Tummy Tuck - Is It Safe? What Are the Risks and Side Effects?

A tummy tuck is an elective, cosmetic procedure that is done under a general anesthetic and it has a well recognized set of risks associated with it.

The term 'safety' is relative to the individual patient's perspective. In general terms, it is a safe procedure.

The risks of the procedure related to the surgical wound include infection, wound healing problems, fluid collecting underneath the wound (seroma). The cumulative risk of these problems is about 10-15% in a non-smoking patient. These wound issues can be managed by your plastic surgeon post-operatively, and usually will not affect the long term result of the tummy tuck in a substantial way.

The risks of the procedure related to the surgery and the general anesthetic include deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and anesthetic complications. This is by no means a complete list, but the risk of these complications approaches 1/1000 cases.

For more information on abdominoplasty, take a look at my website which has an article on the topic.

Thank you for your question. It is understandable to have concerns about cosmetic surgery procedures. A Tummy Tuck is a safe procedure, but like any surgery there are risks. Common risks involving a tummy tuck include: Hematoma, inflammation, infections and thick, wide, or depressed scars. Normal side effects include: Swelling and bruising, discomfort and pain, numbness, itching, and redness of scars. Hope this helps,Dr. Newall 

As with all surgical procedures, there are inherent risks associated with a tummy tuck. However, tummy tuck, overall, is a very safe operation.
A tummy tuck is a common plastic surgery procedure to improve the look and contour of the abdomen and repair the underline muscles. When performed properly and on the appropriate patient, it is a very safe procedure.

But there can be some potential complications may include bleeding, infection, and reactions to anesthesia but complications can be minimized by consulting a board-certified plastic surgeon with experience performing this procedure.

Thank you for your question regarding the safety of this tummy tuck procedure. All surgeries have the risk of complications. There is no surgery that has a zero complication rate. However, when considering surgeries, the tummy tuck is relatively safe procedure compared to other procedures. Risks involved with a tummy tuck involves blood clot, pulmonary embolism, infection, wound breakdown, and need for further revision surgery, to mention just a few. These are the most common risks associated with a tummy tuck. There are other risks, however, they are much rarer. The healthier you are and the smaller your abdomen, the shorter the surgery time, and therefore, the lower the risks. As long as your pre-operative labs are normal and you are relatively healthy, I do not foresee any significantly increased risk for complications. When seeking a tummy tuck surgery, please seek a board-certified plastic which has performed hundreds of tummy tucks. If you did not find a plastic surgeon in your area, I would suggest seeking a plastic surgeon out of state. Thank you for your question regarding.
Thank you,
Dr. Timothy Katzen

Every surgical procedure involves a certain amount of risk, and it is important that you understand the risks involved. An individual's choice to undergo a procedure is based on the comparison of the risk to its potential benefit. Although the majority of patients do not experience any complications, you should discuss each of them with your plastic surgeon to make sure you understand the risks, potential complications and consequences of the procedure. Specific risks for a tummy tuck procedure may include but not limited to, infection, bleeding, haematoma, poor scarring, seroma, bruising, prolonged swelling, delayed wound healing and blood clots.  Although very rare, serious complications may occur including allergic reactions, severe illness, cardiac and pulmonary issues and potentially life threatening conditions. To help avoid and minimise the risk of these complications it is important you disclose your complete medical history including all health problems and current medications to your surgeon during your initial consultation.  Patients who are currently smoking are at greater risk of surgical and anaesthetic problems which can later lead to serious complications. It is important to refrain from smoking at least 4 weeks prior to and after surgery. As well, patients with massive weight loss, diabetes or taking certain medications for an extended period may have delayed healing issues. Every action is taken to minimise the potential for complications including the routine use of antibiotics, compression garments and stockings, early mobilisation and ensuring all pre and post operative instructions are understood and followed carefully. 

Thank you for your question. Deciding on whether or not you want to undergo plastic surgery is a big deal. It is understandable you want to know every risk or complication, which you should. Always think, will the good weigh out the bad? Here are some risks of a Tummy Tuck.-Anesthesia risks-Bleeding-Infection-Fluid accumulation)-Poor wound healing-Skin loss-Numbness or other changes in skin sensation-Skin discoloration and/or prolonged swelling-Unfavorable scarring-Recurrent looseness of skin-Fatty tissue found deep in the skin might die (fat necrosis)-Asymmetry-Suboptimal aesthetic result-Persistent painDhaval M. Patel Double board certifiedPlastic surgeonHoffman Estates BarringtonOakbrookChicago

When performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon, a tummy tuck is a safe procedure. Prior to surgery, you should have a medical screening to make sure your body is healthy enough to undergo tummy tuck surgery. However, as with any surgery there are potential risks. Some of the more common potential risks include anesthesia risks, bleeding, infection, seroma, wound healing, numbness, unfavorable scarring, pain, etc. During a consultation with your surgeon, be sure he/she explains all of these risks with you in detail so that you are fully educated about the procedure. But again, to mitigate your risk, make sure you are having surgery with a board-certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience performing tummy tucks and a board-certified anesthesiologist at an accredited surgery center. Finally, make sure you follow your surgeon's post-op instructions very closely to avoid any complications in the healing process. Hope this information helps!

A tummy-tuck (abdominoplasty), like all surgeries, has risks.  These include the risks of anesthesia, bleeding, infection, wound healing, etc.  With that being said, the chances of this occurring with a tummy-tuck is minimal if you have a board certified plastic surgeon who is experienced in body contouring and abdominoplasty procedures.  For the right candidate, the benefits can certainly outweigh the risks.  I would suggest consulting with a board certified plastic surgeon and discussing your options.  While you are at the appointment, ask to view pictures of that particular surgeon's patients, before and after tummy-tuck.  Also, inquire about the practice's patient satisfaction rates post tummy-tuck and how many they have performed in the past.  Making sure your surgeon is an expert in the surgery you are considering is very important to ensuring the best results.   

Thank you for your question.  Tummy tuck, overall, is a very safe operation.  Not to be taken lightly, however, is the fact that it is just that - a surgical operation, and not a minor one.  In most cases, it involves somewhere in the range of 2 hours of general anesthesia, with its associated (very controlled, in the present day) risks. As with any surgical procedure, there are the standard risks of infection, bleeding, and injury to surrounding structures.  We, as surgeons, take this into account and do everything in our power to counteract them.  We employ meticulous sterile technique to prevent infection, and give antibiotics on the operating table and often for several days after surgery.  While no major blood vessels are encountered during a tummy tuck, we are fastidious about controlling any bleeding from the small vessels that we do come across - blood loss is often less than the volume of a shot glass.  And while no major organs are encountered, proper surgical technique ensures avoidance of injury to abdominal skin, musculature, and other tissues.Following surgery, the most common adverse events are minor:  wound healing issues, managed with proper wound care, and minor revision if necessary; seroma (sterile fluid collection under the flap of abdominal skin and fat that was created), prevented with drains, but sometimes inevitable - and managed with simple, albeit occasionally tedious, drainage in the office, under local anesthetic; contour irregularities from liposuction; and formation of an unfavorable scar.  By definition, tummy tuck produces a fairly long, curved scar across the lower abdomen, as well as a circumferential one around the belly button.  Proper surgical planning involves placing the incision low enough that the scar is covered by nearly any bikini bottom and most underwear; skillful technique ensures creation of an aesthetically pleasing belly button, with an inconspicuous scar.The most common serious complication that is possible with tummy tuck is thromboembolic disease, the formation of a blood clot in the leg (deep venous thrombosis), that can then travel to the lungs (pulmonary embolism).  Thankfully, this is a highly uncommon event (less than 1%), that we take the highest level of precaution against.  Risk factors include smoking, hormonal birth control or hormone replacement therapy, and history of cancer or blood clotting disorder.  The greatest single precaution taken against thromboembolic disease is walking in the days following surgery, rather than lying in bed.  Those who are calculated to have a higher than average risk are given a dose of a blood thinner immediately before surgery, and in extreme cases, for a few days afterward.Again, in the hands of a qualified and board-certified plastic surgeon, tummy tuck is overall very safe.  Risks are well-defined, and meticulous precautions are taken to manage those risks - and in the proper hands, dramatic, beautiful results are not only possible, but the expected outcome.

In general tummy tucks are a very safe surgery. A tummy tuck is a common plastic surgery procedure to improve the look and contour of the abdomen and repair the underline muscles. When performed properly and on the appropriate patient, it is a very safe procedure. Therefore, it's important that all cosmetic/plastic surgery procedures are performed by an experienced Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. Some risks of a tummy tuck include: Hematoma, Seromas, Delayed Wound Healing or Infection, and DVT/PEs (deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism).  All the best!

Thank you for your question.While tummy tuck is an extraordinarily popular procedure it is not without risk.  As a board certified plastic surgeon I cannot take away all the risk associated with any of the procedures that I perform but we certainly do our best to choose a appropriate candidates and minimize the risks.The most concerning risks in the abdominoplasty surgery are blood clots that can break off and go to the lung.  By tightening the abdominal wall pressure is placed on the veins that bring blood back from the legs and in some instances this can lead to blood clots.All plastic surgeons do or should take special precautions against this significant risk.  In my own practice we use compression stockings, special balloons that pulse the lower legs, and even a low dose of a blood thinner.There are other risks associated with any surgery that are too numerous discuss here.  The key is that your plastic surgeon should give you a thorough risk and benefit analysis.In choosing the appropriate candidates we do our best to minimize these risk.  I often tell my patients that nothing is as safe as no surgery, but you could look at the same statistic with driving.  In fact I'm certain that driving is statistically more dangerous than tummy tuck.Considering surgery is a bit like playing the odds.  Fortunately, for the average patient the odds are overwhelmingly in their favor has long as there surgeon is competent and is helping the patient to make reasonable choices.Best wishes.