Is ten days off work enough for Tummy Tuck?

I've done a lot of tummy tucks.  The drains can take anywhere from 7-21 days to be removed.  Although most get them out by 10 days there's no guarantee that this will be your case.  As Murphy's laws go it would be you that would need to have the drains left in for 3-4 weeks.  So no... more

10 days may be ok as most plastic surgeons have said here.  14 days you would be perfectly fine and the drains would be out by then.  10 days might be pushing it but it really depends on the person and your comfort and pain threshold.  The drains usually come out 7-14 days after the surgery. I... more

Most of my patients are back to work in 10 days or less.  Depending on how much work you need, there may, or may not be a drain. Usually I have patients up and walking around the very next day after the surgery and you certainly could be on the phone or a computer in that time frame which allows many... more

Dear Jean, The length of time to be away from work varies on the patient and the type of work you do.  If you have a desk job and normal "pain tolerance", I would give you a 90% chance of being fine for work after 10 days.  You might still have the drain.  It is an annoyance to have... more

10 days should be fine. As everything, there's a spectum of possibilities in the recovery for this surgery. There are many varying techniques in performing a full abdominoplasty that your ABPS Board Certified Plastic Surgeon will be familiar with.  If you discuss return to work at this deadline, I believe... more

You may be ready to return to work 10 days following your tummy tuck.  Most of my patients require somewhat longer periods before returning to work. This certainly depends in part on what your duties are at work. Patients with totally sedentary jobs are able to return much sooner than someone who... more

Your drains will probably be out by then, and assuming you have a desk job you will probably be OK.  However, you may have more swelling than usual, which may be uncomfortable. Of course, your doc will be the best one to guide you on this.

Hi! In New York City, most of our tummy tuck patients are able to return to work in 10 days.  Drains don't have to stay longer than that, and sometimes much less.  It depends on the technique.

You might ask your surgeon about the progressive tenstion suture method, which greatly reduces the amount of time that drains are required. I published a paper on this 10 years ago, in which I was able to reduce time for drains to about 2-3 days. Dr. Harlan Pollock in Texas doesn't use drains at all for... more

The best person to give you this advice is your plastic surgeon who has taken your history, knows what kind of work you do and knows the extent of the surgery being performed. Having said that a lot of patients who have a non physically strenuous job could return to work at 10 days.  Techniques have... more