The following post from our forum is from a women who had a tummy tuck 9 days ago and now her tummy looks paunchy and is not flat as she expected. She is wondering if this is swelling.

Date: 11/14/2011 Submitted by: GlendaStomach Not Flat After Tummy Tuck

Hello, I am 9 days post op and have a few questions. One is my stomach is not flat after tummy tuck. i still have “paunchy areas” meaning i expected to be pulled so tight i could bounce a quarter off my stomach. Is this swelling? will it continually attach and tighten?

RESPONSE

Date: 11/14/2011 Submitted by: Tanner

Glenda,

9 days is nothing. I would be surprised if it was as flat as you expected so soon after surgery. Most likely it is swelling that you are noticing.

It takes anywhere from 3-5 weeks or longer before most of the swelling goes away.

For more information on swelling see Tummy Tuck Swelling or visit the tummy tuck forum and sort the category column looking for “swelling”.

That seems to be one of the most common complaints, how long it takes for the swelling to go down. It’s hard not to be impatient after all the work and effort required to get to that point.

I’m not sure about the bouncing quarter though. Mine wouldn’t bounce one even after all the swelling went down.

I am not sure what you mean by continually attach and tighten”.

Good luck.

Tanner