What is a tummy tuck recovery like?

A tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) is one of the more painful and longer recoveries when it comes to cosmetic surgery.  I generally tell patients to plan on being not themselves for about 6 weeks.  During that time frame they wear a compression garment over the abdomen, avoid lifting object over 10#s and plan to not be able to stand up straight for several weeks.  There are generally 2-4 drains which stay in for 1-3 weeks.  No aggressive physical activities can be performed for a least 4 weeks including weight training, running, sports, yoga etc.  All my patients are able to walk out of the surgery center and get up to go to the bathroom with minimal assistance.  They get a pain pump to help control the pain for the first several days.  In general they are on narcotic pain medications for 2-3 weeks.  Follow up is pretty much weekly for the first month.  While recovery is rough almost all patients are thrilled with the results as you can see from the reviews of the procedure and high approval rating.    

Hi, thank you for your question. 
An abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, procedure can take a great deal of physical and emotional stamina to go through. In recovering from the surgery, you should keep in mind that the final results will not be evident for many months and that you will need a support system to help you for the first few weeks. 
In the early part of recovery, you may feel exhausted and I recommend that you have someone with you at all times for the first week. During this time, you will be walking with a slightly forward flexed posture - this is to alleviate any tension on the incision and will improve gradually over 2 weeks. Walking is encouraged in the immediate post-op period to decrease the chances of developing blood clots.
Post-op pain should be expected for the first week, but can be minimized or even eliminated with the use of liposomal bupivacaine (or Exparel), which is injected into the area of sensory nerves going to the abdominal wall. If you prefer not to have this injection, the use of narcotic medication will help with the pain, but may cause constipation. 
You should expect to feel better and be able to return to normal activities within 2 weeks, but should refrain from gym/sports until 6 weeks after surgery. 
If your surgeon uses closed-suction drains, these will usually remain in place for 1 week and will be removed in the office without discomfort. 
I hope this helps! Good luck in achieving your aesthetic goal. 

A properly performed tummy tuck by a board certified plastic surgeon with many years of experience in cosmetic surgery and thousands of patients can result in a beautiful outcome with moderate discomfort. The procedure is done in an outpatient surgery center, and the patient can typically return to work at two weeks. We see patients in follow-up at 1 day, 5 days, 7 days, 9 days, 14 days, 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 6 months, and every year after that forever (all of this is free). Pain is moderate, though pain medicine is provided. It takes about two months before one can resume exercise.  Overall, it is a safe operation with high patient satisfaction rates.

One of the most exciting things about the the many surgical advances over the last 10 – 20 years is how the recovery from a tummy tuck has improved!Traditionally, it was a difficult and long recovery. Now with such techniques as the drainless tummy tuck and use of long-acting pain medications, the recovery is much, much quicker and more comfortable. My patients typically have a recovery that allows them to get back to work in as little as  1 to 2 weeks after their operation. With the use of the drainless tummy tuck, their pain is less, they are able to stand fully upright almost immediately after the operation and the results are simply much, much better. We use a medication called Exparel that gives about three days of pain relief immediately after the operation. Traditionally, that was the toughest time, but now it is a non-issue!Certainly, the most important factor to consider in choosing a surgeon for your tummy tuck is that they are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and have significant experience with this procedure.I wish you the best,Dr. Gabbay.

Thanks for the question. Generally, abdominoplasty involves a recovery period of longer than most plastic surgical procedures. It generally takes 3 weeks to get over the first phase of recovery. However, downtime for abdominoplasty can vary from patient to patient, depends on the size of the operated area of your body.The exact downtime will be determined by your surgeon according to your surgery results. I wish you all the best.

There are several types of tummy tucks with varying recovery times which are most dependent on ones personal tolerance to pain. Mini can return to work in about 3 days, modified TT in 1 week, and the full standard TT 10 to 14 days. In my practice there is no heavy lifting or exercise for 6 weeks and no crunches for 1 year.I know perform Full TTs using Exparel on every case that is a 72 hour local anesthesia which has revolutionized my patients outpatient  TT experience with more rapid recovery.