Is it safe to use a heating pad on my incision six days post op tummy tuck? Does it interfere with the healing process?

You should avoid using a heating pad on your abdomen following a tummy tuck.  During a tummy tuck, the skin is lifted off of the muscle wall, resected, and the muscle wall is tightened.  You will experience decreased sensation over the abdomen for up to one year following your tummy tuck.  Utilizing heat in any way on the abdomen can be dangerous because there is a risk of burns due to lack of sensation over the area.

I do not like my patients to use any source of heat or cold on their incisions following surgery. The area does not have normal sensation and it is possible for a burn or frostbite to ensue. If my patient is uncomfortable I prefer that they use pain medication until it subsides. 

I recommend that my tummy tuck patients avoid heating and cooling pads after surgery.  My concern is that the numbness that occurs after surgery prevents the patient from protecting themselves from injury.  Even after a week this numbness particularly below the belly button can cause a heating pad to cause burns or an ice pack to cause frostbite.  Also be careful of the sun with a tummy tuck, severe sunburns can occur because of the numbness particularly below the belly button.