Tips for Recovering from Tummy Tuck Surgery​​​​​​​

One of the most popular types of cosmetic surgery used to help transform the appearance of the midsection is known as abdominoplasty, or more famously known as a tummy tuck. 

This highly successful procedure can flatten and smoothen your abdomen and restore you with the confidence in your figure that you deserve.

If you are considering tummy tuck surgery, one of the most important things that you can do to ensure that your treatment is successful is to prepare in advance for your recovery. A smooth and efficient healing process is essential for achieving the best possible results from your procedure. 

Here are our top tips for recovering from tummy tuck surgery. 

Take your pain relief as directed

Abdominoplasty is an invasive procedure, and you will be in some discomfort during the days after your surgery. We will prescribe you with pain relief to help you manage your discomfort.

Unfortunately, pain can be a inhibitor in the healing process. It can prevent you from doing things that you would ordinarily manage, such as eat, sleep and move around. All of these things are vital for your body to heal and you to make a full recovery. We strongly recommend that patients follow the pain relief schedule of medication provided by our medical team. 

Watch your wound

Although it will be under dressings for at least the first week of your recovery, you should carefully assess the progress of the healing of your wound. For many patients, it is the condition of the wound that first indicates that there may be a problem with the healing process. Common signs of infection or complications include wounds which are very swollen, oozing with pus, hot to the touch, or emitting a foul odor. 

If you suspect that your wound may not be healing as it should, we recommend that you speak to our surgical team to obtain further advice as soon as possible. 
 

Follow your recovery instructions

Along similar lines, it is also essential that patients follow Dr. Potter’s guidelines relating to their recovery period. These will relate to things such as caring for your wound, wearing the necessary compression garments, getting adequate rest and taking time off of work and physical activities. 

Many patients tend to overlook their surgeon’s instructions, looking at them more as guidelines and picking and choosing which they wish to follow. However, this can severely hinder your recovery process and even put you at risk of problems such as infection. Make sure you take sufficient time off of work and your usual daily activities to give yourself time to heal properly. 

Get organized at home

It is significantly easier to recover at home if you know that everything important has been taken care of. There are many different ways that you can prepare in advance, such as by making and freezing home cooked meals so that you don’t have to cook, changing the bedding the day before you go in to have your procedure, or getting on top of all of the housework. You may want to look into a laundry, ironing or cleaning services for the duration of your recovery to take some of the day to day stresses away from you or your loved ones. 

If you have others that are usually reliant on you, such as children, a pet, or even an elderly relative that you help care for, you will need to make arrangements for them to get the support they need from others while you are recovering. If you try to do too much too soon, you could actually make the recovery process even longer for yourself. 

With the right preparation, patience, and support, you can make a swift and effective recovery from your abdominoplasty, enabling you to start enjoying your new, slimmer and more toned shape soon after. Call Jason K. Potter, MD today at 214-892-2474 to learn more about abdominoplasty surgery at our Dallas, TX office.