The duration of time needed off of work after an abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, greatly depends on your occupation. Most of my patients with “desk jobs” are able to return to work after 7-10 days. Those with more labor intensive jobs need to take an extra 1-2 weeks off.
As for your second question, I instruct my patients to wear the tummy tuck compression garment for 3-4 weeks after surgery, 23 hours a day.
This is very important in order to avoid complications and ensure the best results. Best wishes Neil Zemmel, MD (Neil J. Zemmel, MD, FACS, Midlothian Plastic Surgeon)
I find that patients who are self-employed and have desk jobs, can often start out working at home within a few days. When patients have to travel, climbing stairs, getting in and out of cars, I preferred that they wait 10 days before returning to work. I have not had any patients have problems with wound healing except patients who smoke tobacco products.
I advise all my patients who smoke cigarettes to refrain from smoking for two weeks beforehand and two weeks after the tummy tuck surgery but in 26 years I’ve had three patients who have had wound healing problems and all of them admitted to “sneaking a cigarette every so often “in the early postoperative period (Joseph M. Perlman, MD, Houston Plastic Surgeon)
Going back to work after a tummy tuck
The answer depends upon the type of tummy tuck you are having and what adjunctive procedures are being performed. For a standard tummy tuck with muscle tightening and some liposuction, I recommend at least 2 weeks off of work. Heavy lifting (> 10 lbs) is limited for at least 4 to 6 weeks. The binder is helpful to provide support and decrease the risk of fluid collections. I have patients wear this for 2 weeks day and night, then switch to daytime use as needed after 2 weeks.
Because pain is subjective, recovery times and feeling “back to normal” vary considerably. A thorough discussion with your plastic surgeon in regards to what surgery is planned for you will clarify your personal recovery period. (David Bogue, MD, Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon)
After undergoing a tummy tuck, most patients will return to work within 2-3 weeks. However, it does depend on what type of work the patient performs. If one’s job requires heavy lifting or strenuous activity, it can be 4-6 weeks or longer until one is able to return to their regular job.
If the patient has a complication after tummy tuck surgery, this can also prolong the time period before returning to work. Compression garments are recommended to aid in the healing process by helping to prevent fluid collections, and speeding the resolution of swelling. (Kelly Gallego, MD, FACS, Yuba City Plastic Surgeon)
Every patient and every tummy tuck is unique. The type of tummy tuck depends on what areas you would like to address and what your specific goals are (please see the video below).
Recovery for liposuction or a partial tummy tuck is much shorter than that of a full or extended tummy tuck.
Return to work also depends on the type of job you have and your responsibilities (a waitress and a lifeguard have much more physically demanding jobs than data entry, etc) During your consultation, talk to your surgeon at length about the specific activities you perform at work, what your tummy tuck goals are and how much time you are allowed to take off work. This will help in designing the best tummy tuck for you. (Pat Pazmino, MD, Miami Plastic Surgeon)
Patients can return to work after a tummy tuck in about 2 weeks if no heavy lifting is required.
Obviously, returning to work is patient dependent. However, as a general rule, my patients are allowed to return to work in 2 weeks if they feel up to it. They are not allowed to engage in activities that target the abdominal muscles if fascial repair was part of the operation. (Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD, Atlanta Plastic Surgeon)
It’s recommended to go back to work 10-14 days after tummy tuck.
It’s recommended to go back to work 10-14 days after surgery (assuming the job is not strenuous). When tummy tuck is performed there is some swelling and it may feel tight. The garment is used to help tighten the skin as the swelling goes down and is to be worn for 6 weeks from your surgery date. (Shain A. Cuber, MD, Manhattan Plastic Surgeon)
Back to work after Tummy tuck is generally 2 weeks
Going back to work after a tummy tuck usually occurs at 2 weeks after surgery. This depends on multiple factors such as what type of work you do (2 weeks assumes a non-strenuous job such as working at a desk), how quickly you have tended to recovery from previous surgeries, and if any other procedures are done in conjunction with your tummy tuck.
For the typical patient, who works at a desk, going back to work at 2 weeks usually means that you will still have some mild discomfort from the surgery, you may get tired fairly easily, and you probably won’t be quite at 100% yet. If your job involves strenuous activity such as lifting, we recommend 4-6 weeks off of work. The compression garment is worn for 3 weeks all the time, and then 3 weeks at night when you are sleeping.
The garment has two roles: reduces swelling during the healing period helps to support your core (since your plicated muscles will be quite sore in the first 2 weeks after surgery); many patients will state that if feels more comfortable to keep the garment on for this very reason Best Regards. (Lawrence Tong, MD, Toronto Plastic Surgeon)