How To Avoid Tummy Tuck Complications

Abdominoplasty - also called a ‘tummy tuck’ - is a popular, effective procedure that eliminates loose belly skin and tightens abdominal muscles to give the patient a flatter, smoother tummy.

While the procedure is safe for most patients, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) reports that tummy tucks have a higher rate of serious complications. In addition, difficulties are greater for patients with the procedure combined with liposuction and other cosmetic surgeries.

If you want a tummy tuck without complications, below are ways to ensure that your procedure and recovery go well.

Most Common Tummy Tuck Complications

The decision to have a tummy tuck is personal, and you should talk to your plastic surgeon about the risks and benefits before moving forward.

Most patients have no severe problems after a tummy tuck, but the most common complications include:

• Anesthesia reactions
• Bleeding
• Asymmetry
• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
• Pulmonary and cardiac complications
• Seroma or fluid accumulation
• Infection
• Numbness
• Poor incision healing
• Persistent pain
• Revision surgery
• Poor aesthetic result

Recovery After A Tummy Tuck

After your procedure, there are several things you should and should not do to ensure you have a full recovery.

First, remember that a tummy tuck is one of the most invasive cosmetic procedures. It’s essential to give your body time to recover and heal after the procedure. You will have considerable swelling, bruising, and pain in the first two weeks.

This means you’ll need help temporarily if you are raising small children. Also, you should not engage in intense physical activity for four to six weeks after your tummy tuck.

But you should try to take a daily walk to promote healing and avoid blood clots. But you shouldn’t do anything more physically intense for that for a few weeks.

Some of the things you should avoid after your tummy tuck until your doctor gives the okay include:

Driving

Your surgeon will give you general anesthesia before the procedure. After you wake up, you’ll feel dizzy and tired for the rest of the day, so you should have a ride home after your tummy tuck.

Also, have a friend or loved one stay with you overnight to ensure you’re okay. Or, you can arrange to stay the night at the surgical center.

Most surgeons will require you not to drive for at least a few days after the procedure. Remember that you will be on prescription pain medications, which can make it difficult to drive safely.

The good news is most patients only need over-the-counter medication to control pain after the first week. You should be able to drive once you aren’t taking prescription pain drugs, but talk to your doctor before you start driving again.

Exercise

Exercise is out for at least the first months. You need to give your incisions time to heal, and if you push it, you could have serious complications. In the worst situation, doing too much, too soon, can lead to revision surgery.

That said, you don’t want to sit around for two months after your procedure, either. Instead, go for short walks a few days after the procedure. You may not be able to walk that far or even stand up straight for the first three or four weeks, but keeping the blood moving will help your recovery.

Salt

After your procedure, you’ll have a moderate amount of swelling, and you will make that worse if you eat food that contains a lot of sodium. So some of the foods you should avoid include most prepared and processed foods.

So, eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and avoid salt as much as you can for the first week. You’ll have less swelling and pain if you eat healthy as much as you can after your tummy tuck.

Smoking And Drinking

If you smoke, you need to quit several weeks before and after your tummy tuck. This is because smoking slows the body’s healing process, and you want your incision to heal quickly to avoid an infection.

You also shouldn’t drink for the first month after your tummy tuck. First, alcohol can interact with your pain relievers. Second, alcohol thins the blood and can hamper the healing process, too.

Your plastic surgeon will let you know when you can have alcoholic beverages again.

Tight Clothes

It can be challenging to dress after a tummy tuck. You had the procedure to wear certain outfits again, but the swelling after the procedure will prevent that. Also, avoid wearing snug clothing after a tummy tuck because they can lead to incision infections.

The best path is to wear comfortable and loose-fitting clothes for the first month. So, opt for sweats and PJs if you’re working from home. And you don’t want elastic digging into your hips and waist, so try loose dresses, too.

But if your surgeon wants you to wear a compression garment, that’s an obvious exception. Some surgeons recommend a compression garment to help with healing.

Outlook

Most people have excellent results and few complications after a tummy tuck. Just follow the above guidelines and you should have fantastic results and recovery after your procedure.

References:

Tummy Tuck Overview. (n.d.). Accessed at https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/tummy-tuck/about/pac-20384892

Tummy Tuck Complications Study Looks At Rates And Risk Factors. (2019). Accessed at https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/press-releases/tummy-tuck-complications-study-looks-at-rates-and-risk-factors

Tummy Tuck Risks And Safety. (2018). Accessed at https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/tummy-tuck/safety

Dr. Lahar Plastic Surgery - Tummy Tuck Procedure. (n.d.). Accessed at https://www.laharplasticsurgery.com/procedures/body/tummy-tuck/