Tummy Tuck Healing

 

Healing After A Tummy Tuck

 

Tummy Tuck Healing

This is my experience with healing after a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) with a lateral thigh lift. If you are looking to get a Tummy Tuck operation, this is what you may be in for.

Tummy Tuck Healing 3 Days  After Surgery

Tummy Tuck Healing 2 Weeks  After Surgery

Tummy Tuck Healing 3 Months  After Surgery

  

HEALING After A Tummy Tuck - PAIN

My personal experience with pain following my Tummy Tuck Surgery was surprising, even to my surgeon. I had no pain whatsoever. I was provided with a 2 day supply of pain pills for immediately after the surgery. I took the pills as directed but I think I could have done without them. I encountered no real pain throughout my entire surgery and recovery. The only thing that I felt was a numb feeling throughout my midsection which lasted for many months.

Before I began my tummy tuck experience, I did a lot of research into what type of pain and discomfort level I could expect. I read many horror stories about the excruciating pain associated with tummy tuck surgery and I figured that I would just have to "tough it out" if I wanted to give rid of the sagging skin around might mid-section. I was also counting on the pain medications that the doctor would provide me.

Since I was not only going to have a tummy tuck but a body lift as well, I could expect pain on all sides of my body in my mid-section area. I anticipated sleepless nights thinking that no matter what position I slept in, I would be laying on a surgical wound area.

To my surprise, anticipation of pain was far worse than my actual pain. in fact, I had no actual pain associated with my operation, from when I awoke in the recovery room through completion of the healing process. I did had some discomfort, but it was hardly worth mentioning. It consisted mostly of a tightness feeling and numbness around my mid section.

My doctor did give me two days worth of pain medication which I took as directed. if I did have any pain in those two days, that pain medication did its job without making me feel sluggish or dizzy. I felt clearheaded and "normal" while on the medication. After the medication ran out, I felt the same as when I was on it.

At each of my follow-up visits with the surgeon I informed him of my pain free recovery. He was amazed at my lack of pain and said that most patients experience some level of pain and discomfort. Some more than other.

I believe that my pain free tummy tuck and body lift recovery was due my health, physical condition and preparations that I did before my surgery.

These included
- losing weight, eating only healthy foods and following a strict diet
- taking daily supplements and vitamins
- exercising every day, including weight lifting

My suggestion to someone who anticipates undergoing tummy tuck surgery or body left surgery is to get into the best health and physical condition you can before the operation. See more about tummy tuck pain.

 

HEALING After A Tummy Tuck - SWELLING

The swelling following my Tummy Tuck and Lateral Thigh Lift Surgery was considerable as can be seen in the photograph. My first hint should have been the day following surgery when I weighed myself and found that the surgery actually added a few pounds to my weight. I was expecting to see a 5 lb loss from all the skin that was removed. Instead I found I gained weight. I attribute the weight gain to a number of factors including all the swelling, all the fluids that they pumped into me during the operation and the weight of my compression garment. It took a long time for the swelling to go down as evidenced by the following photographs. I was told that swelling around the wound or incision area should peak at about 3 days and that most of the swelling (80%) should be gone in 2 - 6 weeks and the remainder should be gone in 3 - 6 months. See more about tummy tuck swelling.

 

 

 

TUMMY TUCK SWELLING IN THE GROIN AREA

At one of my pre Tummy Tuck meetings, the nurse make a brief comment that there may be some swelling in the lower areas (I forget how she actually put it) but I gave it no thought. I didn't know how "low" she meant. Now I do. Apparently the body fluids that were not drained off by the surgical drains made their way "downhill" towards the groin area causing noticeable swelling down there. An amusing thought came to me - "I paid $11,000 for a Tummy Tuck and got a "male enhancement" thrown in for free. Unfortunately it only lasted a month, then the swelling went down and everything was "back to normal".

Tips To Reduce Tummy Tuck Swelling

1. Rest and sleep in a reclining position with your head and legs elevated for at least 2 weeks after surgery.
   

2. Sleep on your back and not on your side.
   

3. Avoid salt in your diet.
   

4. Wear a compression garment.
   

5. Drink plenty of water and fluids.
   

6. Proper nutrition and exercise
   

7. Tissue Massage (per doctor's instructions)
   

 

TUMMY TUCK HEALING - TUMMY TUCK RECOVERY

Healing associated with a Tummy Tuck and Lateral Thigh Lift are a fact of life and just something you have to live with. Applying a topical steroid cream for a few days following surgery can significantly reduce scars. If done consistently for about 6 weeks, the scars will fade faster and become much less noticeable. I had initially planned to use scar fading creams that are available, but the cost was too expensive to cover so many scars. I stuck with the antibiotic ointment for the weeks following surgery.

 

Healing After A Tummy Tuck: Update 5/2/09
It has been about 17 months since I had my Tummy Tuck with Lateral Thigh Lift operation. I still have noticeable scars on my belly button, my belly, both my sides and my back side.

1. The Tummy Tuck portion of my operation appears to have healed the best. The scars at this stage are barely noticeable. You really have to look closely to see them.

2. The scars associated with my lateral thigh lift portion of my surgery are still extremely noticeable and look like they will always be that way. If you're concerned about this type of thing, plan on always wearing a t-shirt when you go to the beach.

3. The scars around my belly button look a little peculiar. On one side they have faded nicely and you can hardly see them. On the other side I still have a thick red scar. It looks like that one will be there forever.

 

Tummy Tuck Healing - Scar Revisions

Some patients become unhappy with the appearance of their resulting scars from a Tummy Tuck operation and go back to their surgeon for a Tummy Tuck Scar Revision. A Scar Revision is an additional surgery performed to improve or reduce the appearance of scars. It may also restore function and correct disfigurement caused by a wound, injury, or prior surgery. See more about tummy tuck scars.

 

HEALING After A Tummy Tuck - BRUISING

Tummy tuck bruising may occur in the surgical area following tummy tuck and thigh lift surgeries. If bruising develops, it should be gone in 3 to 6 weeks. See more about tummy tuck bruising.

 

HEALING After A Tummy Tuck - NUMBNESS

Numbness, tenderness or firmness around the tummy tuck surgical wound area is common. It may take several months to up to 2 years for normal feeling to return.

 

Tummy Tuck Healing Pictures

The following pictures show the healing process of tummy tuck scars and how long it takes for the swelling to reduce and scars to fade.

No Healing Before Tummy Tuck	Tummy Tuck Healing After 2 Days	Tummy Tuck Healing After 4 Days
Tummy Tuck Healing After 7 Days	Tummy Tuck Healing After 10 Days	Tummy Tuck Healing After 12 Days
Tummy Tuck Healing After 14 Days	Tummy Tuck Healing After 17 Days	Tummy Tuck Healing After 18 Days
Tummy Tuck Healing After 19 Days	Tummy Tuck Healing After 23 Days	Tummy Tuck Healing After 24 Days
Tummy Tuck Healing After 1 Month	Tummy Tuck Healing After 1 Month And 1 Week	Tummy Tuck Healing After 1 Month And 2 Weeks
Tummy Tuck Healing After 1 Month And 3 Weeks	Tummy Tuck Healing After 2 Months	Tummy Tuck Healing After 2 Months And 2 Weeks
Tummy Tuck Healing After 3 Months And 2 Weeks	Tummy Tuck Healing After 5 Months	Tummy Tuck Healing After 1 Year

 

 

Healing After A Tummy Tuck

1. How much pain is there with a Tummy Tuck?
   This varies greatly depending on who you listen to. I had a Tummy Tuck and a Lateral Thigh Lift (where they cut around my entire body) and throughout the entire experience I HAD NO PAIN and little if any discomfort. I was provided with enough pain medications for only 2 days, but I doubt that I even needed that. For the typical Tummy Tuck they say that you would most likely have some discomfort and some pain (controllable with medications) for the first few days. Some patients just take regular non-prescription Tylenol for comfort after surgery. Valium is sometimes given to some patients for relaxation and as a sleep aid. Unless there are some other type of problems or complications that should be about it.
2. What pain medicines do they use after Tummy Tuck surgery?
   The two prescriptions that I received were for Keflex 500mg an antibiotic (20 pills) and Mepergan Fortis for pain (40 pills). Valium is sometimes given to for relaxation and a sleep aid.

 

Tummy Tuck Healing, Swelling & Stitches Shown at various stages of healing after "Tummy Tuck" plastic surgery with Body/Lateral Thigh Lift
	Tummy Tuck Healing 3 Days After	Tummy Tuck Swelling 3 Days After	Tummy Tuck Stiches 3 Days After
Tummy Tuck 2 Weeks After	Tummy Tuck 2 Weeks After	Tummy Tuck 2 Weeks After	Tummy Tuck 2 Weeks After

 

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Healing After A Tummy Tuck

 

 

Tags: Tummy Tuck Healing, Abdominoplasty Healing, Pain Control, Swelling

Description: Healing begins after tummy tuck surgery. This is what healing after a tummy tuck is all about including pictures showing the healing process and a daily log of my experiences.