Posts Tagged ‘Recovery Time’
If you are considering undergoing an abdominoplasty, more commonly known as a “tummy tuck”, it is important to know if you are a suitable candidate and in what ways you can improve your chances of a successful surgery. You should first do some research on the internet, or by talking to a professional, to find out what exactly the surgery entails. Many women get tummy tucks after having a baby because the surgery repairs and tightens the abdominal muscles (which can be severed during a C-section). A tummy tuck also removes the excess skin left over from when your pregnant belly expanded.
Before a professional doctor will perform any type of elective surgery, the patient must undergo a psychiatric evaluation to ensure they have realistic expectations and are going into the surgery with a clear mind. Meet with your doctor beforehand and make sure you understand all of the risks, possible outcomes, recovery time and medicines being used during and after the tummy tuck. Patients who are seeking a tummy tuck for reasons that the doctor deems “unhealthy” will often be encouraged to seek the help of a therapist before committing to an elective abdominoplasty procedure.
The tummy tuck procedure is not just for women. It is common for men to request this type of surgery, and they too must undergo the same type of psychiatric evaluation as women before a doctor will adhere to performing the surgery. Women who plan on having more children in the future should hold off on getting a tummy tuck until they know that they are planning no future pregnancies. The muscles in your abdomen can become damaged during pregnancy, which will reverse the work done through the tummy tuck.
Once you have decided to get a tummy tuck, and have talked to your surgeon, there are some steps you should take. Firstly, make sure you discuss your medical history in depth with your surgeon. This is important because any type of surgery, whether elective or not, poses certain risks to your health, and ensuring that your surgeon is as informed as possible will decrease the chances of anything going wrong. Individuals who are too overweight will not be suitable candidates for this surgery. If you fear that you are too overweight to get a tummy tuck surgery, try starting yourself on a healthy exercise and diet plan, and decide after you have lost some weight if the surgery is still something you want.
There are many factors that can either increase or reduce a patient’s recovery time after undergoing a tummy tuck procedure, also known as an abdominoplasty. Before committing to an elective surgery, it is in your best interest to research the ways in which you can prepare in order to reduce your risk of complications as well as recovery time post-surgery. Having a consultation with a doctor or surgeon can also help you become more informed about the ways in which you can go into your tummy tuck surgery with the best possible chances of having a successful and relatively painless procedure.
Doctors can tell you what to generally expect during your recovery period after an abdominoplasty, but your reaction to the surgery is going to vary based on a few factors. The healthier and more physically fit a patient is, the easier time their body will have recovering from the surgery. Chances are, if you are more physically fit, you are undergoing one of the less intensive surgeries, and thus your recovery time will be even shorter. For those undergoing extensive tummy tuck surgeries, the recovery time will be increased. Lastly, your behavior post-surgery is another important factor in your body’s ability to heal. If you take care of yourself, get plenty of rest, don’t smoke, and don’t start any strict diet or exercise routines, your body has the best chance of healing properly and quickly.
A lot of patients find themselves overly anxious to see the final results of their tummy tuck procedure, and end up taking the bandages off too soon. Remember, an abdominoplasty is a serious surgical procedure and you have to care for your body while it recovers from the removal of skin, the tightening and sculpting of abdominal muscles and the removal of fat.
Without weighing in individual factors that contribute to recovery time, it is safe to say that most patients should schedule to miss about two weeks of work. Depending on how extensive your surgery was, or if there were any unforeseen complications, your recovery time could last up to four weeks or longer. Most patients will begin seeing the affects of their tummy tuck within a few weeks time, and should begin to feel “normal” again in less than a month. The first week after the surgery is usually the hardest, but surgeons can recommend some medications that will make the recovery process less painful and uncomfortable for the patient.
