Abdominoplasty is a significant procedure. Some patients may require a brief hospitalization or stay in a recovery center, depending on their general health and the extent of the procedure. Most patients require 1 to 3 weeks recovery time before returning to work and 4 to 8 weeks before resumption of exercise or strenuous activity. Recovery from a mini tummy tuck is usually more rapid.Abdominoplasty, better known as a tummy tuck, is a common and popular cosmetic surgery option. This surgery is undertaken by both women and men who are looking for a tighter, more toned abdomen and/or to get rid of loose, excess skin after weight loss or pregnancy. The ideal post tummy tuck exercise plan promotes recovery through a gradual increase in the patient’s physical activity, while avoiding excessive strain in the weeks following surgery. Patient satisfaction rates following tummy tuck surgery are exceptionally high.
Some patients have remarked that there is no pain associated with this, and others have complained that it did feel like a strange sensation when it was being removed. Regardless, these devices do serve a very important purpose with your abdominoplasty recovery, and most patients accept this as part of the procedure. Every plastic surgeon will have their own timeline in which they feel it is safe for you to shower after your surgical procedure.
What is abdominoplasty or tummy tuck? Abdominoplasty, is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdomen and tightens the abdominal wall. This procedure can reduce the appearance of a protruding abdomen. Many a times abdominoplasty is done in combination with liposuction. Who is a good tummy tuck candidate? When considering a tummy tuck procedure, it is very important to understand what a tummy tuck is intended for. Many patients come with excess skin, unwanted fat and bulging of abdomen that cannot be eliminated through exercise and diet.
The length of the incision varies depending upon the amount of skin to be removed. A small incision is also made around the belly button to free it from the surrounding skin for final positioning. The skin flap is elevated, the underlying abdominal wall muscles are tightened, and excess lower abdominal skin is excised.
During this visit, the surgeon may fit the patient with a support garment to help prevent clotting. Weekly follow-up visits may be scheduled after this to monitor the healing progress. During the entire recovery period, the patient would be required to refrain from smoking. If you would like to learn more about plastic surgery procedures performed by Plastic Surgeons Franklin D. Richards, M.D. A. Dean Jabs, M.D.
They must refrain from doing any activities that could put strain on the incision site. Strenuous exercises should be avoided for at least four weeks to give sufficient time for the healing of incisions. Patients with sedentary jobs may go back to work after a week, while others with physically straining jobs may require at least two weeks before returning to work. The patient may be required to visit the surgeon’s office a day after the tummy tuck procedure for a detailed assessment of the condition.
If you are released to shower, you might be told to do this with your support garments on, so it is important to have at least two garments available for you, while one is usually drying. Feeling dizzy and lightheaded after this surgery is not uncommon, so make sure you have another adult in the house with you during your first shower.
With abdominoplasty surgery the inner lymphatic system has been compromised by the incision. When lymphatic tissues or lymph nodes become damaged, destroyed or removed - this causes a reaction where the lymph cannot drain normally from the affected surgical area. The lymph accumulates and gives what we experience in abdominoplasty surgery as “Swell Hell”. Lymph originates in blood plasma and is part of the circulatory system running through the entire body. It is responsible for collecting and removing waste products left behind in the tissue.
