How Long After a Mommy Makeover Before I Can Have Sex?

Let's assume both you and you partner are equally interested in resuming normal sexual relations after surgery. Trust me, this is not always the case, as some couples with unequal interest are hoping for different answers! I usually tell patients that the best answer is when you are both ready, but providing proper care is taken to not harm her results or end up needing re-operation for bleeding, which is the usual result of too-soon sex or any vigorous activity.

If a woman finds it impossible to lay on her chest after breast surgery because her chest is still too uncomfortable, then a partner should not lay on her chest. If moving the implants to keep the surgical pocket healing properly is still uncomfortable, then vigorous breast manipulation during sex is just not good. But this applies not just to sex--tackle football, pole vaulting, and trapeze sex are all "out" for at least a month or so after breast surgery, and at least 6 weeks after tummy tuck. This list would also include kickboxing, skydiving, and double black diamond skiing. You get the idea!

Basically, how is more important than when. If a woman wants a "no sex for 3 months after surgery" recommendation, perhaps there are other issues at play here, as this is just not surgically necessary. If a partner asks for sex immediately after surgery, perhaps it's just to make the swollen, bruised, and uncomfortable partner feel desired and pretty--but please don't expect the patient to really follow through. Give her a chance to heal and feel good so you BOTH enjoy getting together. Start gently; be kind; be understanding. Remember that after successful cosmetic surgery, the patient feels better about herself, feels and is prettier, and is happy to have repaired what she once had before pregnancy and breast feeding. This usually results in better and more frequent sexual relations when all is said and done. Cheers!

While there is no definitive answer to this, I typically recommend that my patients refrain completely from sexual activity for 2 weeks following a mommy makeover operation, and to remain quite gentle until at least 6 weeks post-op.  This allows sufficient time for the incisions to heal, for the abdominal plication from the tummy tuck to become stable, and for breast implant pockets to become mature and stable.

I recommend that most patients wait at least three weeks following mommy makeover surgery to resume sexual activity.  Depending on the size of the operation and degree of activity, that length of time might be longer or shorter for a particular patient.  Just as with exercise, I encourage patients to be very active before surgery so that it will be a little less difficult to take a few weeks off.