strenuous exercises like sit-ups or weight lifting should still be avoided for a few more weeks – anything that overly taxes the abdominal muscles.
By week 3-4 any pain, swelling, or bruising should also be gone. However, it is possible for swelling to come and go for a while longer. This can be managed by wearing Spanx or other shapeware to help provide compression as needed. Unless you receive other instructions, wearing your compression garment is no longer necessary.