What is the Average Recovery Time for a Mini Tummy Tuck?

Hello! Thank you for your question! I hope that these answers help! Tummy tuck is an excellent method for shaping the belly and create a flatter and sculpted abdomen after the procedure. Given your desires, I do believe that you would be an excellent candidate for this procedure in order to remove the excess skin/soft tissue of your lower abdomen and contour the areas of your belly. Also, abdominal wall tightening may optimize your result. Stretch marks to the level of your umbilicus will also be excised. I would highly recommend continued diet and exercise prior to any consideration for body contouring as getting down to your ideal weight prior to the procedure will certainly give you the best results. Also, a continued healthy and active lifestyle will be needed in order to maintain the benefits that the procedure has given to you. You should consult with a plastic surgeon at anytime to go over options to assist you in deciding which procedure(s) would be right for you. I typically recommend a 6 week period of no strenuous activity/vigorous exercise along with an abdominal binder for the same time period. It usually takes 6-12 weeks for full healing and swelling to subside before results final. Probably 3-4 weeks for a mini TT.  Best wishes!

To a significant degree, the recovery interval after a mini tummy tuck depends on the extent of undermining for the tummy and whether the muscles have been repaired or not.With repair of the muscles, you should consider 10 to 14 days for the recovery and longer for more strenuous physical activity.If the mini tummy tuck is effectively just removing strip of excess skin and fat in the lower abdomen recovery is much quicker and at 7 days patients would typically feel quite active. It doesn't necessarily mean that it is in their best interest to push things quicker because infection is still a risk, but they would not feel so restricted. 

Healing after a mini tummy tuck is generally 3-4 weeks for normal day-to-day activities and 6 weeks for exercise. If muscle tightening was done the healing and activity restrictions can potentially be longer. Consult with a board certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience in tummy tuck procedures to see exactly what they anticipate your post surgery recovery restrictions will be. Good luck!

A mini tummy tuck usually includes removal of some lower abdominal skin (below the belly button which remains in place), some fat and is done through a ~6-8 inch incision. It does not require drains after surgery and recovery is usually 1-2 weeks. Occasionally this can be done under local anesthesia, but most often it is done under sedation with local anesthesia or general anesthesia.For comparison, a full tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) involves removing considerable excess skin (usually well above the belly button), fat, tightening of the abdominal muscles and is performed through an incision from hip to hip. Most often it requires drains, although there are opportunities to avoid these. The recovery is usually 2-4 weeks and heavy lifting is avoided for 6 weeks. General anesthesia is required. Both procedures are performed as outpatient surgery.Good luck and enjoy your result

Most patients can be back to work and put in a full day by two weeks.  There is often one drain that is out by this time.  You will be restricted from lifting over 10 lbs for the first six weeks but can do lighter workouts before this time.