In the first week after tummy tuck surgery, Dr. Patronella recommends patients take short walks of 10 minutes, gradually increasing this to one mile, twice daily by days 10 to 14 days after the procedure.
You'll need to get up and walk every day to regain your normal movement. Between walks, move your feet and legs often. A tummy tuck leaves a long scar that will fade with time. You also may have a small scar around your belly button.
Walking after tummy tuck surgery is important; each day following your procedure, you should walk a little bit longer and a bit farther, to increase your strength and facilitate healing.
Most patients require drains for the first few days after surgery, which are removed about 5 days after surgery. Bandages on the incision site should be replaced, and the area around the incision gently cleaned, every other day following surgery.
If you have a “mini tummy tuck” with a smaller incision, you'll likely need between one and three weeks of elevated sleeping. On the other hand, full-tummy tuck patients require about four weeks, with six weeks of limiting any strenuous exercise or lifting.
Answer: Returning to Driving After Tummy Tuck
As a general rule it takes about two weeks before you can straighten up due to the significant abdominal tightness. Therefore, you shouldn't even consider driving for the first two weeks. After two weeks, common sense should be used.
How long do you walk hunched over after a tummy tuck? You will need to walk hunched over or bent at the waist for about a week. This helps prevent additional pressure on your incision lines.
The recovery period after a tummy tuck can be a bit demanding due to the invasiveness of the procedure. You might need up to 6 weeks to get back to your normal daily routine. The first week after a tummy tuck is usually the hardest, with pain and swelling at their peak.
It's not uncommon for people who have a tummy tuck to have a smaller appetite for the first three to six months following their surgery. The tightening of skin and muscles in your abdomen may cause your stomach to feel constricted, encouraging you to eat less.
Don't overexert yourself after the Tummy Tuck procedure
You can take a short walk after a few days and light exercise after a few weeks. The more you are active, the more prompt the recovery. Staying active will help to reduce swelling, minimize the risk of blood clots and make you feel better too.
Answer: Activity after a Tummy Tuck
This is common after surgery that goes well and has very little pain. Keeping patients from overdoing it can be a challenge. If you do too much too early you put yourself at risk for seromas, hematomas, or incision separation. Be careful and follow the instructions of your surgeon.
I suggest to all of my patients that they wait at least two weeks before doing any heavy lifting. Of course, it greatly depends on many factors, i.e. exactly how extensive your abdominoplasty surgery was and how heavy the loads of laundry are.
Light housekeeping includes tasks such as dusting open surfaces; sweeping and mopping floors (damp mops – small areas and hard surface floors); vacuuming around furniture; wiping down counters; washing and putting dishes away; cleaning bathrooms and kitchens; taking out the trash; changing sheets and making the bed; ...
The First Two Weeks
You should not drive, exercise, or lift any object weighing more than 10 pounds during this first seven days. You'll also need to wear your abdominal binder, a compression dressing that will help with swelling and bruising, for about six to eight weeks.
Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck)
The tummy tuck, medically known as abdominoplasty, requires approximately two weeks off work for full recovery. Most people can work at a computer after about four to five days, but plastic surgeons usually recommend two weeks to avoid any unnecessary stress on the body.
Answer: Postop fatigue for number of days after abdominoplasty is common. After surgery the body investors energy in healing the operative site. Patients often feel listless and require excess sleep. Sleep is much as you wish but you should but periodically to exercise the extremities.
However, this jackknifed position is critical for the first week, even when attempting to sit or lie down. The knees should be lifted, the feet and the head should maintain an elevated position whether it's with pillows or with a recliner chair.
Having said this, most women after a tummy tuck will go down a size or two. Some will go down even more! However, some patients will not have a change of size, and rarely, some will actually wear a larger size. Most women will go down a size or two after an abdominoplasty and be very happy with their new appearance.
Soda, tea, coffee, and other beverages can be added, but aren't included in that count, so think water, water, water! Avoid these constipation-causing foods for the first week after your procedure: Red meat.
Most women lose between 2 and 3 pants sizes after a tuck, but there are patients who lose even more. If you had a lot of loose skin before the procedure, for example, you could go down 4 more pants sizes.
– What is the purpose of drains after tummy tuck? Drains are placed to reduce fluid accumulation at the surgical site. They may reduce the incidence of seromas (fluid collections) and resultant complications following tummy tuck. Drains also indicate the amount of bleeding that is occurring during early healing.
Tissue damage.
During a tummy tuck, fatty tissue deep within your skin in the abdominal area might get damaged or die. Smoking increases the risk of tissue damage. Depending on the size of the area, tissue might heal on its own or require a surgical touch-up procedure.
A properly performed tummy tuck can reduce your waist size and help you feel confident about your curves again. Some patients may lose many inches off their waist, while others will see more subtle results. It all depends on how much tissue can be removed safely.