How Long Should You Wear Your Binder/Garment for After a Tummy Tuck?

Depending on the extent of the procedure, I have my patients wear an abdominal binder for 4-8 weeks post surgery. I keep the binder snug, but not tight to where it is painful, hard to breathe or can cut off blood supply to the skin. The binder helps the tissues heal and helps resolve the swelling more rapidly in my experience. Some patients actually like the feeling of the snug abdominal binder/girdle and may wear it for several months or more post operatively.

This is a great question and something I think is variable from person to person. I spend a lot of time talking about compression in the post operative period and apply a regime that starts with a garment and binder day and night and then I gradually start reducing this at the 6 - 8 weeks post operative phase, dependant on how well the body swelling is responding to the compression. By four months most patients are just wearing the garment during the day but still advised to use both during exercise - up to six to nine months post operative. I'm sure that some of my patients curse my name during this phase but I happy to accept it as a good compression regime will give good results. Some of my patients reversely insist on carrying on wearing the compression even after 9 months and there is no doubt that these patients have the best results. Be guided by your plastic surgeon.

I recommend using compression garments after a tummy tuck procedure to get good results. A valcro type binder for first 4-6 weeks and then a second stage softer compression garments for 4-6 months to help in getting swelling down and to get a good results. It is vital to use a good quality compression garments.