Most of the swelling after a tummy tuck is gone in one month.

George J. Beraka, MD answers: How long does Tummy tuck surgery swelling last?

I had a tummy tuck about 3 weeks ago. How long should I expect the swelling to last?

6 months ago

By George J. Beraka, MD - Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Hi!

If surgery is done gently, and drains are used to prevent fluid accumulation, there really shouldn't be much swelling at any time. You can usually see a big improvement the next day.

Swelling is just microscopic collections of liquid in the tissues after surgery, which the body rapidly reabsorbs.

If you are asking about swelling at 3 weeks, it suggests you are not happy with the contour. If that's true, see your surgeon right away. Sometimes there are things (like a seroma) which can be corrected.

Web reference: http://www.drberaka.com/proc_performed/body_tummytuck.html

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More answers to “How long does Tummy tuck surgery swelling last?”

A: Swelling is very individualized. The more involved the...

16 months ago

By Steven Wallach, MD - Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Swelling is very individualized. The more involved the procedure, the more there will be swelling. But in general, the majority of swelling will go down after 3-6 weeks. However, you might notice swelling for 4-6 months. This may be exacerbated by exercise, diet, alcohol consumption, to name a few.

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