Drainage tubes will usually be placed in these techniques to prevent fluid build-up at the incision site. These tubes may be removed around the end of first week. The patient will also be required to wear a special support garment in the first few weeks to expedite healing. Leading plastic surgeons, Dr. Richards and Dr. Jabs receive patients from Northern Virginia, Fairfax, Alexandria, VA, Chevy Chase, Rockville, MD, and nearby areas for tummy tuck surgery.Numbness may be present for six months or more and feeling may never return to some areas. Scars are the skin’s way of healing so some scarring is inevitable when surgical incisions are made. Tummy tuck surgery will produce a scar across the lower abdomen. A scar may also appear around the belly button. The healing process and scar visibility differ from person to person. Scars usually fade with time but some residual scarring will remain.
The initial two weeks after your tummy tuck are when you’ll have the most bruising, swelling, and soreness. You should take it very easy during this time, especially during the first week. 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.
Your surgeon will instruct you to walk around within the first few days to encourage blood flow and healing. Your recovery time will depend on the extent of your surgery and the condition you were in before the surgery; if you are physically fit, you are able to enjoy a faster recovery time. Some patients are able to return to light activity, including work, after about 2 weeks, while others might take 3 to 4 weeks.
Taking pain medication as directed is key in the first few days to address undue discomfort. While major exercise should be avoided, patients can walk around their home just a bit to ensure proper circulation and promote healing. Do not strain yourself, however. Patients will have returned to their surgeon for a follow-up visit within the first week after surgery.
5000. The use of anesthesia for the partial means that the threshold for this procedure is very similar to the threshold for the complete tummy tuck. The small range of costs is due to the fact that partial abdominoplasty procedures are usually less than two hours, while a complete may last as long as six.
Following surgery, you may be wrapped in bandages or placed in a compression garment to minimize swelling and support the abdomen as it heals. Small, thin tubes called drains may be left in place under the skin to collect any excess blood or fluid that may form. These will be slipped out after a few days when the amount of drainage has diminished.
Sometimes it is longer if the patient has had complications. Copyright © 2010 ASAPS - Used with permission So if your recovery ends up being around the four week mark, know that this is still very normal. It is going to take some time to see your final tummy tuck results, as you will have some swelling for a significant amount of time. Or course, patients who are in good physical health are always going to bounce back sooner.
Depending on how much your incisions are draining each day will tell the plastic surgeon how long the drains should remain. Normally most patients get the drains removed within one week - but could be as long as three weeks. The drains that are used for abdominoplasty have thin silicone tubing that are inserted into your abdominal area either through a specially made incision or through the actual tummy tuck incision. The thin tubing connects to “bulbs” that provide suction for excess fluid that accumulates during your recovery time.
