There are many factors that can either increase or reduce a patient’s recovery time after undergoing a tummy tuck procedure, also known as an abdominoplasty. Before committing to an elective surgery, it is in your best interest to research the ways in which you can prepare in order to reduce your risk of complications as well as recovery time post-surgery. Having a consultation with a doctor or surgeon can also help you become more informed about the ways in which you can go into your tummy tuck surgery with the best possible chances of having a successful and relatively painless procedure.
Doctors can tell you what to generally expect during your recovery period after an abdominoplasty, but your reaction to the surgery is going to vary based on a few factors. The healthier and more physically fit a patient is, the easier time their body will have recovering from the surgery. Chances are, if you are more physically fit, you are undergoing one of the less intensive surgeries, and thus your recovery time will be even shorter. For those undergoing extensive tummy tuck surgeries, the recovery time will be increased. Lastly, your behavior post-surgery is another important factor in your body’s ability to heal. If you take care of yourself, get plenty of rest, don’t smoke, and don’t start any strict diet or exercise routines, your body has the best chance of healing properly and quickly.
A lot of patients find themselves overly anxious to see the final results of their tummy tuck procedure, and end up taking the bandages off too soon. Remember, an abdominoplasty is a serious surgical procedure and you have to care for your body while it recovers from the removal of skin, the tightening and sculpting of abdominal muscles and the removal of fat.
Without weighing in individual factors that contribute to recovery time, it is safe to say that most patients should schedule to miss about two weeks of work. Depending on how extensive your surgery was, or if there were any unforeseen complications, your recovery time could last up to four weeks or longer. Most patients will begin seeing the affects of their tummy tuck within a few weeks time, and should begin to feel “normal” again in less than a month. The first week after the surgery is usually the hardest, but surgeons can recommend some medications that will make the recovery process less painful and uncomfortable for the patient.
