In addition to swelling, you may experience bruising at the incision site and on your abdomen. Bruising usually begins around day three following surgery and will gradually fade over time. You may also experience numbness in the area where your incision was made; this is temporary and should subside within several weeks following surgery.
It takes about two weeks for swelling to go down after a tummy tuck. Swelling can last up to six months, so it’s important to be patient as your body heals. The swelling you experience after a tummy tuck depends on the extent of your surgery, but it is typically minor. Your surgeon will likely use drains during and after surgery to help drain excess fluid from your incisions. These drains can be removed once they are no longer draining fluid. The drainage will continue for about two weeks after surgery.
Read on to learn more on How Long Does It Take For Swelling To Go Down After Tummy Tuck, Warning Signs After Tummy Tuck and How Long Does It Take For Tummy Tuck Scars To Fade
How Long Does It Take For Swelling To Go Down After Tummy Tuck
Swelling after a tummy tuck, also known as an abdominoplasty, is quite typical for a surgery this extensive. How long swelling lasts after a tummy tuck depends on many different factors. Understanding why swelling occurs may help you to better prepare mentally and have more realistic expectations for your recovery and results.
Swelling after a Tummy Tuck Is Normal
Swelling in the abdominal area is perfectly normal and expected after a tummy tuck. In this area of the body, the blood vessels and lymphatic vessels work as a drainage system for fluids. During a tummy tuck, these vessels are cut. Because of this, the body removes fluid in the area a lot slower, resulting in fluid buildup known as edema or swelling.
Swelling is typically at its worst for the first 2 months following a tummy tuck, though everyone is a little bit different. As the body repairs blood and lymphatic vessels, the swelling should continue to resolve. This healing process can take up to a year or longer to complete, so it is common to see minor swelling in that time.
The amount of swelling experienced after your tummy tuck surgery can also vary depending on the treatment plan you choose. A mini tummy tuck or a drainless tummy tuck typically results in less recovery time and swelling than a traditional tummy tuck. Alternatively, adding liposuction to a tummy tuck can produce swelling in other areas of the body as well.
Swelling Can Fluctuate throughout the Day
After your initial swelling goes down, minor swelling continues and can be affected by your daily activity. This is because gravity is not your friend. For instance, long hours standing up can increase swelling in the abdomen, but this usually goes down after a good night of sleep. Once you start exercising, you may also notice increased swelling following workouts.
Tips to Help Reduce Swelling
Although swelling is a natural part of the healing process, there are some things you can do to help reduce the level of severity.
The best thing you can do to help minimize swelling is to follow your post-op instructions for tummy tuck recovery. You’ll be instructed to wear a compression garment for the first few weeks. Other tips to help reduce swelling include:
- Getting plenty of rest
- Staying hydrated
- Eating a healthy diet low in sodium
- Elevating your lower legs
How Long Does It Take For Tummy Tuck Scars To Fade
According to the Plastic Surgery Statistics Report, more than 123,000 Americans decided to trim and smooth their waistlines with Tummy Tuck Surgery (abdominoplasty) in 2019. Tummy Tucks are consistently one of the most requested plastic surgeries from year to year. Despite its popularity and high patient satisfaction, abdominoplasty does present a drawback for some people in the form of a significant scar.
“A Tummy Tuck has a dual focus. It removes excess skin and fat after weight loss or pregnancy, and corrects abdominal muscle laxity,” explains Dr. Robert Wilke, a board-certified plastic surgeon with Edina Plastic Surgery. “Because quite a bit of skin is typically removed, a long incision is required that will result in a scar after surgery.”
When your plastic surgeon assesses your abdominal area for Tummy Tuck Surgery, he or she is looking at the skin from the bottom of your rib cage to the crease of your groin. Generally, the scar that is left behind after surgery sits very low across the abdomen. This makes it easy to hide beneath the waistline of clothing or a bathing suit.
“How your skin scars after surgery is very dependent upon the skill of your surgeon, your genetics, and how you care for your scar after your procedure,” says Dr. Wilke. “A few weeks after surgery, after your skin has healed, patients can begin to use products at home that help lighten and fade their Tummy Tuck scar. After a few months, you can begin exploring in-office treatments that can make your scar even less noticeable. At Edina Plastic Surgery, we’re lucky that we have our Skin Artisans medical spa right next store to provide many of these treatment options.”
A tummy tuck scar should fade over time. The amount of time it takes for the scar to fade depends on the individual patient’s skin type.
It is important to keep your tummy tuck scars moisturized after surgery, as this can help them heal faster and fade more quickly.
It usually takes about 3 to 6 months for tummy tuck scars to fade. However, the process can take up to a year or more, depending on your skin type and scar color.
After the surgery, your surgeon will place compression garments on you. These garments are tight-fitting elastic clothes that help support your body while it heals after surgery. Your doctor will tell you how long to wear these garments.
You’ll also need to avoid sun exposure and sweating for four weeks following the surgery. This will help prevent infection and keep your incisions clean and dry until they heal completely.
The amount of time it takes for your scars to fade depends on:
Your skin type (freckles or moles)
The technique used by your physician during surgery
The healing process for a tummy tuck is usually four to six weeks, but it can take up to a year before the scar is fully healed. Scars usually fade over time but can continue changing for up to two years after surgery.
Tummy tuck scars tend to become red and raised at first. They may also itch or feel sensitive during this time. This is normal and will pass as your body heals.
As your skin heals, it will become less red and more flat with rounded edges that look like tiny lines. The color of your incision will fade from pink or purple-black to gray-white over time. The texture of your skin will also change from raised to flat with softer edges as it heals.
It takes about six months for the scars from a tummy tuck procedure to mature (turn white) after surgery, but they may continue changing for up to two years after surgery.
Warning Signs After Tummy Tuck
Abdominoplasty is a major, complex surgery performed on patients with an unsightly appearance of the tummy caused by skin sagginess. There are many causes behind the skin folds that can occur on the inferior part of the tummy and cover a part of the pubic area or the entire area. Among the frequent causes are multiple pregnancies, considerable weight loss, and the natural aging process.
When abdominoplasty is performed, the plastic surgeon will make an incision on the suprapubic area that will be used to detach the skin from the muscles. This allows the plastic surgeon access to the abdominal muscles that are strengthened with sutures and brought together on the median line. The skin is then re-draped on the tummy ensuring there is good tension in it and the excess skin is excised before the incisions are then sutured. Aside from the incision on the suprapubic area, the patient might also need an incision around the navel, if the reposition of the belly button was mandatory and also on the flanks if there are skin folds present in the area as well.
After the procedure, the patient is moved to recovery where he will spend no longer than a few hours until the side effects of the general anesthesia dissipate. After this, the patient is helped off the bed and free to leave the medical facility. Upon the return home, the patient is advised to pay attention to the warning signs that could occur. Keep in mind that the first few days after the tummy tuck procedure is the period with an increased risk of developing a complication such as infection.
The signs of an infection are high fever, intense pain in the operated area, pus coming from the incision site, and redness in the area. To avoid an infection, the plastic surgeon will prescribe antibiotics to be taken for five days post-op. However, it is essential to notice the signs as soon as they occur to get medical assistance.
Another worrying sign that can occur after abdominoplasty is excessive bleeding. Excessive bleeding can weaken the body and immune system and prolong the recovery process. It can occur if the patient took anti-inflammatory medication and even some natural supplements which have blood thinning properties before the surgery. Excessive bleeding might also occur if the patient applied too much pressure on the incisions and caused them to rupture. In very rare cases, excessive bleeding might be caused by internal trauma. Make sure to get medical assistance in case this occurs.
It is normal to feel a bit under the weather and even irritable and nauseous after abdominoplasty and until the effects of the general anesthetic completely disappear, but if a general unwell sensation is persistent, make sure to contact the plastic