Tummy Tuck Recovery
After a woman has a baby, one of the most frustrating things is losing the extra weight she gained during her pregnancy. While diets and exercise may work to some degree, there is often a lot of flabby skin remaining that can only be corrected by a surgical procedure known as a tummy tuck. A tummy tuck is performed by a surgeon under general anesthesia. After the surgery, you will probably feel nauseous and groggy. While most patients can go home the same day, you will need someone to drive you home. If you have a full tummy tuck, you may also be required to spend time in the hospital recovering from the surgery. Most tummy tuck recovery requires several days of rest, no matter what.
Your doctor will install a drain to send fluid away from your tummy tuck incision. The surgical area will also be covered by a dressing and compression garment. Be sure to follow your physician’s instructions regarding tummy tuck aftercare, as well as any other things you should do during the healing process. If there are stitches holding your tummy tuck closed, they will be taken out in a week or ten days during a follow-up visit. Immediately after a tummy tuck procedure, you should be prepared to feel very sore or tender. Pain medicine will help to make the pain go away. Your doctor may also give you some antibiotics to fight infection. Typical side effects experienced by abdominoplasty patients are bruising, swelling and tenderness. These side effects of a tummy tuck usually go away within three weeks as your body slowly heals.
Expect stage one of your tummy tuck recovery to last a couple of months, during which time your whole stomach area will feel somewhat painful. Expect to take time off from work, depending on the type of job. Try to ease back into your normal routine little by little – don’t rush things. Avoid strenuous activities and exercise, especially anything that may risk injury to our abdomen. Tummy tuck recovery is normally longest for the full tummy tuck vs. the mini tummy tuck, or if you are combining a tummy tuck with other cosmetic surgeries. Most tummy tuck patients see the full results of their surgery become visible within half a year. While the results of abdominoplasty are permanent, big swings in body weight can still lead to changes in the appearance of the abdominal area.