Time Span of Tummy Tuck Recovery

A tummy tuck procedure is quite famous worldwide, as it helps people get a slim and toned midsection. Its popularity is evident with the fact that it is one of the top five cosmetic surgeries in the world according to ASPS. People undergo this procedure due to several reasons like:

• Hanging abdominal skin after one or several pregnancies
• Droopy skin around the waist even after a significant weight-loss
• Resisted sagging skin and fat deposits even after exercise and diet 

Tummy tucks or abdominoplasty allows both males and females to achieve the slimmer look by removing excess skin and fat around the abdomen.

Types of Tummy Tuck Procedures

Your surgeon can suggest different procedural techniques depending upon various factors like your goals, age, health, and weight. He may choose a full, extended, or partial abdominoplasty procedure for you. These are effective and safe procedures to remove droopy skin and fat surgically. 

Sometimes, your belly button is also repositioned depending upon your expectations and the type and extent of the surgery. However, like any other surgery it also involves incisions, thus there is a recovery period.

Quite naturally, everyone wants to recover as soon as possible after the surgery. But, there cannot be a general definitive time length of the recovery period because it is typically individualized and based on several factors:

• Your overall health and weight
• Your age
• Your post surgery care 
• Procedural type and technique used

Your body will need considerable time to heal properly and come back to its normal state. Most importantly, you must follow all the guidelines of your surgeon whether pre or post surgery, to help you recover properly and get the desired result. He will inform you of an approximate recovery time period.

Recovery is a process in itself and starts at a very first step of consultation. But when you leave the hospital after the surgery, you have to take all the precautions for yourself in order to avoid all sorts of infections, risks and complications. Usually, you can recover within the 8 weeks period following the surgery.

Here is a detailed insight into the recovery period after undergoing the Tummy Tuck procedure.

Instructions to follow

Your surgeon and his team will describe everything that you need to follow during the recovery period. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask and clear your doubts. 

After the surgery, when you are discharged, you surgeon will guide you about:

• The follow-up appointments 
• Taking care of your incisions and drain tubes
• How to bath
• Your diet
• Medications like pain-killers, blood-thinners, and anti-inflammatory pills
• How much to rest
• Activities that you should not do
• How to avoid infection 
• When to resume normal activities

You will need someone to take you home and to take care of you during the recovery period.

Immediately after the surgery

• The treated area of your tummy will be covered with surgical dressing, which will be exchanged with a compression garment. You will wear that garment for at least six weeks to support your abdomen.
   
• In many cases, small drainage tubes will be placed around your incisions so that excess fluid or blood can be drained easily.
   
• Nurses will guide you for the specific lying position till the time you have drain tubes. You will be told to sleep in an inclined position where your upper body is slightly raised than your lower body. You may also be advised to put a pillow under your knees in order to reduce the pressure on the abdomen.
   
• Additionally, you will be prescribed medication that can reduce the swelling, ease the pain and speed up your recovery. You will be given some applicator for the skin as well that you are supposed to apply on the skin with specific intervention. Don’t self-medicate at all.
   
• Keep in mind, you can take a sponge bath only till the time you have drain tubes.
   
• You are not supposed to do any kind of rigorous activity at least for six weeks regardless of the tummy tuck type performed on you.
   
• You will be advised to not to consume nicotine for at least 6 weeks as it can slow down the healing and cause complications. Excessive sun exposure should also be avoided.

A Few weeks after the surgery

• During follow-up meetings, your surgeon will monitor your recovery pace and will guide you accordingly in terms of medicines and resuming physical activities.
   
• You will need someone around you all the time to take care of you and all the things because you will have limited mobility for a few days after the surgery. You will find it difficult to bend, stand for long periods and lift any object so it will be advantageous if you have someone with you. Also, bending can cause harm to wounds so it should be avoided.
   
• You must be gentle with the incision site and your treated area. You may experience some pain, swelling and bruising for some days. Your surgeon will prescribe medicines in order to ease this discomfort. Try to wear the abdominal support garment for maximum comfort.
   
• Your diet will be planned in a way that it is not straining your abdominal muscles. The surgeon will instruct you to start off with a liquid diet for two or three days then move to semi-solid. Make sure to eat light food items, free of spices and rich in fiber so that you don’t face any constipation issues.
   
• Your surgeon will decide when to remove the bandages. At this time, you will be able to notice some changes in your stomach’s contour.
   
• The surgeon will still advise you to refrain from starting any rigorous activity. There should be no exercise and gym in the initial weeks following the surgery. If you have a sedentary working life, you can do it for some time after three weeks but not to do any hard work. However, you will be able to drive, cook and shop after three to four weeks.
   
• If you notice any unusual thing like extreme swelling or bleeding, make sure to talk to your doctor immediately.

Few months after the surgery

During one to three months after surgery, you will be able to resume normal activities. Your surgeon will tell you how much physical strain you can take on. 

Some people get healed but many feel numbness, pain and swelling in these months. Your incisions will be healed but scars will be visible which will eventually go away after some more time. 

Your results will be visible at a certain level. 

One year after the surgery

You will recover completely after a year. All the side-effects will be gone and your final results will be fully visible. Your scars will be almost invisible or hidden.

Here comes the most crucial thing to do, in order to maintain your results, you have to follow a healthy life-style. Because weight fluctuations after the recovery can damage your results by giving you sagging skin again. Therefore, you must do regular exercise and have a well-balanced diet. This will increase the longevity of the surgery results. 

Conclusion

After the surgery, you should follow all the instructions given by your surgeon to recover as early as possible and to avoid any complications. Your surgeon will ensure the smooth recovery phase. You will certainly achieve your desired tummy contours once you recover completely.

With us, you can look out for the top most surgeons from all the major cities of India who are board-certified and well-experienced to perform the cosmetic surgeries. They have developed an aesthetic eye and a precise skill-set to customize the treatment as per the patient’s needs. 

They also ensure that you have zero complications during the surgery and recovery process with the most natural-looking results. So feel free to browse through our website and lookout for the best surgeon in your preferred area to perform the tummy tuck procedure.