Can I Get a Massage After a Tummy Tuck and Liposuction?

I don't see how massage be problematic in your situation but this is a question only for the operating surgeon. You need to follow his advice.

Massaging an area of recent surgery has the potential of creating bleeding in the tissues by the manipulation of the tissues.  While a "gentle" massage likely would not cause any problems, an additional 3 weeks of healing would decrease the possibility anything could occur. Allow your tissues to gain a bit more strength before the massage.

Thank you for your question. Lymphatic drainage massage can be helpful in reducing postop swelling.  If too aggressive massage can lead to seromas.  I would definitely discuss this matter further with your doctor before proceeding. Best wishes.

Hi DiamondDreams

If you've resumed moderate exercise (and not had a muscle repair) - you will be fine. I normally arrange for all my tummy tuck and liposuction patients to have lymphatic massage over the areas that they have been treated at the 3-4 week mark. This helps get rid of the remaining swelling and begins to break down unwanted scar tissue.

As long as your massage is performed by a massage therapist that is practiced in lymphatic massage, it will be helpful.

You are also at the stage that I would encourage patients to begin massaging their scars to help them mature more quickly.

Good Luck

Dr Gavin Sandercoe

While the ultimate recommendations should come from your surgeon, I would not suggest that you have a traditional form of massage, such as Swedish or deep tissue, this early, whether you had muscle repair or not, especially if you are still swelling.  Rather, I would suggest a special type of massage called lymphatic massage, or manual lymphatic drainage, and while some massage therapists are trained and skilled at this, not all of them are.  It is designed specifically to clear excess fluid out of the tissue spaces and reduce swelling, and I typically see excellent improvement in my patients who get this treatment after only a couple of sessions.  You must find someone who really knows what they are doing with it, or either it won't work or it will make swelling worse.  I wouldn't get a regular type of massage before about 6 to 8 weeks post-op to give the tissues a chance to heal and swelling to fully resolve.

Best to run these type of questions by your plastic surgeon who knows you, exactly what was done, how you are progressing, and who is ultimately responsible for your care. Receiving advice online can potentially be confusing or worse.

Best wishes.

This sort of question really needs to be directed to your surgeon, rather than to someone who does not know what was done and has not followed your recovery. 

All the best.