A tummy tuck is a surgical procedure that removes excess skin and fat from the abdominal area. It also tightens the muscles in this area and can reduce drooping skin on the lower part of your stomach. This procedure can help improve the appearance of your abdomen, giving you more confidence in your body.
The tummy tuck procedure is performed under general anesthesia and takes about 2 to 3 hours to complete. The surgeon will make an incision in the lower abdomen, then remove any extra fat or skin from the waistline. Next, they’ll tighten up some of the muscles that have loosened due to pregnancy or weight loss, causing them to sag over time. The surgery typically results in a scar that begins at the pubic bone and extends up around your belly button. This scar will fade over time as it heals properly, but it may be visible for up to two years after your procedure has been performed.
Read on to learn more on How Bad Does A Tummy Tuck Hurt, How Bad Is A Tummy Tuck Recovery and How Bad Is Pain After Tummy Tuck
How Bad Does A Tummy Tuck Hurt
A tummy tuck – or abdominoplasty – is a form of cosmetic surgery designed to improve the shape and look of your tummy, or abdomen.
The procedure sculpts and reshapes the stomach area through the removal of excess skin and fat, whilst simultaneously tightening the underlying muscles.
In some cases, we may also perform liposuction alongside the abdominoplasty procedure for optimum results.
IS A TUMMY TUCK RIGHT FOR ME?
Those who have given birth, lost a lot of weight or who can’t shrink any excess skin through diet and exercise may benefit from a tummy tuck.
If you are overweight, a tummy tuck is not likely to be a viable choice for you, but this would be discussed at your consultation. As a rule, we advise that your weight prior to the procedure should be within a 10% – 15% range of your ideal weight.
If you intend to have a baby in the near future, you should postpone the procedure until your family is complete.
WHAT DOES THE TUMMY TUCK PROCEDURE INVOLVE?
A full tummy tuck involves:
- Making a large incision across the lower abdomen, from hip to hip
- Making a small incision to release your belly button from the tissue that surrounds it
- Separating the skin from the abdominal wall
- Realigning your abdominal muscles
- Removing any excess fat and skin
- Creating a new hole for the belly button, and stitching this back in place
- Drawing together any remaining skin and stitching it in place
HOW LONG DOES A TUMMY TUCK TAKE?
The procedure itself typically takes between two and five hours, under general anaesthesia. You will then need to stay in the clinic overnight.
HOW PAINFUL IS THE PROCEDURE?
As with any surgical procedure, how painful you find a tummy tuck will depend on your own personal pain threshold.
There will be some discomfort after a tummy tuck, with the worst discomfort experienced within the first week. On a scale of 1 – 10, pain is often estimated at around a 6-7 for the the first few days to a week, reducing to around a 3 – 4 in the second week. This would, of course, depend on the individual.
You will be fitted with a post-operative pressure garment, which should help to manage the pain in conjunction with the pain relief medication we provide.
WHAT DOES THE AFTERCARE INVOLVE?
You would leave hospital with dressings and a pressure garment – similar to a corset – on your stomach, which encourages your skin to heal properly and reduce any swelling.
You would need someone to drive you home and stay with you for the following 24 hours after the procedure.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO RECOVER FROM A TUMMY TUCK?
Once you’re at home, you will need to rest for 10 – 14 days, in order to recuperate fully. You will then need to take at least four weeks off work, whilst avoiding exercise and any strenuous activity.
You should also avoid driving for at least 4 weeks after the procedure and try to ensure you keep your knees bent whilst you sleep, to avoid putting any unnecessary strain on your stitches.
Typically, full recovery should take around 6 weeks, but it may take up to 9 months so see the full results of the procedure.
ARE THERE ANY SIDE EFFECTS?
An abdominoplasty is a major surgical procedure, so there are some potential side effects to be aware of:
- You will be left with a scar running across your lower tummy
- If you had a full abdominoplasty, you would have a scar around your belly button
- Your scars are likely to appear red and raised for the first few weeks after the procedure
- Bruising
- Pain
- Temporary numbness
- Temporary swelling around the scar
- You may find it difficult to stand up straight as you may feel like your stomach is being pulled
How Bad Is Pain After Tummy Tuck
As patient counselors at our plastic surgery centers in Denver and Golden, CO, Carrie and I have listened to many tummy tuck patients. We have talked with these patients before surgery and after recovery—and helped them push through their fears.
We meet with women daily who want to eliminate sagging skin and a protruding abdomen and reduce the extent of stretch marks left behind after pregnancy or weight loss. However, many patients have become so frightened by the perceived “painful” recovery—that they end up postponing their procedure for months and sometimes years!
Listen up! Procrastination is a big mistake! Why put off the future of a sleek, flat, bikini-wearing, defined stomach for a few weeks of discomfort? Understanding the truth about pain, taking advantage of modern pain management, and setting yourself up with ample recovery time and support will make for a successful recovery.
HOW PAINFUL IS A TUMMY TUCK?
Many patients worry about what to expect after a tummy tuck. Luckily, the pain during tummy tuck recovery does not outweigh the amazing results afterward, and men and women who’ve had the procedure give it a 96% Worth It rating on RealSelf.com. Keep in mind that the human psyche is extremely masterful at dramatizing a painful recovery scene before we have experienced the event. The truth is, nothing about the tummy tuck recovery is excruciating.
HOW LONG DOES THE TIGHTNESS LAST AFTER A TUMMY TUCK?
The discomfort after a tummy tuck comes not from the incision, which will actually be numb for some time, but from the muscle tightening. Patients find normal activities such as standing up straight, walking up stairs, and getting out of a seated position or bed uncomfortable because the core muscles are sore after being sewn together from the breast bone to the pubic bone.
Think about it this way: A tummy tuck is basically military boot camp for the abdominal muscles. Those stubborn muscles loved the roominess of your loose abdomen. For about a week, they retaliate by acting sore and tired. Those muscles quickly become angry and fatigued from the layers of sutures placed to keep them tight. The soreness diminishes after a week and you start to think less and less about it. Most women are walking upright and going about daily activities after just 2 weeks.
Patients go back to working out at 4 to 6 weeks post-tummy tuck. Some report small muscle “zingers” with workouts or yoga, which is completely normal. However, we advise patients to go back to working out slowly and back off if it hurts. Many of our extremely active patients get back to working out sooner and report stronger core strength as an added benefit.
A GAME-CHANGER IN PAIN MANAGEMENT: HOW EFFECTIVE IS EXPAREL?
In addition to using a no-drain tummy tuck technique and prescribing the best oral pain medications available, Dr. Vath, Dr. Wolfe, and Dr. Steinwald offer EXPAREL® for long-lasting pain control. This non-narcotic, non-opioid pain reliever is injected directly into the abdominal tissue, fascia, and muscles during surgery. It is effective in managing pain for up to 72 hours post-op.
Not only does EXPAREL help patients get through the first 72 hours post-op with significantly reduced discomfort, but it is also great for patients who wish to limit the amount of narcotic pain meds they need to take. Oral pain relievers can cause extreme drowsiness, fatigue, nausea, and constipation in some patients. Our patients who opt to add EXPAREL to their procedure report a 50% reduction in narcotic pain medication consumption versus those who do not. EXPAREL adds to the total surgical investment, but the patients who have used it feel it is well worth the cost.
WHAT IS THE FASTEST WAY TO RECOVER FROM A TUMMY TUCK?
Set yourself up for 2 weeks of doing nothing but recovering. Carrie and I counsel patients about getting into the “recovery mindset.” Most of us modern women are busy and overscheduled. We do it all: From working, cooking, rearing children, exercising, to volunteer work. We like to think we are superhuman. This notion can make for a frustrating and uncomfortable recovery process because we aren’t able to keep up with the demands and responsibilities of “normal” life during the first 2 weeks post-surgery.
Your energy will return in a few short weeks. However, you will not be able to run the household or your career by yourself during this time.
Sleeping a lot is normal (and encouraged!) during recovery. You shouldn’t be making any important decisions or responding to serious emails while on pain medication. Remind yourself that you just had SURGERY and you need downtime. Enlist your family and friends to help out with meals, cleaning, running errands, and watching the kids. You’ll be glad you asked for support.
Actual patient shown before and 5 months post-op
To get an idea of the kind of results you can expect, take a look at real tummy tuck before-and-after photos of our patients. Keep in mind that many men and women who choose tummy tuck often combine it with liposuction for even more dramatic body contouring.
How Bad Is A Tummy Tuck Recovery
Abdominoplasty, also known as a tummy tuck, is a cosmetic surgical procedure that flattens the abdomen by removing excess fat and skin and tightening the underlying muscle. Most people recover within several weeks. You may experience swelling and moderate pain during your post-operative recovery, both due to the procedure itself and because of movements you make while your incision is healing. You can get through this period more comfortably by trying several strategies for managing the pain after a tummy tuck.
Lifestyle Management
As you are recovering from your surgery, there are practical things that you can do during the first few months to prevent pain from starting and to reduce your pain if you have any.
- Maintain physical activity: As you recover, you should continue to carry out simple day-to-day tasks and regularly get up and walk around your home. This is recommended to reduce your risk of developing harmful blood clots, and it also prevents you from remaining in one position for too long, which can make it painful when you finally get up and move.
- Avoid strenuous exercise: As you are recovering and your wounds are healing, you should not put a strain on your incisions by engaging in strenuous activity or lifting heavy objects for at least six weeks or until you get the green light from your healthcare provider. If you would like to begin or get back to challenging exercises once you are fully recovered, it is a good idea to maintain some level of fitness by walking for exercise throughout your recovery period.
- Don’t smoke: To enhance the healing process, you should avoid the use of tobacco. Nicotine severely compromises the body’s ability to heal. It causes blood vessels to narrow, making the delivery of oxygen to the skin cells at the incision site more difficult, ultimately delaying the healing process.
- Avoid constipation: You may be constipated if you are not eating due to nausea or fatigue. Narcotic pain medications also cause constipation, which eventually leads to abdominal pain. Try to eat food that is high in fiber and drink ample amounts of fluid to avoid constipation. If nausea or constipation are persistent, you may need to take over-the-counter or prescription medication.
Pain Management
Often, tummy tuck procedures include injection of pain medications into the area around the sensory nerves, resulting in a nerve block. This pre-emptive measure has been shown to reduce postoperative pain. However, if you experience postoperative pain, you may need treatment as you recover from your tummy tuck surgery. Options include:
- Over-the-counter medication: Many surgeons recommend taking ibuprofen or naproxen 24 to 48 hours after the procedure if there is no evidence of bleeding. NSAIDS can decrease the swelling and offer pain relief which can allow patients to stop narcotics earlier resulting in fewer side effects from those drugs.
- Prescription medications: Long-acting narcotic pain medications are often prescribed because they do not cause bleeding. However, at low doses, narcotics can cause constipation; at high doses, they can cause breathing and heart problems, as well as addiction risk.
- Pain pump: If you have severe nausea and cannot take medication by mouth, a pain pump—a device that delivers medication directly into the body via an inserted tube—can be another alternative. If your pain is severe, a pain pump can reduce your need for high doses of prescription narcotic pain medication.
Post-Operative Care
There are some routine things you need to take care of as you heal after your surgery, including wearing a compression garment, wound care, and drain care. Paying careful attention to these tasks can help reduce or prevent pain.
- Compression garment: After surgery, you will be wrapped in or given a compression garment to wear. The compression garment will reduce swelling and support the abdomen, promoting proper healing. You should expect to wear this for two weeks to two months, depending on how quickly you are healing. Be sure to tell your medical team if the compression garment is causing any pain, as adjustments may be needed.
- Incision care: Surgical dressings or bandages will be applied to your incision area. You will be given instructions about whether you should change these bandages and, if so, how often and how to do it. The most important aspect of your at-home wound care is that you keep your wound clean and remain gentle with it to avoid injury or bleeding. You will also be given instructions to be on the lookout for problems, such as pain from the incision site, swelling, redness, pus, warmth, or bleeding.
- Drain care: After an abdominoplasty, temporary tubes to drain excess fluid from the surgical site will be inserted under your skin. They will be removed during the first week of recovery or when your healthcare provider is assured that the fluid no longer needs to be drained. If you experience pain at the drain site, or if you notice redness, swelling, or oozing of pus or blood, tell your healthcare provider’s office.
- Antibiotics: You may be given a prescription for medication to apply to your surgical site and/or to take orally to reduce your risk of developing a postoperative infection. An infection can cause pain, but more common symptoms of infection include fever, swelling, warmth, or pus.
A Word From Verywell
A tummy tuck is generally well tolerated. However, it is a surgical procedure, and there are some risks and side effects—including pain. If you are planning to have a tummy tuck, you should be prepared for one to two months of recovery, and you may experience pain throughout this time. In general, pain is mild to moderate after a tummy tuck. Rarely, pain or sensory abnormalities can persist for months or even years after the procedure. If your pain is severe or persistent, you should tell your healthcare provider.