Most patients have a similar concern in regards to plastic surgery – when can they resume their normal routine or get back to work? The short answer to this in case of a tummy tuck procedure is 2 – 3 weeks. Pertaining to this, healing is unique to every patient. The recovery time depends on various factors and varies by person. Your overall health is a major factor to the healing time. It’s recommended that you play it safe when it comes to tummy tuck plastic surgery.
You should take as much time as required to heal. You should carry out thorough research and gather as much information as possible about the recovery process. There are different types of abdominoplasty techniques employed by surgeons depending on the unique needs of a patient. This can range from a simple mini tummy tuck to a more extensive extended tummy tuck procedure. The primary goal should be to obtain optimal results regardless of the procedure type.
Graham Plastic Surgery, led by board certified plastic surgeon Dr. David Graham, provides abdominoplasty to patients in Rochester, NY, and surrounding locations.
Tummy Tuck is a Major Surgery
Tummy tuck generally involves removing excess abdominal skin, tightening underlying abdominal muscles, creating a new belly button, and re-draping the tummy skin. It is safe to say that it will take a few weeks for the incision site to heal completely.
You should postpone taking airplane trips or long car rides. You may suffer a wound breakdown if you push recovery or become active too early. Most tummy tuck procedures require drains that can be removed within 7 – 10 days of the procedure. You can attain a smoother recovery by taking the appropriate time off.
Factors Affecting Tummy Tuck Recovery
Patients in good overall health before a cosmetic surgery procedure tend to have a smoother and faster recovery. These are a few factors that can negatively impact your recovery:
- Not being of an ideal weight
- Not quitting smoking as per the surgeon’s instructions
- Extended tummy tuck with a broader incision
- Additional liposuction for removing excess fat
- Addressal of underlying abdominal muscles
Resuming Work Following a Tummy Tuck Procedure
There are several factors that come into play when a patient wants to resume work following their tummy tuck procedure. Your overall health and fitness play a major role. Stemming from this, your employment type and job responsibilities are also a significant factor.
You may be able to resume your work duties in just 10 – 15 days if you have a desk or an office job. Based on this, if your job is physically demanding and requires you to do heavy lifting or be on your feet for several hours continuously, the surgeon will ask you to take a longer leave of absence from your work.
Extended recovery period is necessary in physical demanding jobs so that the wound heals completely. In any case, you should be prepared to take 2 weeks off work if you choose to get a tummy tuck surgery. Cosmetic surgeon Dr. David Graham receives patients from Rochester, NY, and nearby areas for abdominoplasty.
Contact Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, David Graham, MD, in Rochester, New York
To learn more about the plastic surgery treatments and procedures performed by Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, David Graham, MD please contact us.
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Dr. Graham receives patients from Rochester, Victor, Fairport, Pittsford, Brighton, Irondequoit, Henrietta, Syracuse, Buffalo, New York and surrounding areas.
