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Tummy Tuck - Swelling After 4 Weeks

asked 3 years ago by anissa in houston, tx
Latest answer by Jaime Perez MD
Question viewed 48,515 times
Tags: side effects, swelling

I had a tummy tuck 4 weeks ago and I am still swolen, but I am beginning to be concerned that my stomach will not look much less than it does with the swelling. My doctor told me he would not be able to make me super flat, but he would take as much as he could. In your experience, do you think swelling is still at the extreme after 4 weeks?

15 answers to Tummy Tuck - Swelling After 4 Weeks

Swelling of the abdomen after tummy tuck

Swelling in the abdominal area may persist for weeks to months after a tummy tuck. However, you should have a very good idea of the approximate contour your abdomen will be almost immediately after surgery. This means that with the tightening of your abdominal muscles and the removal of excess skin, you should see on day #1, the basic overall contour of your abdomen. The swelling usually lasts longer on the flanks or love handle areas if you had liposuction in... more

William Bruno, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

www.williambrunomd.com

Swelling After Tummy Tuck

Swelling after tummy tuck will be present for many months (8-12 months), especially in the lower tummy, just above the scar line. Check in with your surgeon to be sure you don't have a fluid accumulation (serum or blood) which should be drained. Otherwise, give your body the timeit needs to heal.

Paul C. Zwiebel, MD
Denver Plastic Surgeon

Swelling 4 weeks after a tummy tuck is normal.

Actually, you will have swelling for many months after a tummy tuck. The color of your incision is a good barometer. As long as it is red or pink, there is swelling everywhere the surgeon went during the operation. You will find that your scar will probably not turn white for many months.

Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Swelling after a Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)

After any surgical procedure, the peak of swelling is around the second or third day. Most people don't notice it, as they have other things to be concerned about. Now that you are a month out from surgery, you are feeling better, doing more activities, and are really starting to look at the result. The amount of swelling that is still around depends on how the surgery was performed (how extensive), and also yourself as an individual. I generally have my patients wear compression... more

Michael A. Bogdan, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Final tummy tuck results usually visible after at least 6 months

4 weeks post op surgery is too soon for the swelling to subside. Abdominoplasty is a very invasive surgery, swelling and bruising is very normal during this time. Usually, it takes about 6 months to a year before you see the final results of surgery. Do not be alarmed with the results at this time. Results will improve over time as your body heals.

Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

www.poustiplasticsurgery.com

Swelling after a tummy tuck

A tummy tuck is a very popular and effective procedure to recount for the abdomen and torso. Patients that receive the surgery should expect a significant recovery process. If you have only had your tummy tuck four weeks ago, you are still very early in the recovery process. A significant amount of swelling is normal at this stage. In our practice, all of our tummy tuck patients received two different garments. We encourage them to use their first garment for the first two weeks after... more

B. Pat Pazmino, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

www.miamiaesthetic.com

Swelling Following a Tummy Tuck

Patients can expect some degree of swelling for months following a Tummy Tuck. Most patients feel less swollen at the 6 week mark however you may have some degree of swelling for months following surgery. I would contact your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with your specific concerns regarding your recovery. Best wishes!

Christine Sullivan, MD
Columbus Plastic Surgeon

Swelling after a tummy tuck can fluctuate for MONTHS

Yes, you're likely still swollen. A good barometer is this: do you feel the same at the end of a day as you do at the beginning of the day? Do you have more swelling in the afternoons/evenings? Do you notice that you are more swollen after salty meals (soups, fried foods, etc)? If you answer yes to any of these questions, then you know you are still dealing with swelling from healing. Scars take 12-18 months to mature, and that includes the... more

Carmen Kavali, MD
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Swelling after Tummy Tuck

A tummy tuck will often have swelling for a while after surgery. The majority will go away in about 3-4 weeks, but there will be residual swelling for months.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Sudden swelling of abdomen 4 weeks after tummy tuck

IT is not uncomon to have swelling for several months after a tummy tuck but if your swelling suddenly got worse, it could be a sign of seroma/hematom/infection. see video

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Swelling after tummy tuck abdominoplasty

The persistent swelling after abdominoplasty is possible and may represent a seroma or fluid collection. Speak to your surgeon to assess the degree of abdominal flap fat, residual edema, and swelling.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

Swelling after a tummy tuck

Swelling is very common after a tummy tuck. If liposuction was performed as well, this can extend the swelling period. At 4 weeks, your swelling should be improving, however it is not uncommon for this to take a few months before it is resolved. Some patients confuse swelling with intraabdominal weight. If you plastic surgeon told you that you carry significant weight inside your abdomen, this does not go away with a tummy tuck. Be sure to ask why he could not make you "flat" and... more

David Bogue, MD
Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon

Tummy Tuck Swelling

Swelling is very common after an abdominoplasty. A patient can have swelling anywhere from 3-5 weeks after their procedure is performed. If swelling increases or is not going down, it is best to advise your surgeon that performed the tummy tuck in order to determine if there are any complications.

Siamak Agha, MD, PhD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck swelling. Recovery takes some time....

4 weeks is still early after a tummy tuck and swelling will not fully resolve until several months (not weeks) after your surgery. You stated that your surgeon said he could not make you super flat which is somewhat odd. An abdominoplasty is a strong procedure and most people really do end up super flat.Good candidates for any procedure such as this are not obese so if you were truly still overweight before the procedure you may not be getting the result you had hoped for. This is... more

Evan Sorokin, MD
Cherry Hill Plastic Surgeon

Swelling 4 weeks post tummy tuck.

Hello. It is not uncommon to still have swelling 4 weeks post surgery. Swelling can last a few months after a tummy tuck. Give it some time. If you are not happy after a few months speak to your surgeon and see if there is something that can be done to achieve your desired results. Best of luck.