How long does it take for a tummy tuck incision to heal? This is a question that is commonly asked and will vary from woman to woman. The good news is, the answer is probably a lot less time than you think. The actual healing process will depend on several factors, including your own healing artistry as well as the surgical technique used by your plastic surgeon.
Many women who ask me ‘how long does it take for a tummy tuck incision to heal’ are surprised at my answer (and they are probably thinking… 1-2 weeks?) So, in this blog post we are going to have a look at why my answer is the 3-6 week time frame and answer the question of ‘how long does it take for a tummy tuck incision to heal’?
Read on about How Long Does It Take For A Tummy Tuck Incision To Heal, Tummy Tuck Wound Healing Problems AND Tummy Tuck Incision Stinging
How Long Does It Take For A Tummy Tuck Incision To Heal
The length of time it takes for a tummy tuck incision to heal depends on the type of procedure you had and how well you take care of yourself after surgery.
If you’re having a mini-abdominoplasty or umbilical hernia repair, your incisions will be much smaller than those associated with traditional tummy tuck procedures. In these cases, your surgeon may use dissolvable sutures to close your incisions. These dissolve over time and don’t require removal by your doctor.
The longer it takes for an incision to heal depends on where the wound is located on your body and whether it’s closed with stitches or staples. If a wound is closed with stitches, it can take between four weeks and three months for a scar to fade completely. If the wound is closed with staples, the scar may take up to six months to disappear completely.
After a tummy tuck, the incision will be closed with stitches. The stitches will dissolve on their own, but it’s important to follow your doctor’s instructions for caring for yourself after surgery.
The first few days are the most crucial in terms of wound healing. If you’re having trouble breathing or moving around, let your doctor know immediately.
When you wake up from surgery, you may notice some swelling around your incision area. This is normal and should go away in a few weeks as you heal.
You’ll experience pain at different points throughout your recovery. It may feel like cramping or pulling sensation — especially when you cough or sneeze — but this is normal and temporary. Also, it’s common to develop bruising along the incision line where the skin was cut open during surgery.
As far as how long it takes for an incision to heal after a tummy tuck procedure: This depends on the type of procedure performed and how well you take care of yourself after surgery. In general, though, expect it to take about six weeks before your scar looks its best
A tummy tuck incision heals in five to seven days. The incision is usually closed with stitches that dissolve on their own.
Some patients may have an elastic bandage placed over the incision to keep it clean and dry while it heals. The bandage is removed before leaving the hospital and replaced every other day with gauze until it no longer sticks to the wound when removed.
The sutures used in tummy tucks are absorbable, which means that they gradually dissolve as your body absorbs them over time. When all of the stitches have dissolved, there will be no evidence of an incision on your abdomen.
If you have a tummy tuck, the scar will be either vertical or horizontal. With a vertical incision, the scar is located at the top of your abdomen and goes down vertically to the pubic area. With a horizontal incision, it extends from one side of your belly button to the other.
Tummy tuck scars are usually red for about two weeks after surgery and will gradually fade over time.
The length of time it takes for your surgical incision to heal depends on how deep it is and whether you had any drains in place during your operation. If you had drains and they were removed early in the healing process, you may find that your scar is still red and swollen even though it has been more than six months since your surgery. This can last up to a year but will eventually fade away completely (though there is no way to speed up this process).
If you had no drains after surgery, your scar should be almost completely healed by now (it may still look red but shouldn’t feel tender).
The Tummy Tuck incision heals very quickly, as long as you follow your doctor’s post-op instructions. I tell my patients to massage the incision gently twice a day for 10 minutes each time.
There will be some swelling at first but that should subside within 2 weeks. After that any remaining swelling is due to fluid accumulation in the tissues below the skin (called seroma). This can take anywhere from 3-6 weeks to resolve on its own.
The stitches dissolve and fall out on their own in about 2 weeks, so you don’t have to worry about them anymore.
The scar will continue to improve over time, becoming less red and raised until it becomes practically invisible after 1 year or so.
Tummy Tuck Wound Healing Problems
A tummy tuck is a procedure that removes excess skin and fat from the abdomen and improves the appearance of the abdominal muscles. It can also be used to remove excess skin on the thighs and buttocks.
A tummy tuck can improve your body contour after pregnancy, weight loss, or aging. The procedure can also help with stretch marks, hernias, and other problems with the abdominal wall.
If you have a full-term pregnancy, your abdomen will stretch and then shrink back to its original size over time. If you have had multiple pregnancies or if you’re older than 35, your abdominal muscles may not return to their original shape on their own or any time soon.
A tummy tuck removes loose skin and excess fat from around your middle and tightens the muscles underneath. It can help repair stretched out scars from previous surgeries, such as C-sections or hysterectomies. A tummy tuck is usually combined with liposuction in areas like the lower back, hips or thighs if excess fat is present there as well
There are several reasons why you may be having problems with your tummy tuck wound healing. First, it is very important for you to understand that any surgery and especially a tummy tuck is going to be painful and uncomfortable. You will experience swelling and bruising that will take several weeks to months before they begin to resolve.
The pain that you are experiencing may be due to a number of factors. One possibility is that your incision has opened up or has gotten infected, which would require further evaluation by your surgeon. Another possibility is that the scar tissue has formed too early and too tight and this may require another surgical procedure called scar revision (plication) to help improve the appearance of your scar.
I hope this helps!
Tummy Tuck Incision Stinging
I have had several Tummy Tucks. The last one I had was done by a plastic surgeon and I was awake during the procedure. There is definitely some stinging but you are numb from head to toe and you are so happy that it’s over that you don’t care.
I am in my 50’s now and although my skin is still very tight, I am starting to get some lines and wrinkles on my abdomen. So I am planning on having another tummy tuck in a few months.
This time I will be having general anesthesia which means that I will be asleep for most of the procedure. The only thing that stings after surgery is when they put in stitches to close up the incision but even that goes away quickly.
It has been about 2 weeks since my last surgery and my stomach looks great! My scars are healing nicely too!
If there are any other questions about tummy tuck surgery just let me know!
I am sorry to hear that you are having pain in the incision site. This is not uncommon, particularly at this early stage of healing. The sensation can be caused by movement of the abdominal muscles and skin overlying the abdominal incision. The sensation should resolve over time.
To help relieve this discomfort, apply a warm compress to the area for 10-15 minutes every 1-2 hours. Also, try taking an oral analgesic like Tylenol or Ibuprofen if the pain is severe.
If your discomfort persists or worsens after several days, please contact your plastic surgeon immediately for further evaluation and treatment recommendations.
I am sorry to hear of your discomfort. It is possible that the incision is healing normally and may just be more sensitive than normal. I would suggest you consult with a board certified plastic surgeon.
In general, the Tummy Tuck incision will usually have some degree of stinging and pain for the first few weeks after surgery. This is due to nerve irritability and swelling at the site of the incision. The pain should gradually subside over time, but if it continues after several weeks or becomes severe, then you should contact your surgeon again.
The most important thing is that you follow all instructions given by your surgeon regarding postoperative care, which includes:
-resting on your back for 24 hours after surgery
-avoiding heavy lifting such as pushing a vacuum cleaner or changing furniture for 6 weeks after surgery
-avoiding hot showers/baths for 6 weeks after surgery