Is it normal to become swollen everytime I take my faja off at night time?

Question

I’m 5 weeks post op from tummy tuck and muscle repair and swollen. It normally happens after a hour or so. It’s like I swell up after work.

Nelson Castillo, MD · Answer

Thank you for sharing your excellent question.  It would be very common to have an increase in tissue swelling after use of any compression garment, especially at night time when most people naturally swell.  This should improve with more maturation time of your results, so hang in there, it is not impacting your long-term results.  Hope this helps.

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

Hello. Great question. You are still early in your recovery process. It is normal to still have swelling. It can take up to six months for all the swelling to go down. Keep following our surgeon's post op instructions.

Pejman Aflaki, MD · Answer

Hello and thank you for the question. It is not uncommon to experience abdominal swelling early after abdominoplasty. Your symptoms should resolve over the next several weeks. Stay in close contact with your surgeon. Best,

Donald W. Hause, MD · Answer

This is a great question. Swelling (edema) after any injury (surgery included) results when the lymphatics draining the area are overwhelmed and water backs up into the tissues. Areas of healing are metabolically very active and require increased blood supply and leak more fluid, thus the swelling until the system recovers. This can take months to completely resolve but most of this improves over the first 6-8 weeks. I tell my patients that salty food, alcohol and increased activity will make this swelling worse and each patient after about 3 weeks needs to discover what the tissue will tolerate and not get too swollen. Compression garments squeeze the tissue and may help this resolution but, when removed, the swelling returns until the body is fully recovered. This is all a natural occurrence of any surgery. Keep the faith, it sounds like you are doing great and this will improve in the coming weeks.

Larry Lickstein, MD · Answer

It is common for patients to still experience swelling 5 weeks after surgery.  Right after surgery, swelling is expected, and for weeks, the condition slowly improves.  But as patients return to work and some exercise, their swelling may rebound and increase.  It is not uncommon for patients to report that they look better in the morning than in the evening, as swelling accumulates throughout the day, and frequently this is most notable below the belly button.  I would encourage you to continue to use your compression garment, follow your surgeon's instructions, and discuss with them your concerns.  Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

Swelling is common and expected after tummy tuck surgery.  As you progress through recovery and return to normal routines you will find that it may fluctuate with your activity level.  Swelling will last for several months yet.  I encourage you to discuss your concerns with your surgeon and follow all post operative instructions.

Is it normal to become swollen everytime I take my faja off at night time?

Answers (6)

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