Going through a significant weight loss from pregnancy and childbirth can result in an unwanted accumulation of hip and back fat. When dieting and exercise fail to correct these issues, most patients will undergo a tummy tuck.
A tummy tuck operation can dramatically reduce the appearance of a protruding abdomen or a flabby midriff. During the tummy tuck surgery, your board-certified plastic surgeon will remove excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdomen and tighten the muscles in the abdominal wall. If you’re considering a tummy tuck, you should also be familiar with the recovery process to prepare for changes in your normal daily routine.
Tummy Tuck Complications
Since a tummy tuck is a significant surgical procedure, some complications may arise. The plastic surgeon may prescribe a compression garment or an abdominal binder to support the tissue and reduce swelling. Your board-certified plastic surgeon will talk you through the complications of major surgery during your initial consultation.
Follow These Tummy Tuck Recovery Tips
Don’t expect to wake up from a tummy tuck surgery looking flat, toned, and trim. During the first couple of weeks after your tummy tuck surgery, you’ll feel some tightness in your abdominal area. This is a natural occurrence in the healing process, as your muscles and skin grow into their new form. You’ll also have some swelling in your surgery area after a tummy tuck, which you can expect to reduce as your body recovers from your surgery.
Having performed many successful tummy tucks over the years, Dr. Sanjay Lalla suggested adhering to these tips to help speed up healing.
- Take Time Off from Work: Make sure you can properly relax and heal. If you have extra vacation days, now is the time to use them. Depending on the type of abdominoplasty performed, a week or two is usually sufficient to allow your body to heal.
- Wear Loose-Fitting Clothing: Don’t wear anything with tight waistbands, including yoga pants that are snug around your middle section.
- Skip the Gym: Stomach muscles are involved in nearly every type of movement, and you want to be sure you’re not putting undue strain on your tummy by being impatient to get back to the gym. Ask your board-certified plastic surgeon for suggestions on which fitness activities you can do, such as walking, so that you can keep your endorphins going while you heal.
- Stick to a Balanced Diet: After a tummy tuck, your body will be in a healing stage, and good nutrition gives your body extra healing power.
- Stay Hydrated: Your body needs an adequate supply of water to facilitate your health in general as well as your healing, so make sure that you’re drinking water. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that easing up on drinking will make that ‘bloating’ subside. You need plenty of water to flush out toxins and help your system heal well.
Ensuring a Successful Tummy Tuck Recovery
A tummy tuck is a big operation and takes time for the body to heal and tighten up. Don’t feel discouraged if it seems to be taking a long time for your swelling to reduce. Talk to your board-certified plastic surgeon about what you can expect post-surgery, as well as additional suggestions for optimal recovery.
Our board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Lalla, has helped hundreds of patients in northern New Jersey achieve a new, slimmer profile. With offices confidently located in West Orange and Millburn, Dr. Sanjay Lalla has a custom plastic surgery solution for you. Dial (973) 324-9455 to schedule a consultation with New Jersey’s preferred plastic surgeon for tummy tucks.