Tummy tuck recovery week by week

The short answer: most people are back at a desk job two to three weeks after a tummy tuck, can drive again at around the same time, and return to exercise from six weeks. You wear a compression garment for about six weeks. The scar keeps improving for a year.

That is the headline. What people really want to know is what each stage feels like, so here is how I talk my own patients through it.

The first night and the first few days

A tummy tuck takes about three hours under general anaesthetic and you stay one night in hospital. You wake up in a compression garment, sometimes with one or two small drains. If drains are used, they usually come out before you go home.

For the first few days you will walk slightly bent forward. That is normal, because the skin of your tummy has been tightened and standing fully upright pulls on the wound. It eases each day. I want you up and walking gently from the first day, as it is one of the best things you can do to lower the risk of clots in the legs.

Pain is usually well controlled with regular painkillers. Most people describe it as tightness and soreness rather than sharp pain, especially if the muscles have been repaired.

Week one

This is a week for rest and short walks around the house. You can usually shower after two days. The garment stays on day and night, except when you shower.

Sleep with your head and knees slightly raised, which takes tension off the scar. A couple of extra pillows under your knees helps.

Weeks two and three

You will start to feel much more like yourself. Most people return to desk work and driving in this window. For driving, the test is simple: you need to be able to do an emergency stop and turn to look over your shoulder without pain. Check your insurance policy too, as some insurers have their own rules after surgery.

Lifting is still off limits. If you have young children, plan for help at home, because picking up a toddler is exactly the kind of strain the repair needs protecting from.

Weeks four to six

Swelling is going down, but it comes and goes. It is often worse at the end of the day. Keep wearing the garment and keep walking. From six weeks you can return to exercise and lifting, building up gradually rather than going straight back to where you left off.

Three months to a year

The last of the swelling takes months to settle, and the scar goes through phases. It is often pink and slightly raised at first, then slowly fades and flattens over six to twelve months. The skin of the lower tummy can feel numb for a long time. Sensation usually improves, but it can take many months.

Things that make recovery easier

• Stop smoking. At least six weeks before and after surgery. Smoking greatly increases the risk of wound-healing problems after a tummy tuck.
• Be close to a stable weight. A tummy tuck is not a weight-loss operation, and results are best when your weight has settled.
• Prepare your home. Put the things you use every day at waist height so you are not bending or reaching.
• Arrange help. Especially if you have children or a physical job.

When to call us

You have support 24 hours a day while you recover. Please call if one side becomes much more swollen or painful than the other, if the wound becomes red, hot or starts to leak, or if you feel feverish. If you have calf pain or swelling, or feel short of breath, seek urgent help straight away.

Everyone heals at their own pace, and I will give you a recovery plan that fits your operation, your job and your home life. You can read more about the operation itself on my tummy tuck page, or see what is included on the tummy tuck cost page.