Tummy Tuck: Prices, Photos, Reviews, Info, Q&A

Swelling after a tummy tuck settles by 6-8 weeks. The use of a compression garment will help as it will maintain uniform pressure. After 8 weeks it will continue to improve although at a much slower rate. Typical initial swelling for a tummy tuck lasts about 4 to 6 weeks. I tell my patients to wait until 3 months for the near final result. The last 20 % of swelling is the most annoying and can take 6 months or longer to finally settle.

In a tummy tuck the skin is lifted off and the lymphatic drainage goes down with gravity so the pubic area and area right around the incision swells the most. All swelling is completely final by one year from a tummy tuck just like most plastic surgery procedures. In addition, it is important to do liposuction with nearly all tummy tucks to create a beautiful hourglass S-Curve to the waist. I do this in almost all my patients.

Be patient. A tummy tuck is one of the most rewarding and transformative procedures we do! Below are some typical examples of when swelling is down!

A tummy tuck is a major surgery that does take time to fully recover. There is not much you can do to reduce swelling, but to help with the healing process you should get up and walk around as often as you can. Walking can improve circulation, and decrease any risk of blood clots.

Usually after the procedure, most of the swelling can last a few weeks, but it should keep decreasing each week.

Everyone heals at their own speed, but it usually takes a few months for all of the swelling to go down completely. As you know every patient is different and every patients body heals different then the other. We give our patients a time frame of 3 to 4 months before all swelling subsides.

Swelling after a tummy tuck is of course different for everyone, but on the whole we should expect that swelling should gradually improve starting at about a week after surgery through the first 2 months at a relatively steady pace. Things will continue to improve over the rest of the first year after surgery.

Even in the early postoperative period, however, the swelling is usually relatively insignificant compared to the pre-operative fullness that is removed during surgery. In other words, even though you may have some swelling after surgery, you’ll almost always look better even then than you did before the operation.

Swelling after a tummy tuck can vary. Here in San Antonio, I place 2 drains after tummy tuck surgery. The drains accumulate swelling and I remove those once the drain output is below a threshold.

After removing the drains there will still be some lymphatic swelling that will improve with time and massage. Everyone is different, but I find that lymphatic massage from a great massage therapist helps immensely.

The amount of swelling depends on several factors including: The extent of the procedure perfomed and postoperative activity.

Assuming that your surgery was performed by a board certified plastic surgeon, most of the swelling after a tummy tuck should resolve by 2-3 months. However, the final result may not be appreciated for 6-12 months after surgery.

Every person’s recovery is a little different, but it is not uncommon to take months for the swelling after abdominoplasty to resolve. This process is quickest in the beginning and by three months after surgery you will likely start to really see the the new shape of your abdomen. However, changes that you will notice will often continue for six months after surgery before finally achieving your final result by approximately twelve months post-op.

Swelling after a tummy tuck that occurs after body contouring procedures such as a tummy tuck or liposuction will be gone by 3 months. However, many patients will continue to notice some improvement up to 9-12 months postoperatively. Compression garments may help encourage some of the edema/swelling to resolve quicker.

The swelling associated with a major soft tissue operation like a tummy tuck is consistently 3 months. While some individuals will appear completely healed at 6 to 8 weeks, it is always best to wait 3-4 months before taking final result pictures.

It is not unusual for swelling, particularly in the lower abdomen to persist for several months after a tummy tuck. The surgery itself requires elevation of the skin and underlying tissue from the abdominal musculature. This divides the small lymphatic vessels which drain fluid from the tissues and it takes some time for these channels to reform. That is why

patients wear a compression garment for 3-4 weeks after surgery. It helps prevent seroma formation, but also applies gentle pressure on the tissues to prevent swelling.

As the healing progresses the swelling will be noted to develop only towards the end of the day or after more vigorous activities. This is all consistent with the normal healing process.

Also the swelling just above the pubis, because it is in the most dependent location for drainage will remain swollen for the longest period of time but that too will resolve. The other cause of swelling that must be avoided is the formation of a seroma. This is when fluid accumulates beneath the flap despite the presence of drains. That is why your surgeon leaves the drains in until the fluid is straw colored and only a small amount. If a seroma develops after removal of the drains and is left untreated permanent swelling may occur.

Swelling after a tummy tuck can last up to a year and you may notice it more after strenuous exercise. You can always use a compression garment or girdle for any discomfort.

On average, the swelling after a tummy tuck lasts 2-3 months. This is dependent on the technique used and if liposuction was performed during the procedure. I perform liposuction of the flanks to accentuate the woman’s figure. The inflammation and swelling from the liposuction can last several months. For this reason, I recommend lymphatic massage and the use of compression garments after surgery. This will help with post-surgery swelling.