Tummy Tuck Swelling

 

 

Swelling After Tummy Tucks

Swelling after tummy tucks can be considerable. The swelling after my Tummy Tuck and Lateral Thigh Lift Surgery was enormous 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.

 

3 Days  After Surgery	2 Weeks  After Surgery	3 Months  After Surgery

 

I attribute the weight gain to 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 tummy tuck 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.

 

Swelling After Tummy Tuck

Tummy tuck swelling (also know as anasarca and edema) is the enlargement of body structures in the abdominal area causes by excessive buildup of fluid in the tissues. A rapid increase of weight is associates with 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. By resting and sleeping in a reclining position with your head and legs elevated for at least 2 weeks after surgery.
   

2. By sleeping on your back and not on your side.
   

3. By avoiding salt in your diet.
   

4. By wearing a compression garment.
   

5. By drinking plenty of water and fluids.
   

6. By proper nutrition and plenty of exercise.
   

7. By tissue Massage (per doctor's instructions).

 

 

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

  

 

   

How long does swelling after tummy tuck last?

It varies with the type and extent of the surgery and the patients healing ability. Swelling in patients is gone in 3 - 5 weeks for some patients, other's take several weeks or months.

  

Is swelling after tummy tuck common?

Yes, swelling is very common and expected in all tummy tuck surgeries.

  

How can I tell if I still have tummy tuck swelling?

Aside from looking into the mirror another way to tell if you still have swelling from you rsurgery is to look at the incision area of your surgical wound. If the incision is red or pinkish swelling is still present. A white incision area or scar would indicate most if not all of the swelling is gone.

  

How long does it take for Tummy Tuck Swelling to reduce?

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 my swelling decrease after one day, two days, one week, two weeks and two months following surgery.

  

How is swelling from a Tummy Tuck different in men than women?

It is definitely different at least one way. Please read.. "Little Known Fact About One Type of Tummy Tuck Swelling."

  

Are Swollen Legs common after a Tummy Tuck? Is leg Swelling common after a Tummy Tuck?

Some leg swelling is common and temporary after surgery. To reduce the swelling lay down and elevate your legs above the level of your heart. Decrease the amount of walking and physical activity placed on the legs. Other suggestions include decreasing your salt intake and wearing support hose. If swelling persists see your doctors as swelling is sometimes a symptom of blood clots in leg veins (which is a risk associated with Tummy Tuck surgery).

 

Feedback Messages

The following Reader Comments are relevant to the subject of this page.
To read all Tummy Tuck Feedback at our tummy tuck forum click here.

 

1. Swollen, Bloated Stomach 4 Months After Tummy Tuck
2. 67 Year Old woman Has Pain And Swelling 2 Months After Tummy Tuck
3. Pain, Swelling And Gurgling Sounds 6 Weeks After Tummy Tuck
4. Swollen & Look Pregnant 6 Months After Tummy Tuck
5. Stomach Not Flat After Tummy Tuck
6. Tummy Tuck Swelling 6 Weeks After Surgery
7. Tummy Tuck Groin Swelling, Numbness & Bathroom Problems
8. Swelling & Pain 9 Weeks After Tummy Tuck
9. Tummy Tuck Swelling Under Belly Button
10. Wearing Pants After Tummy Tuck
11. Tummy Tuck Swelling And Distention
12. Tummy Tuck Swelling Post Op
13. Tummy Tuck Bloating

 

More Messages

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Bloated After A Tummy Tuck

December 2011
I have & I still are experiencing this problem. I really feel a tightness around my belly button & I sometime through my back. I can't even drink 9oz of water without getting bloated. I fell like I want to tale a stick pin &I deflate my stomach. I want to go to a gastrointestinal doc but I'm fear I might cause further complications. What have u found out?

Response - Kim, Why not go back to your surgeon and explain your symptoms to him/her? Your surgeon is the only one that can really giver you answers. Tanner

Follow-up: I did go back to him and he suggested that I see a gastro Md. I'm trying to set up an appoint now. Thank you for responding. Kim

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Abdominoplasty Swelling

September 09, 2010
Hey bro well done on your recovery and thanks for your detailed explanation but how long did it take for your swelling to go down completely? Devin

  

Response - Devin, It's hard to tell exactly how long it takes for tummy tuck swelling to go down. After your tummy tuck, your not quite sure about how much of that protruding area is swelling, extra pounds that you should have lost before the operation or what is "normal" for you after the operation.

3-5 weeks is the commonly accepted time it takes for tummy tuck swelling to go down. In my case I would have to guess my swelling went away in two to three months but I had a thigh lift as well as a tummy tuck done (way more swelling that just a tummy tuck). Tanner

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Swelling After Tummy Tuck

August 15, 2010
Hello: It's been 2 months since my abdominalplasty with lipo. When I wake up in the morning my stomach is flat but throughout the day every time I eat my stomach blows up. Is this normal? I feel like I look pregnant all over again. I know I still have a little swelling but I didn't think this would happen with a bowl of oatmeal. I hope nothing's wrong. Please advise.
Rika

Response - Rika, When you say your stomach "blows up", can you actually see a difference when looking in the mirror (before and after eating) or is it just a feeling of being bloated?

I can sort of relate to what you feel. I remember soon after my tummy tuck I noticed that I seemed to get fuller much faster when I ate. I took this as a good thing and assumed that since my skin and stomach muscles were "tighter", my stomach did not have as much room to expand when I ate. It also served as a reminder and incentive not to eat too much. Every time I got that feeling I would think "I don't want to overeat and cause my skin to stretch again or pull at the stomach stitches". Even today, over two years later I get that same feeling. If it's not just a feeling of being too full and you can actually see bloating and swelling every time you eat it might be time to go back to the doctor to check it out. Good luck. Tanner

Thx. I go see my doc on Wednesday. I don't feel bloated. I can actually see it. Is this a complication? Rika

I have never heard of anyone having that problem in relation to a tummy tuck, but I don't know if it is a complication or not.
Tanner

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July 21, 2010
Good journey and experience! mbt

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