Recovering From Your Tummy Tuck

A tummy tuck can be a transformative surgery for both men and women looking to correct the appearance of their abdomen, reduce back pain, and even increase their exercise tolerance. While you may be eager to get back to your daily routine following your operation with Dr. Kutty at Luxe Plastic Surgery, here’s what you should expect for your recovery.

Healing Times May Vary

Just as no two people are identical, the same can be said for medical procedures. Your overall health and physical fitness can greatly impact how fast or slow your body recovers after your tummy tuck. Other factors that may play into your healing time include:

  • Your age
  • The type of tummy tuck you’ve had
  • Your post-operative care routine
  • Your job

Recovering Timeline

The standard time frame for recovery following your tummy tuck procedure is 2 to 6 weeks. As mentioned previously, your health and other specific conditions will determine how quickly you can return to work. For instance, if you have a desk or office focused job, you may be able to return to work sooner than a patient who has a more labor-focused profession.

Following your operation, Dr. Kutty will apply a dressing to your abdomen to reduce initial swelling and to keep the incision area clean during your recovery. He will also insert a drain. After this point, the next two weeks of healing are vital to your recovery period:

Week One of Recovery

Tightness and bruising near your abdomen are common for the first week following your procedure. Additionally, oral pain relief medication can be prescribed if you’re uncomfortable while resting at home. You will need to visit the office so that Dr. Kutty can remove the drain that he inserted following your surgery, as well as the garment and dressings.

While walking can help to reduce swelling and to keep you lightly active, you should ensure that you’re not overdoing it. You should, however, try to avoid the following activities:

  • Drinking alcohol
  • Smoking
  • Lifting anything over 10 lbs
  • Working

Week Two of Recovery

If you feel better and are cleared by Dr. Kutty, you may be able to start returning to work during/after two weeks post-op. For combined surgeries, you may need more time at home to rest properly.

Returning back to work or your daily routine before your body is fully healed can result in complications. Most patients are able to return to their full workout routine after 6 weeks, as well as patients whose jobs involve strenuous labor.

Tummy Tucks in Sugar Land TX

Loose, sagging abdominal skin affects many of our Sugar Land area patients, and our board-certified plastic surgeon can deliver a flattering body shape with a tummy tuck, or a combination of body procedures. If you’re interested in a tummy tuck or another procedure, contact Luxe Plastic Surgery today by calling (281) 313-0551.