Many patients want to know what the recovery
from different types of procedures are.
One of the more common procedures that we
perform here at Park Meadows Cosmetic Surgery
is an abdominoplasty, or a tummy tuck procedure.
This is one of the bigger operations that
we perform and so it's important for patients
to understand what that recovery looks like,
so that they allot enough time for their recovery
so that you're not frustrated, and so that
you don't have complications that could otherwise
be avoided.
In general, a tummy tuck procedure takes only
about 2 to 3 hours to perform, but the recovery
itself can take upwards of two weeks initially
to recover from.
Because we're removing skin and fat, and tightening
muscle, these patients often find that the
first at least 10-14 days are more limited
to activities around the house.
It's not bed rest.
In fact we don't want patients just going
home and sitting in bed.
That's where complications can occur.
But we also don't want them returning to work.
And so in terms of scheduling your recovery
after a tummy tuck procedure, in general two
weeks is probably the earliest window that
most patients are going to want to return
to their normal working activities.
The bulk of the recovery is in the first five
days or so.
But these are patients that are moving slower,
have greater pain medication requirements,
and simply need to allow their body a chance
to heal.
Even patients who are quote quick healers,
often will require seven to 10, to 14 days
before they feel like they can resume their
normal activities.
Again this isn't to say that these patients
are laid up in bed, it just means that they're
moving slower, maybe more limited to activities
around the house.
Generally after two weeks, most patients can
return to work.
Most patients can resume some light exercise,
at two to three weeks.
Little bit more strenuous exercise at three
to four weeks.
And then almost unrestricted activities at
six weeks.
We do ask that patients refrain from specific
core activities like yoga, and pilates and
some of these types of exercise activities
for closer to two months to really allow the
muscles to heal, if the muscles themselves
have been tightened.
Regardless of the recovery though, tummy tuck
patients find that they are some of the most
satisfied, happy patients in plastic and cosmetic
surgery because of the dramatic difference
it makes in the lower abdomen that simple
diet and exercise won't achieve.
