When can I go back to work after a tummy tuck, lipo, and BBL?

For desk jobs, most patients go back to work after a tummy tuck in 2 weeks as long as they are healing well. Patients that perform labor intense jobs with heavy lifting, usually take 6 weeks off after abdominoplasty.   When patients go back to work, they may experience some fatigue from surgery and recovery process.

Thank you for your question.  Most of my patients are back to work within 10-14 days of their surgery.  It is important however that you discuss timing for your return to work and any post-operative restrictions with your operating board certified plastic surgeon directly.  Recovery is an integral part of a good cosmetic result and it is essential for patients to allow their bodies to fully recover before applying any unnecessary physical stress.  I hope that you find this helpful and I wish you all of the best.

I would say that you could return to 'light duty' at two weeks and everything by one month. Cutting corners on this is ill-advised. 

Hello,Thank you for your question. You can probably count on returning to light work at 2-3 weeks but may need to modify your workload and avoid heavy lifting for an additional few weeks. I recommend that you ask your plastic surgeon what they advise for you as they know your situation the best.Take care 

Hello, and thank-you for your question.The recovery following a tummy tuck depends on the extent of surgery (mini, modified, full, or extended tummy tuck), the amount of liposuction, number of additional procedures performed, ect.  There has been a break through in the technology of post op pain relief for tummy tucks.  A new medication named Exparel is now being used that will provide for 3-4 days of post op pain relief, speeding up the recovery process!  The procedure can be done as an outpatient, but an overnight stay may be recommended.  Individuals will generally take a week to 10 days off of work.  Most of my patients are able to stand upright at 2 to weeks. It is normal to still feel tired and not quite yourself 3 weeks after a tummy tuck with liposuction. Swelling begins to subside in 3 weeks and it may take 6-8 weeks to resolve.  My patient report that they typically start to feel better 2 to 3 weeks after the procedure and report feeling "normal" 6 weeks post-operatively. With my own patients, I do my best to keep the lines of communication open and do everything possible to speed their recovery. Best of luck, Andrew Lyos, MD, FACS

Thanks for your question,
We usually recommend ours patients to take 2 one 3 weeks off of work if is possible, because in Tummy tuck procedures the muscle plication can be adversely impacted by heavy lifting and the muscles can be torn and bleeding, for this reason, we generally recommend minimal lifting in the first two weeks following surgery. We also don’t recommend lifting more than twenty pounds for four to six weeks after surgery, with can minimizes complications in the post-operative period. I hope this help. Please make sure to contact a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon.

I appreciate your question.

I would recommend that you discuss this question with your surgeon as every surgeon has their own respective post op protocol for his/her patients.  Your surgeon is your best resource as he/she is most familiar with your medical history and how you are healing at this time.
For my patients, I recommend no strenuous activity or heavy lifting for 6-8 weeks.
The best way to assess and give true advice would be an in-person exam.

Please see a board-certified plastic surgeon that specializes in aesthetic and restorative plastic surgery.

Best of luck!

Dr. Schwartz

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

#RealSelf100Surgeon

Hello and thank you for your question.  The
best advice you can receive is from an in-person consultation.  I recommend two weeks off from work for most patients after a tummy tuck and BBL with liposuction.   Make sure you specifically look
at before and after pictures of real patients who have had this surgery
performed by your surgeon and evaluate their results.   The most
important aspect is to find a surgeon you are comfortable with. I recommend
that you seek consultation with a qualified board-certified plastic surgeon who
can evaluate you in person.
Best wishes and good luck.
Richard G. Reish, M.D.  FACS
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

A typical full abdominoplasty a powerful procedure that can flatten and remove excess skin and fat from both above and below the belly button and tighten the abdominal muscles. The trade off is a scar in the bikini line that extends hip to hip and a scar around the belly button. Liposuction and fat transferis often added to an abdominoplasty for better contouring and to give the buttocks for shape.
As with any surgery, the pain is usually worse in the 2-3 days immediately after surgery and tends to improve after that. Management of pain is usually through a combination of narcotic and non-narcotic pain medications taken by mouth and oral medications that lessen muscle spasm. The initial recovery for an abdominoplasty is 2-3 weeks and often includes the need to manage drains and to minimize excess strenuous activity for the first 1-2 weeks. The ability to return to work is variable and depends on many factors including the type of work, the pain tolerance of the patient, and the extent of the procedures.
See the link below for more info.
A detailed examination will help delineate the best surgical option. Consultation with a surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery would be the next best step.

I believe 2-3 weeks off would be sufficient. I probably would recommend 3 weeks as you stand a lot. Good luckEric Weiss MD