How is It Possible to Wear a Compression Garment With Drains?

Your drain(s) will exit the pubic area, and your garment will either be an elastic binder fastened to itself with Velcro, or a crotchless girdle-like garment. The drains come out below the binder or through the opening in the garment, and drain care is pretty simple. Your caregiver (family member, friend, or significant other) will be shown how to care for the drain and reservoir by the recovery room nurse or one of your surgeon's other staff, and you can take over this care the next day.

Your incision should mostly be left alone, but you should follow your surgeon's advice if there are any other instructions given. Usually, the incisions are sealed within a few days after surgery, and applying ointment, peroxide, or other things to your incision is generally NOT advised.

I use only below-the-skin dissolving sutures (except for a few tiny sutures around the belly button--removed at 1 week post-op) for the tummy tuck incision, so there are no sutures to remove or holes through the skin from stitches. This not only simplifies wound care post-op, but reduces inflammation that can leave more scarring, and gives an overall better result with less "work" for you.

Most patients have their drains removed by 7-10 days, but this is dependent upon the amount of drainage rather than a length of time. At 3 weeks post-op, Vitamin E oil can be massaged into the scar for 5 minutes daily (usually after showering) to help soften the scar. Mederma or other scar treatments can be used per your doctor's advice and recommendation. Avoid ultraviolet exposure (sun or tanning booth) to your scars for as long as they are pink to avoid dark (permanent) discoloration! But don't worry; your incisions won't look scary, and the wound care is really not a big deal! Best wishes!

Hello! Thank you for your question!. The tummy tuck procedure is an
excellent method for contouring of your abdomen, often removing the
excess skin as well as tightening the abdominal wall. After nearly all
surgical procedures, a potential space is created from where the
surgical procedure/dissection was performed. This is especially true
for the tummy tuck, in where the abdominal flap is raised off of the
abdominal wall and then redraped atop the area to contour the abdomen.
The procedure alone promotes swelling and inflammation, which typically
lasts for 6-12 weeks. This may even last longer if liposuction has been
performed in addition. During this time, a few things may be done to
allow adherence of the abdominal skin/soft tissue to readhere to the
abdominal wall and close that space. Many surgeons use drains to
evacuate the expected serous fluid from building up. Stagnant fluid as
such may be a nidus for infection as well as does not allow the tissue
to adhere back to its normal anatomic position. Drains usually are
removed once output is <30cc/day - usually removed within 3-4 weeks
on average, sometimes longer. When this occurs, a seroma may develop -
which may require aspiration or surgical evacuation to rid this in order
to optimize your result. This is not an uncommon reason for
persistent swelling and/or bulging in a certain area of your belly. Of
course, thwarting the development of a pseudobursa, or seroma capsule,
is always best, to provide the best result as well as avoid any future
procedures for this. This may be a troubling consequence and often
compromises your overall result. Thus avoiding this complication, in
whatever manner, is the objective. "Drainless" tummy tucks are becoming
more popular - basically, the overlying tissue is physically sutured to
the abdominal wall to close the potential space. In addition, most
surgeons typically restrict vigorous activity/strenuous exercise as well
as lifting restrictions of usually <20#, especially the core, for
6-8 weeks to allow healing to continue. Most also often recommend an
abdominal compression-type binder or garment, which will serve to
provide
compression as well as assist to decrease swelling and eliminate the
dead-space of the area for at least 6 weeks as well. After the initial
binder, many patients like the Spanx garments. Most patients are
able to return to most activities within a couple of weeks, provided
they adhere to the restrictions. Overall, this is a procedure
with a high satisfaction rate. Discuss the procedure and postoperative
instructions/restrictions with your surgeon, as these will vary among
surgeons. Hope that this helps! Best wishes!

Most surgeon place drain tubes after a tummy tuck. These exit the skin through the pubic area. I use a compression garment which covers the patient from mid thighs to just under the breast crease. All compression garment manufacturers make their garments with an open crotch for ease of use of the restroom. The drains are passed through this opening. It seems to me that your biggest concern is postop wound care. This should be minimal, but if you don't even want to look at the scar you need someone to help you or maybe not even embark on surgery.