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What to Expect After a Tummy TuckA tummy tuck is a way to get rid of loose, flabby and stretched skin in the abdominal area. This procedure is commonly undertaken by women after they have given birth to a number of children or both men and women who have lost a great deal of weight. A tummy tuck is also called an abdominoplasty. A tummy tuck is performed in a hospital under general anesthesia and it is done on an inpatient basis. Most patients will remain in the hospital for anywhere from one to three days following the surgery. In most instances you will be instructed not to drink or eat anything for six hours preceding the surgery although some plastic surgeons will allow you to drink water up to two hours before the surgery is performed. After you wake up from the surgery you will experience some symptoms that are temporary and should go away anywhere from a few days to a week’s time. You will probably experience some pain and discomfort for the first few days for which the plastic surgeon will prescribe you pain medication. Your abdomen will be swollen and bruised and you may experience some residual bleeding. It is normal to experience a feeling of numbness below your belly button and some patients feel nauseous and find themselves vomiting after surgery due to the anesthesia that was used. It is common practice for patients of tummy tuck surgery to wear a special pressure garment over the area that was operated on in order to aid in healing and to decrease the amount of swelling that takes place. It is also recommended that the patient wear anti-thrombosis compression stockings for the first few days after surgery in order to encourage the proper circulation of blood in the legs and to help to prevent the chance that a blood clot will form (which is also known as deep vein thrombosis or abbreviated to DVT). The only time you are allowed to remove these garments is when you go to take a bath or shower. The patient will be given special instruction by the plastic surgeon before he or she goes home and it is important to follow these carefully in order to decrease your chance of risks and complications. The patient will be taught how to properly care for the bandages that were applied to the surgical site and how long to wait before taking a bath. The patient will also be told when he or she needs to return to have the stitches removed and also the drainage tubes if they were inserted into the skin. Listen carefully to what the surgeon tells you about when you can start walking and moving around in order to encourage the blood to freely circulate in the body. While you are recovering from surgery, avoid doing such things as bending, lifting and straining. It is highly recommended that you prop your knees up as much as possible while you sleep, both at night and during the daytime if you take naps.
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