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, thank you for your question. 
Swelling after an abdominoplasty can last many months because your body will need to adjust to the changes that took place during the procedure. These changes affect the normal pathways that fluid takes on its way back to your circulation. Some of these pathways were disrupted during surgery and until secondary pathways can compensate for the amount of fluid generated, all of that fluid will manifest in swelling of your skin and subcutaneous tissues. 
As you begin to resume your normal activities, you will notice a significant improvement in the swelling. 
I hope this helps! Good luck in your recovery process. 

Some degree of swelling after tummy tuck can last up to a year.  Of course you will be more swollen for the first several months.  In fact, it is very important that you refrain from any vigorous physical activity for the first 2 months after tummy tuck.  At that point you can start exercising, but if anything you do results in swelling, you should wait on that activity.  As long as you stay behind this swelling curve, the surgery will continue to heal over the next 6 months.  People who try to push through the swelling almost always end up with prolonged healing and can compromise their outcome.  It is totally normal to be "larger" after tummy tuck for some time, and patients report they cannot fit into their old clothes.  Then, as the swelling goes down, there are remarkable transformations.  Just be patient, the swelling will resolve.

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 great question! The swelling post tummy tuck can take quite a bit of time to completely resolve. There is considerable swelling and bloating that takes place in the first few weeks, and this can last up to the 4-6 week mark in many cases. Usually around the 2 month mark do most people start feeling comfortable with their results. It will take several more months, around 6-12 months post surgery for more final results to shine through as your wounds are in the final phases of their healing and remodeling. 
I find that compression garments work great up to the 6 week time frame. There are multiple adjunct treatments available as well, for instance; lymphatic massages which are performed by a licensed therapist which can help with relieving some swelling and discomfort, i usually recommend this after drains are removed and in the first few weeks. Treatments to benefit the scar line include things such as silicone sheets and creams, as well as mederma; i prefer silicone. Best of luck in your healing. 

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. 

Since most abdominoplasties involve liposuction as well, so it usually takes 3 months for for all of the swelling to resolve. That doesn't mean that you won't see significant improvement prior to that. Massage of the abdominal area, especially the lower portion just above the incision helps the process. Good luck!

Hello and thank you for your question.
Swelling after an abdominoplasty can be very patient dependent. Each individual patient recovers at a different pace based on their past medical history, body habitus, original body mass index, the amount they ambulate after surgery, and their tolerance for pain.
There is no exact answer to this question but in general it takes a minimum of three months for the majority of the swelling to disappear. A tummy tuck is a very extensive operation and takes time to recover from adequately.
The more you can walk and live a healthy lifestyle (no smoking, no alcohol, eating a balanced diet) the faster you should recover.
Hope this helps answer your question. All the best!
Alex Zuriarrain, MD, Plastic Surgery

Thank you for your question!  Tummy tuck or abdominoplasty surgery is a very significant
cosmetic procedure and I always warn my patients that the recovery from this
surgery can be quite long relative to some of the other procedures that I
perform. When all the tissue is elevated and rearranged, many of the small
blood vessels and lymphatic vessels are divided and it takes many months for
these to regrow. As a result, it is very common for fluid to be trapped in the
lower portion of the abdominal area just above the incisions and swelling can
generally get better and better over time. Most patients that I operate on look
very good within 4-6 weeks. However, they will see continued improvement for
another 3-9 months after this time. Occasionally, I will have patients who
recover faster and sometimes I have patients who take 3-6 months for the
majority of the swelling to improve. Wearing compression garments during the
first six weeks and possible ancillary services such as lymphatic massage can
be helpful for some patients as well.

A large area is "undermined" by the surgeon performing a tummy tuck.  Fluid collects in the tissues after surgery.  The lymphatics are tiny vessels that drain the fluid, but these tiny vessels take a while to grow back after being disrupted by the surgery.  At first there is quite a bit of swelling, particularly of the lower abdomen in the middle, below the belly button and above the pubic area.  This area can feel hard, because the tissue gets firm as it swells with fluid.  Gradually this area softens.  90% of the swelling is gone in 3 months, but it takes up to a year for 100% of the swelling to go away.  But the difference is so dramatic that a little temporary swelling is not an issue for patients, who received gratification shortly after surgery, even days after surgery.  In my practice, tummy tucks almost always meet patient expectations, and patients are glad they did it.  I attached a link to my website in case you wish to read more.

Thank you for your question.Every patient is different and recovers at a different pace. Typically, most of swelling has improved by about 3-6 weeks. An additional tightening and improvement will continue until about 6 months after surgery.I hope this helps.- Dr. Bryson Richards (Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon)