Is It Normal to Have Swelling Around the Lower Back and Thighs After a Tummy Tuck?

Plastic surgery remains the most effective treatment for loose skin. Loose skin of the abdomen and breast is treated with abdominoplasty and breast lift surgeries respectively. Swelling is normal for several months after surgery, and swelling in the area of surgery is understandable to most patients.

While swelling of the back and legs may seem odd, it is also common, especially after abdominoplasty. The fluid in the abdomen normally drains downward to the groin. In the groin are lymphatic vessels that allow the fluid to return to the circulatory system. These channels are shared by the legs and the lower back, so the fluid from the abdomen causes a bit of a traffic jam, and fluid can back-up into the legs and back too.

With breast reduction, additional fluid is channeled to the arm pits and the abdomen. This can sometimes cause swelling of the arms, hands and abdomen also. As your body heals, the amount of fluid in your surgical sites' lymphatic circulation decreases. Your swelling will reduce and you will appear thinner too. Significant improvement can occur in a few weeks, but it normally takes months for the majority of the swelling to resolve. Hang in there.

It is common to have swelling in the lower back and thighs after tummy tuck.   You are only 11 days after tummy tuck.  Patients normally have swelling at least 1-3 weeks.  If you had liposuction of the flanks, the swelling can persist longer.