The popularity of cosmetic surgery has led to a number of plastic surgery cases all around the world. People can modify their look by surgical or non-surgical cosmetic procedures. Since the tummy is a common concern among people, they tend to undergo liposuction in order to remove the fat deposits on it and tummy tucks to get rid of the excess skin that makes it not good to look at. Tummy tuck is also an invasive procedure and recovery period depends on the type of techniques applied.
As soon as tummy tuck surgery is done, a swollen abdomen can be apparent. A person feels pain and discomfort especially when moving that is why an abdomen compression is necessary. Although medications to combat pain and infection are given, a person still needs to rest and remain in the hospital for at least 2 to 3 days.
Pain and discomfort is very common among tummy tuck patients. Aside from that, bruising and swelling in the abdominal region will also appear. This can be controlled by consuming the recommended drugs prescribed by the surgeon. In some cases, a patient may feel nauseated and vomited because of the general anaesthesia effects. This will soon subside during the recovery process of tummy tuck procedure.
Three Recovery Stages of Tummy Tuck
There is always a recovery process for any cosmetic procedure and in a tummy tuck, a patient will go through three known stages:
- The Post Operative Care Stage
Every tummy tuck patient will go through a post operative care stage. In this phase, the patient will have to rest in the hospital for at least 2 days in order to recover from the anaesthesia effects and adjust to the new body structure. Pain killers and antibiotics will be prescribed but a patient should have a complete bed rest by bending his/her legs and avoiding strain in the abdominal area. Compression garments will be worn but it s important that the patient should avoid activities that can add stress to the operated body part.
- Returning Back Home Stage
In this stage, a patient will be allowed to go home and continue the recovery process. He/she will be given a detailed instruction about the necessary interventions to avoid blood clots, infection, scarring and even make the healing recovery faster. Prescribed medications should be taken and the right exercises and dieting should be applied according to the physician’s advice.
- Maintenance Stage
This stage usually happens when the patient has partially recovered from the tummy tuck surgery. He/she can move but with limitation. However, he/she will be advised to go through gentle exercises in order to reduce the swelling and minimizes the possibility of acquiring blood clots. Diet will also be helpful for a person not to apply too much pressure on the abdomen when removing his/her bowel and in order for him/her to have a faster wound healing.
In common instances, tummy tuck will depend on a person’s fitness. A person having strong abdominal muscles will recover after two weeks or less while a person who is not used to exercising will take a bit longer to recover.
A full tummy tuck will take around six months of recovery. This time, swelling and pain will not be evident and a person can see his/her new body shape.