The abdomen will probably be covered in bandages for a few days. You also will be quite sore and swollen for at least one or two weeks. After the bandages are removed, there will be a lot of swelling, and the incision will be noticeable. After the stitches are removed after a few weeks, the scar will fade over a year.
Tummy tuck recovery is approximately three months long. While post-op swelling may last several weeks, a tummy tuck generally takes six weeks to heal and look normal.
Most women lose between 2 and 3 pants sizes after a tuck, but there are patients who lose even more. If you had a lot of loose skin before the procedure, for example, you could go down 4 more pants sizes.
Tummy tucks can produce belly buttons that are too round, too narrow or too tight and have a visible circular scar around them. “This is often a dead giveaway for a tummy tuck.”
The worst days after your tummy tuck will be the first one to three days. You may experience some discomfort, bloating, pressure, and swelling, but these symptoms are normal and will resolve themselves.
Bed rest is recommended for the first 2 days after your tummy tuck procedure. On day 3, activity is encouraged but should be limited.
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.
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.
Even in most normal weight and extremely fit women, the abdomen may not be completely flat following abdominoplasty. It is realistic for patients to expect improvement in the flatness of the stomach, but should not immediately assume that their abdomen will be entirely flat.
With a full tuck, you will lose more weight than you would with a mini tuck because you probably have more excess skin and fat to be removed. Finally, the opportunity to lose the most weight after abdominoplasty is reserved for clients who choose an extended tuck.
A tummy tuck surgery not only has a big effect on the look of the abdomen, but it can also affect the appearance of other bodily structures. It is not uncommon for patients to report that people believed their breasts looked bigger.
A properly performed tummy tuck can reduce your waist size and help you feel confident about your curves again. Some patients may lose many inches off their waist, while others will see more subtle results. It all depends on how much tissue can be removed safely.
The tummy tuck is very useful when exercise and diet have failed to tighten the abdominal muscles. However, a tummy tuck is not really designed to make you look “thinner.” Rather, the tummy tuck improves the muscle profile of the abdomen, which in turn can have the effect of making you look more fit and toned.
Avoid abdominal exercises and strenuous activities, such as bicycle riding, jogging, weight lifting, or aerobic exercise, for 6 to 8 weeks. For 6 weeks, avoid lifting anything that would make you strain.
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.
Gaining a handful of pounds after your procedure won't compromise your final tummy tuck results. You can usually fluctuate within 10 to 15 pounds of your goal weight without any significant issues. However, weight gain over the 15-pound mark can cause skin and abdominal muscles to slowly stretch out of place.
While pain tolerance can differ from individual to individual, patients often say the process of recovering from tummy tuck surgery is more painful than liposuction. While liposuction requires small incisions in the skin only, many tummy tuck techniques involve incisions that penetrate the muscle.
To prevent constipation, add high fiber foods to your diet both before and after the surgery to make it easier for the bowels to empty. Individuals who have a history of constipation or have had previous issues with bowel movements post-surgery may want to consider a laxative/stool softener combination.
The good news is that tummy tuck procedures are very safe, with high success rates and low rates of complications. According to an American Society of Plastic Surgeons® (ASPS) survey of over 3,500 surgeries, over 95% of patients had zero complications.
Tummy tucks affects the nerves and blood vessels in the lower abdominal area. As a result, patients often experience tingling, numbness, itching, and other odd sensations during the recovery period. As the skin and nerves heal, these sensations will subside as well.
On the other hand, full-tummy tuck patients require about four weeks, with six weeks of limiting any strenuous exercise or lifting.
Recovery One Week After Tummy Tuck
It's common to feel significant relief one week after a tummy tuck, as you will be able to walk in a more upright position, which places less strain on the back.