How Painful is a Tummy Tuck?

It is important to know that everyone has a different experience after surgery. The pain after a Tummy Tuck is typically described as a signficant tightness across the abdomen. Many patients do describe the pain to be very similar to a ceasearean. Especially in the beginning, when you get up you will feel tight and will need to walk hunched over.  Most patients will stay in hospital for a minimum of 2 days to keep them comfortable and manage the pain.With any abdominal surgery, any straining will cause significant pain. Anything that causes you to strain such as coughing and sneezing will be uncomfortable and should be avoided as much as possible. It is recommended to firmly hold your belly if you do have do this.  

Thank you for the question. As you can imagine, every patient will have a different experience when it comes to discomfort (and overall healing process) after tummy tuck surgery. Generally, most patients will report that the recovery process is similar to recovering after C-section. Anecdotally, when I have asked patients to compare, all have reported that the tummy tuck recovery is less painful than C-section recovery. I hope this, and the attached link, helps.

This varies widely from patient to patient and the extent of your procedure. I use Exparel a long acting local anesthetic that I inject while you are under anesthesia and lasts for up to 3 days (the most uncomfortable period) so that the discomfort is tolerated well. Following surgery, you will be walking in a bent-over position to keep tension off the newly tightened skin incision site. Although strenuous activity, and lifting more than ten pounds, must be avoided for 6 weeks, some people can return to work and daily activities as soon as 2 weeks after surgery. Softening of the surgical scars, return of sensation, and loosening of the tight sensation may take several months to a year or more. ?Abdominoplasty involves a recovery period of 10 to 14 days longer than most plastic surgical procedures. Initial discomfort and decreased mobility is typical.#tummytuck#tt#tummytuckrecovery