Is the Binder Suppose to Be So Tight That I Struggle to Breath?

After abdominoplasty surgery, I typically have my
Melbourne, FL, tummy tuck patients wear some type of supportive garment. At times, I have used an abdominal binder
versus compression garment versus wide Ace wraps. They all accomplish the same goal, but they
should not be so tight that you can’t breathe, and therefore, I always tell
patients that if you can’t breathe, it is perfectly fine to loosen up the
garment. You do not want the garment to
be so tight that it is compressing your skin or cutting into your incisions and
causing marks that can interfere with your healing and/or final result. Check with your board-certified plastic surgeon
on this. Best wishes to you!

I usually use the binder to make the patient feel more comfortable.  It should be snug but not overly tight.  Usually I want the patient to be able to slide  two fingers under the support wrap.  Do not place it so tight that you have difficulty breathing. 

Your binder just needs to be snug and should not be causing difficulties with breathing.   If you are experiencing shortness of breath, please see your plastic surgeon or go to the ER.   Shortness of breath could be a sign of a blood clot and needs immediate medical attention.  

It may not be your binder, and difficulty breathing after a tummy tuck might be the sign of a true emergency. Best to call your surgeon from the emergency room after you have been evaluated for blood clots and problems in your chest.

Thank you for the question. The simple answer is NO! You should loosen the garment. If this does not improve your symptoms, then contact your surgeon as you proceed to the nearest emergency room immediately! This may be a signal of a more serious underlying problem such as a Deep Venous Thrombosis (blood clot(s) in the legs), which can dislodge and travel to the lungs known as a Pulmonary Embolus. The other big worry would be a Pneumothorax or a collapsed lung.

There are other problems that can give you the same symptoms, such as a heart attack, but I am giving you the top worries under the assumption that you are otherwise healthy since there is no medical history to go on. 

In any case you should notify your plastic surgeon as they will probably want to see you immediately if you do not get better by loosening the binder and fairly soon if you do improve to make sure that your incisions are healing well and the skin of your abdomen looks ok.

I hope this helps. Good luck.