Excess skin and fat can be removed from the abdomen region through a surgical procedure known as a tummy tuck. Abdominal flab is eliminated, and the surgery tightens the muscles around the waist and genitalia. About two to three weeks are required for full recovery from a stomach tuck, with the majority of the healing occurring during the first week.
You’ll have this time to gradually resume your regular routine. Depending on the severity of your procedure, you may require assistance for a few days following surgery, but you should be back to normal in about a week. When you may return home and what kinds of activities are appropriate for you to engage in while you heal are both things your doctor will go over in detail.
Read on to learn more on How Long Recovery After Tummy Tuck, How Painful Is A Tummy Tuck Recovery and How Long Before I Can Stand Straight After Tummy Tuck
How Long Recovery After Tummy Tuck
- How much effort is required for recovery after a tummy tuck surgery?
- What precautions are needed during recovery after abdominoplasty?
- When can you get back to work and exercise after the tummy tuck?
A tummy tuck procedure is very popular body surgery as it has become safer and more effective than ever before. Losing a significant amount of weight or going through multiple pregnancies can leave you with saggy skin that ruins the look of your abdomen. This saggy skin can be removed during the abdominoplasty procedure and the abdominal muscles can be strengthened. The procedure will leave you with a more toned abdomen and a fine scar that can be easily hidden in your underwear or your bikini bottoms.
The results of the abdominoplasty procedure depend on the skill of your surgeon, your health, and how well you take care of yourself during the recovery period.
If you don’t follow the surgeon’s recommendations during the recovery period the results of your surergy can be affected. Your recovery period can make or break the results of your procedure.
Specialist Plastic Surgeon, Dr Michael Kernohan is a highly experienced plastic surgeon and performs Abdominoplasty in Sydney Southwest Suburbs and the Southern Highlands.
About the Recovery after Abdominoplasty
The recovery period after an abdominoplasty procedure is the same as the recovery period for most elective cosmetic surgery procedures. Your full recovery period can take between six to eight weeks, by the end of which you should be able to resume your daily life activities.
The recovery period is marked by swelling and discomfort which will subside on its own by the end of the first two weeks. There may be slight swelling after that, however, it is not as noticeable. Moreover, you can take pain management medications and antibiotics during the first couple of weeks to help you with the side effects of the abdominoplasty procedure.
Take Your Medications
Regularly taking the antibiotics prescribed by Dr Kernohan is important as they help prevent infections that can cause several further complications such as exaggerated scarring, wound separation, and prolonged healing of the wounds.
Wear Your Garments
You should wear a compression garment throughout your recovery period to prevent fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity. The compression belts are also helpful. It is best to wear it every day, only taking it off to shower, especially during the first couple of weeks of the recovery period.
Avoid Smoking, Vaping and Drinking Alcohol
Another important thing to focus on during the recovery period is avoiding drinking and smoking, completely. You should especially refrain from drinking when you are taking the prescribed antibiotics as they may interact with each other and increase the severity of side effects of the antibiotics or reduce their efficiency overall. Abstain from smoking completely as the risk of wound infection increases significantly with smoking.
Going Back to the Gym
You should be able to go back to the gym for light exercise by around six weeks to eight weeks. However, it is worth mentioning that the final results of the procedure may not be apparent right away. In fact, they may take up to six months to be completely visible. Some of the side effects of the procedure may also persist during this period, however, they are almost all temporary meaning that they will subside eventually.
Tummy Tuck Recovery Timeline
The recovery timeline for the tummy tuck procedure is as follows:
· First 24 Hours
You should be resting. It is not recommended to shower or move about too much. You will also have difficulty going to the toilet or standing up straight. Your appetite might also be reduced.
· At 48 Hours
Resting is still important. You may be able to shower after 36 hours. Constipation may occur. To prevent this, you should hydrate well and eat foods rich in fibre. You may still be hunched over, and your appetite most probably hasn’t returned. Move gently to avoid the chances of a clot or DVT forming.
· First Week
By the end of this period, you should be able to walk properly, although it is not recommended to go overboard with exercise. Just walk gently around. Your constipation should have resolved and your appetite is bound to have returned. You can go back to work during this stage if you are working an office desk job. You should also sleep on your back during this period, so as to not put any pressure on the incisions. It might also be helpful to avoid sleeping with others as a way to avoid injuring yourself during the night.
· Week 2 to Week 4
During this period, you are allowed to do light exercises like taking a brisk walk, moving about in your personal space, and doing simple feet exercises. It is not recommended to do any strenuous exercises that put pressure on your incisions as your body is still healing.
· Week 6 to Week 8
This is the last stage of your recovery period and is often marked by starting to resume your daily life activities. You can begin your workouts after this period, including intensive physical workouts as your body has mostly healed. Start gently and watch for any pain. Swelling, discomfort, and bruising should have subsided by now, although you may not be able to see complete results of the tummy tuck.
How Painful Is A Tummy Tuck Recovery
The tummy tuck recovery is a long and challenging process. Most people who have had a tummy tuck say that they wish they had done it sooner.
The surgery takes approximately two hours and the recovery takes several weeks. You can expect to spend at least one week in the hospital and several weeks at home recovering.
The most common side effects include:
Pain, numbness or other discomfort in the area of the surgery
Swelling and bruising around the incision line
Loss of appetite for several days after surgery
Constipation for about a week after surgery
The procedure itself is relatively simple but requires great precision to ensure that your results are natural-looking and optimal. Dr. Jones will use liposuction to remove excess fat from your abdomen or waistline while also tightening your abdominal muscles through sutures placed beneath the skin during surgery. The liposuction can be done by making an incision in your pubic hairline or above it if you prefer a more discreet scar line, depending on your personal preference.
The recovery time for a tummy tuck is fairly long. In most cases it takes about three to four weeks before you can start exercising again. It will take even longer for the swelling and bruising to subside, so your final results may not be visible for a few months.
A tummy tuck is an invasive procedure that removes skin and fat from the abdomen as well as tightens the muscles in the abdominal wall. The surgery usually involves removing excess skin from the abdomen and tightening its muscles with one or more stitches.
During the procedure, surgeons remove fat and skin from around your midsection to give you a flatter, tighter look. They also tighten your muscles by removing fat pads under them and stitching them together to give them more support.
The tummy tuck procedure can cause discomfort during recovery but doesn’t usually cause too much pain. Most people who have had this surgery experience mild pain, but it’s important to follow your surgeon’s post-operative instructions carefully so that you don’t aggravate any post-operative complications that could arise due to pain management issues
How Long Before I Can Stand Straight After Tummy Tuck
One of the most common questions after a tummy tuck is “how long before I can stand straight?”
In general, you should be able to stand straight immediately after surgery. However, there are some exceptions. If you have had liposuction done in conjunction with your tummy tuck, then you may have some swelling in the area that might prevent you from standing up straight right away. It’s also possible that you may have some numbness or pain in this area as well. If this is the case, then it’s best to give yourself a few days before trying to stand straight up again.
It’s also important to remember that if you’re having any issues with bleeding or clotting after surgery, then it may take longer than expected for these problems to resolve themselves naturally on their own accord without any other intervention needed by your doctor or yourself
The recovery time for a tummy tuck is about six weeks. You will need to take it easy for the first couple of weeks and then slowly increase activities as tolerated. The incision will be sore, but after a few days of taking pain medication, you should be able to resume normal activities.
You may notice that you are not as flexible as before your surgery. This is because the muscles in your abdomen were tightened during surgery and they need time to relax again. It is important to do gentle stretching exercises every day starting two weeks after surgery. These exercises will help improve mobility and prevent muscle atrophy (shrinking).
It may take up to one year before all the swelling goes away completely, but most patients will see significant improvement within three months of surgery.