6 weeks post op tummy tuck: Those who know me, know that I’m honest about my body. I’ve never been ashamed of my flaws (in fact, I have literally no shame left in me after having a baby). So when I got the idea to get a tummy tuck, I was pretty open with friends, family and followers on Instagram. Most said they were surprised because they didn’t think I needed it. They said that I looked great and didn’t fully understand why I wanted to go through with surgery. Honestly – neither did I.
The decision to get a tummy tuck wasn’t something that was easy for me. First of all, I would be lying if I told you that this surgery was cheap. But we learned how to stretch our budget so we could afford it. Second of all, it meant being laid up for over 6 weeks… which meant no working out or not being able to lift my son for almost the entire summer! But what really made this decision hard for me was the fact that there would be scars on my body permanently from the procedure. And no matter how much time passes from the day of the surgery or how much laser therapy is used
Read on to learn more about 6 Weeks Post Op Tummy Tuck Pictures, How Long Does it Take to Recover from a Tummy Tuck Surgery?
6 Weeks Post Op Tummy Tuck Pictures
Is this normal? The phrase turns up more than 8 million hits on Google, related to everything from puberty to parenting to plastic surgery. On our own site, you’ll find the question posed in relation to every imaginable cosmetic procedure and aesthetics scenario. When we find ourselves in the unfamiliar territory of recovery, one thing is clear: nothing beats boring and predictable.
Following a tummy tuck, you’ll be inundated with instructions for tending to your incisions, dealing with your drains, scheduling your medications, and so much more. Amid the countless bullet points, you’ll likely see a section on red flags—the not-so-normal stuff that no one likes to think about. But complications can happen—and your radar should be tuned to detect them.
While every surgeon’s aftercare roadmap is a little different—and you should always follow your doctor’s individualized guidance—certain tummy tuck mile markers are fairly standard. We asked top plastic surgeons what to expect—and watch out for—in the days to weeks following a tummy tuck, so you’ll know, without question, what’s normal and what’s not.
Day one post-op
On the heels of major abdominal surgery, you can expect to feel sluggish, sore, and somewhat overwhelmed by the sheer task of caring for your healing body. Lean on whomever you’ve enlisted for support during this time, as you’ll need help getting in and out of bed, putting on and taking off compression garments, washing your hair, and managing medications and meals.
What’s normal
“Day one is generally a blur as the anesthesia wears off,” says Dr. John L. Burns Jr., a board-certified plastic surgeon in Dallas. “Most patients sleep a lot.” Once the grogginess fades, you should feel well enough to tackle basic self-care tasks (including emptying drains) and take short, supervised walks, which “help to reduce swelling, avoid constipation, and lower the chance of developing blood clots and/or pneumonia,” says Dr. Camille Cash, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Houston. It’s important to walk on day one, adds Dr. Burns Jr.
Your abdomen will be moderately tender, swollen, and possibly bruised. “There’s some pain at the incision and liposuction sites as well as abdominal tightness from the garments and rectus plication [or muscle repair],” notes Dr. Burns Jr. Many surgeons inject a long-acting anesthetic called Exparel into the abdominal wall during surgery. “This significantly helps to reduce the initial discomfort that patients ordinarily feel after surgery when the effects of the general anesthesia wear off,” explains Dr. Umbareen Mahmood, a New York City board-certified plastic surgeon. The injectable curbs pain for about 72 hours, which means you may actually have less discomfort on day one than you do on day three.
“Low-grade fever is common due to the anesthesia,” says Dr. Burns Jr. “You’ll be given a device called an incentive spirometer to prevent this and help expand your lungs after surgery.”
Your incision will feel tight and numb in spots and will be covered in Steri-Strips and adhesive (these will gradually loosen and fall away over the course of several weeks). You’ll walk slightly hunched over (for about a week) and will be wearing surgical garments 24/7, shedding them only to shower, for the first six weeks post-op, notes Dr. Mahmood. (While they can be tricky to get on and off, surgeons say most patients actually appreciate how supported they feel with them on.) For the first week after surgery, your doctor will want you sleeping on your back, your head elevated, and pillows propped under your knees, to reduce tension on your incision.
Constipation is common, due to the limited activity, pain pills, and dehydration that come with recovery, but you can offset it by drinking plenty of water, walking as much as your surgeon suggests, upping your fiber intake, and taking a stool softener as prescribed.
In the early going, we should note, it’s normal to feel all the feelings. According to Dr. Burns Jr., the first few days post-op can be marked by a mix of euphoria, fear, and exhaustion. “Some patients question, ‘Why did I do this to myself?’” adds Dr. Cash. Others worry about their final result or have anxiety around activity restrictions or sleep changes, Dr. Mahmood tells us. Many feel guilty for spending money on themselves or for not being able to meet the ever-present demands of family and work. While any cosmetic surgery can trigger the blues, “with a tummy tuck, they’re more common in the first week, because it’s hard to manage the drains, the compression garments, and medications,” notes Dr. Farah Naz Khan, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Dallas. “Patients do much better if they prepare ahead of time for a caretaker and supplies to assist with the recovery process.”
As results slowly come into focus and patients begin to realize that the surgery was worth it, worry gives way to relief. “I’ve never had a patient need professional help [coping with the blues],” says Dr. Khan, “but if someone has a baseline level of depression or anxiety preoperatively, I do recommend that they follow up with their therapist in the immediate post-op period.”
How Long Does it Take to Recover from a Tummy Tuck Surgery?
How long does it take to recover from a tummy tuck procedure? Contrary to common belief, tummy tuck recovery time is not nearly as long and painful as it once was. New surgical and treatment techniques allow patients to recover more quickly and with relatively minimal discomfort.
How Long Does It Take to Heal from a Tummy Tuck?
There are a variety of abdominoplasty and tummy tuck procedures available, and each one has a slightly different recovery time. Your treatment plan is determined by the level of correction needed to meet the desired end results.
Most patients return to work after a tummy tuck within 7-10 days and resume strenuous exercise in about 4-6 weeks. By 3 to 6 months post-op, most patients are enjoying their permanent results.
However, it is also important to note that results are only permanent when patients maintain them with regular exercise and a healthy diet.
Tummy Tuck
Before & After Photos
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Tummy Tuck Before & After Photos
Keep in mind that each patient is unique and your results may vary.Previous1 of 22NextBEFOREAFTER
Case #229
47 year old, 159lbs, 5’1″, standard abdominoplasty with liposuction to flanksBEFOREAFTER
Case #228
33 year old, 195lbs, 5’4″, extended abdominoplasty and panniculectomyBEFOREAFTER
Case #227
38 year old, 180lbs, 5’3″, standard abdominoplasty BEFOREAFTER
Case #225
37 year old, 150lbs, 5’4″, Standard abdominoplasty with liposuction to flanksBEFOREAFTER
Case #224
46 year old, 110lbs, 5″, mini tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) BEFOREAFTER
Case #159
35 year old, 119lbs, 5’3″, Standard abdominoplastyBEFOREAFTER
Case #154
40 year old, 168lbs, 5’3″, Extended abdominoplasty with liposuction to back and flanksBEFOREAFTER
Case #133
36 year old, 140 lbs, 5’3″, Standard abdominoplasty with liposuction to flanksBEFOREAFTER
Case #127
34 year old, height and weight unknown, extended abdominoplasty with liposuction of flanksBEFOREAFTER
Case #126
47 year old, 180lbs, 5’5″, circumfrential lift with thigh lift and liposuction to outer thighsBEFOREAFTER
Case #117
35 year old, 150 lbs, 5’4″, standard abdominoplastyBEFOREAFTER
Case #103
42 year old, 155lbs, 5’3″, standard abdominoplasty with liposuction to flanksBEFOREAFTER
Case #101
40 year old, 160lbs, 4’10”, standard abdominoplasty with liposuction to abdomen and flanksBEFOREAFTER
Case #100
43 year old, 149lbs, 5’2″, standard abdominoplastyBEFOREAFTER
Case #74
52 year old, 190lbs, 5’10”, standard abdominoplasty with liposuction to flanks, BEFOREAFTER
Case #71
42 year old, 120lbs, 5′, standard abdominoplastyBEFOREAFTER
Case #65
33 year old, 150lbs, 5’4″, small abdominoplastyBEFOREAFTER
Case #64
54 year old, 170lbs, 5’5″, standard abdominoplasty with thigh liftBEFOREAFTER
Case #49
30 year old, 120 lbs, 5’4″, standard abdominoplastyBEFOREAFTER
Case #44
41 year old, 133lbs, 5’2″, standard abdominoplasty with liposuction to flanksVIEW PHOTO GALLERYREQUEST A CONSULTATIONREQUEST A CONSULTATION
Your Week by Week Tummy Tuck Recovery Timeline
As you read the tummy tuck recovery week by week details below, understand that the healing time for every tummy tuck is different and depends upon the extent of your surgical plan. However, in most cases, there is a relatively predictable tummy tuck recovery timeline.
Day 1 of the Surgery
Tummy tuck procedures are performed under general anesthesia on an outpatient basis. Therefore, you must have someone to drive you home after surgery and take care of you afterward so you can rest for the remainder of the day. It may take several hours for the anesthesia medication to wear off, so expect to be groggy for a while.
Discomfort is also to be expected, which can be managed with medications. During your pre-operative appointment, you will receive prescriptions for oral medications to take prior to surgery to reduce the likelihood of infection as well as prescription pain medications to help you manage your discomfort.
Week 1 After Surgery
Week one of tummy tuck recovery involves getting plenty of rest and following all of the surgeon’s post-operative instructions. This will not only help heal your incision heal and reduce swelling more quickly, but it will also help to maximize your tummy tuck results.
What does a tummy tuck recovery day by day timeline look like in the first week? Here’s what to keep in mind:
- Bed rest is recommended for the first 2 days after your tummy tuck procedure. On day 3, activity is encouraged but should be limited. Any activity involving lifting and carrying, driving, exercise, smoking, and drinking alcohol should be avoided.
- A drain is a device that directs excess fluid away from the incision and out of the body. Most patients require drains for the first few days after surgery, which are removed about 5 days after surgery.
- Bandages on the incision site should be replaced, and the area around the incision gently cleaned, every other day following surgery.
- A post tummy tuck compression garment should be worn at all times during the first week following the surgery, and as often as possible for the following 6-8 weeks. It is critical to minimize swelling, support healing, and maximize results.
- In most cases, patients can take a shower a day or two after surgery.
- Patients should stay hydrated and maintain a diet that is low in sodium to reduce swelling.
Remember, discomfort, bruising, and swelling are to be expected, but if you begin to experience fever, nausea, unusual pain, or redness around the incision site, contact your surgeon.
Week 2 After Surgery
While some restrictions are lifted after week 1, it is still important to take it easy and follow your surgeon’s instructions. After coming this far, you do not want to undo all the great work you and your surgeon have done.
Ensure you make note of the following during week 2 of your tummy tuck recovery:
- Activity: Most patients are ready to return to most aspects of normal daily activities 7 days following surgery. It is important to take brief walks a few times a day to get your blood flowing and your body used to moving again. Several activities still remain off-limits, including vigorous exercise, smoking, and drinking alcohol.
- Diet: Patients may resume their regular diet the second week after surgery, but it is a good idea to continue to limit sodium and drink plenty of water.
- Care: We recommend patients lightly massage the treated area to promote healing. To help heal the incision site, scar minimizing techniques should be used, such as the application of vitamin E, silicone sheets, Scar Guard or BioCornium. Patients should also continue to wear compression garments to achieve the best possible results.
- Side Effects: Generally with the tummy tuck swelling timeline, at week 2, you will still be swollen in the treatment area. However, the pain, bruising, and feeling of tightness from your tummy tuck should begin to fade during week 2 of your recovery.
Weeks 3 & 4 After Surgery
By weeks 3 and 4 you’ll be about halfway through your initial tummy tuck healing timeline. Take into account the guidelines below to continue your quick recovery:
- Activity: Patients usually resume exercise during week 3 or 4 after a tummy tuck, once they receive approval from their surgeon. It is important to return to activity gradually. Listen to your body; if you are tired, it is important to rest. You will be able to resume your normal exercise routine when you have healed appropriately.
- Diet: Begin maintaining a healthy, well-balanced diet to stay within your ideal weight range.
- Care: Continue applying scar treatments to your incision and wearing the compression garments.
- Side Effects: Your discomfort and bruising should be completely gone, and swelling should be minimal.
Week 5 & 6 After Surgery
During week 5 and 6 of your tummy tuck recovery you should do the following:
- Activity: Most patients resume strenuous exercise, with approval from their surgeon.
- Diet: Continue maintaining a healthy, well-balanced diet to stay at your ideal weight range.
- Care: Continue applying scar treatments to your incision to promote healing. The compression garments should continue to be worn.
Tummy Tuck 3-6 Months Post-Op Results
Time to enjoy your flat, smooth, slim tummy! As we mentioned, each person’s tummy tuck recovery time varies, but most patients are ready to return to normal activities within 3-6 months after their initial procedure. While everyone’s tummy tuck results timeline is slightly different, it is critical for every patient to maintain a healthy diet and exercise routine to stay fit and well.
An abdominoplasty can rid people of the extra skin, fat, and tissue that diet, exercise, or even liposuction alone cannot address. While the tummy tuck recovery process may sound daunting, the highly skilled surgeons at Belcara Health strive to provide you with the best results and the least amount of discomfort possible.