Could screaming and shouting cause a seroma after tummy tuck?

My general rule of thumb after all surgery is to avoid anything that raises your heart rate or involves heavy lifting- I like that for 6 weeks but insist on for at least 2 weeks.  That being said seromas are more linked to early drain removal and/or lack of mattress sutures during the surgery.  I personally don't use mattress sutures unless the patient is still very overweight.  I do however have very strict rules about when the drain tubes are removed.  I think rest and compression would prevent recurrence of your seroma.  I rarely see any seroma require more than 2 aspirations.  Best Wishes!!

Seromas do occur with tucks and usually is from movement and not wearing compression garments. Also seromas are more common if drains were not used.

Thank you for your question. Experiencing a seroma after an abdominoplasty with muscle repair (rectus plication) is a common post-operative concern, and stress-related activities can sometimes contribute to fluid buildup.

While there’s no direct evidence that shouting or elevated heart rate alone causes seromas, increased blood pressure and tension in the abdominal area—especially when combined with recent muscle repair—might contribute to or worsen fluid accumulation. This could be due to the strain placed on healing tissues or the slight increase in pressure within the abdomen, which can encourage fluid to pool in areas of surgical trauma.

To support optimal healing, it’s best to avoid high-stress activities, heavy lifting, or anything that might increase intra-abdominal pressure. Follow your surgeon's guidelines on activity restrictions closely, and continue to monitor for any new symptoms or swelling. If necessary, your surgeon may recommend further aspirations to help manage the seroma until it fully resolves.

Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen