How Long Does Tummy Tuck Surgery Swelling Last?

Thank you for your question. 

It is very common to get swollen in the lower abdomen after tummy tuck.  There are a number of factors involved.  In the early phase the abdomen may seem bloated because many of the narcotics used for pain can slow down the GI tract and cause bloating or  constipation.  This will generally resolve itself within a few weeks.

In the second phase, the tissues above the lower abdominal scar become swollen because the scar tissue stops fluid from migrating downwards.  The peak of the scar  tissue is about 12 weeks after surgery.  This can also be the peak of the puffiness.  As the scar tissue matures over 6 to 12 months the fluid in the lower abdomen can travel more normally  and the swelling diminishes. While most patients will see a dramatic decrease in swelling about 12 weeks after surgery, the swelling can even improve out to a year. 

Lastly, the final healing process of the tummy tuck is the abdominal wall stretching again as it decides how tight it can remain after muscle tightening.  Even after tightening, the abdominal wall will relax somewhat and find a new equilibrium. As one might expect slender people tend to stay flatter than people to carry more weight inside the abdomen.

I hope this helps to answer your question.

 

 

 

Hi there,
There will always be expected amount and period of swelling after any major surgery, tummy tuck is no exception.
Depending on the specific surgical technique involved and your underlying medical fitness, post op swelling usually will last for at least 6 to 8 weeks with swelling being worse in the first couple of weeks. It can also be influenced by the patient's compliance with wearing the compressive garment for at least 6 to 8 weeks as well as level of activity in the recovery process. Usually the majority of swelling will subside over the first 3 to 6 months, but occasionally it could linger on for up to 12 months depending on some variations of lymphatic drainage in certain patients. So sometimes appropriate scar and lymphatic massage may also help in resolving the post op swelling in some instances.
Hope this clarifies things a bit better and best wishes for the rest your post op recovery.
Ellis Choy

Thank you for your question. Swelling after abdominoplasty resolves in multiple stages. The majority of the swelling subsides by 3-4 weeks. However, over the next several months more subtle swelling resolution will occur. By 6 months most patients can expect to be at their final result. Abdominal liposuction can increase the amount of swelling you have early on but it is general worth it for an improved final outcome. 
Hope this helps. Good luck.