My patients generally return to work in two weeks. Note that you may walk and sit a little hunched over for a few days after the operation. Don't even try to stand up straight during this time—you risk separating the incisions.
However, this jackknifed position is critical for the first week, even when attempting to sit or lie down. The knees should be lifted, the feet and the head should maintain an elevated position whether it's with pillows or with a recliner chair. This protects the incision and protects the abdominoplasty results.
Other ways to help ease discomfort after surgery
Avoid any Activity which uses the abdominal muscle. Try not to sit in a deeply upholstered chair or sofa. Depend on your arms to push yourself up from a sitting position.
After your tummy tuck, sleeping in an elevated and slightly bent position is key to increasing your comfort and ensuring optimal results. Elevated sleeping is essential in ensuring a safe and healthy recovery from your tummy tuck in Beverly Hills.
You should bear in mind that you won't be able to lift yourself into a completely upright position immediately after one week. Rather, straightening after tummy tuck is a slow and gradual process, with most patients recovering their straightened posture in 2-3 weeks.
The first three to five days are the most difficult period of tummy tuck recovery. You will spend much of this time reclining – often even sleeping in a recliner. During this first week when the pain is most severe, Dr. Slack will prescribe a combination of narcotics and muscle relaxers.
Bed rest is recommended for the first 2 days after your tummy tuck procedure. On day 3, activity is encouraged but should be limited.
Most of the swelling will fade away two weeks after the surgery. At this point, you can start walking twice a day for fifteen to twenty minutes. Do not opt for any other exercises as your body is still in the initial phases of recovery. You can increase the duration of your walks after the four weeks marker.
Summary. It takes time and rest to properly heal after tummy tuck surgery. While you heal, you need to avoid squatting, lifting, or any action that places stress on the surgical area. Doing so may interfere with healing and cause scarring.
It is recommended that you avoid sleeping on your stomach or side for at least two weeks after this cosmetic procedure, as this can put too much pressure on the incision site and cause pain.
You will be sore after your tummy tuck and bending over to use the toilet seat can be very painful. A toilet seat booster helps to raise the height of the toilet seat, making it easier and more comfortable for you to use the restroom.
After the second day, your only exercise should involve getting out of bed every two hours and walking with assistance for 10 to 15 minutes. By the end of the week, you should be able to engage in light activity or household chores and walk without assistance.
How do you get out of bed after an abdominoplasty? While maintaining a semi-flexed position, roll over on your side so that your legs are on the edge of your bed. Then, use your hands to gently prop yourself into a seated position. Rock your body forward, and use your leg muscles to help you stand.
Household chores
These household activities include cleaning, doing laundry, cooking, looking after small children, and other important activities. Given the surgical trauma involved in the tummy tuck, you will not be able to run your household errands for at least three weeks post-operation.
How soon can you walk after a tummy tuck? You absolutely can walk up and downstairs immediately after surgery. Once again use common sense. If you need someone to help you on the stairs then do so.
Whilst the removal of this can result in some loss of body mass, a tummy tuck is not a weight loss solution. In fact, removing excess skin can make it easier for patients to shed pounds and contour their bodies post-surgery.
After a tummy tuck, you'll need extra sleep. We recommend sleeping as much as you can for the first week or two. When you are awake, focus on eating healthy meals, taking gentle walks, and getting lots of hydration. Elevating your torso is essential for comfortable and safe sleep.
The best sleeping position after tummy tuck surgery is on your back with your upper body elevated to create a slight bend or angle. Using pillows or sleeping in a recliner is ideal to achieve this position.
Tiredness. For at least six weeks after a tummy tuck surgery, you will feel weak and tired. Sometimes it might be hard for you to stand up straight. But regardless of how weak your body feels, you have to stand and walk around the house several times a day to recover your natural posture and movement.
Full healing can take up to a year
The benefits from your tummy tuck will not be immediately noticeable. In fact, over the first several weeks, redness, bruising, stiffness and swelling are common. This will slowly resolve over the next four to six weeks and the results will start to show.
As with any other surgical procedure, swelling after tummy tuck is typical to occur in the lower abdominal area. Three weeks after surgery, most patients feel very swollen and even experience hardness around the belly button.
You may notice that your bowel movements are not regular right after your surgery. This is common. Try to avoid constipation and straining with bowel movements. You may want to take a fibre supplement every day.
Whether you're contemplating a Mommy Makeover package or just want to undergo a tummy tuck, you'll be relieved to know that any pain from this cosmetic procedure is far less than that experienced after a C-section. *Individual Results May Vary.
There will be some discomfort after a tummy tuck, with the worst discomfort experienced within the first week. On a scale of 1 – 10, pain is often estimated at around a 6-7 for the the first few days to a week, reducing to around a 3 – 4 in the second week. This would, of course, depend on the individual.