View Photo Gallery

Post-Operative Care after Tummy Tuck Procedure in Pittsburgh

Tummy tuck or abdominoplasty is the procedure that can remove excessive fat deposits in your abdominal area. Through this procedure, you can enhance your body contour and proportion. If you have some issues with your sagging skin and tissues on your abdomen, then you may consider a tummy tuck procedure in Pittsburgh. The first thing that you need to do is to consult your doctor with regards to this procedure. During the consultation with your doctor, it is expected that you will know the different aspects related to abdominoplasty, including the proper things to do while you are still having your recovery period.
Post-operative care after tummy tuck procedure is necessary so as to have a quick recovery period. The succeeding discussions will provide some important information about this treatment.
Instructions
Here are some of the important tips, reminders and instructions that you need to do once you have undergone tummy tuck procedure:
• Request someone who will drive you home immediately after the surgery.
• Get some rest after you reach your home.
• You should follow a regular balanced diet.
• Make sure to increase your fluid intake. If necessary, you can add more raw fruits to your dietary program since a decrease on activities may promote constipation.
• Take your doctor’s prescription on time. Don’t take aspirin or any kinds of products that contain aspirin until your physician approves you to use it.
• When you are taking pain medications, don’t drink alcohol because your pain medications will be futile.
• Resume taking vitamins that contain iron as tolerated.
• Don’t smoke since it can delay the healing process and even increase the risks or complications.

Activities
After an abdominoplasty procedure, your activities and some routines will be restricted. The following are some of the dos and don’ts that you have to do:
• You can start walking as soon as you can because it can help to decrease the risk of swelling. Walking can also lower your chance to experience blood clots.
• Don’t drive any car until you’re no longer taking narcotics or any pain medications.
• Don’t drive any car until you have already a full range of motion with your vigorous arms.
• Don’t lift heavy objects, approximately 5 lbs, within 6 weeks. This can be modified or changed by your physician.
• You can resume sexual activity if you are already comfortable. Usually, you can get back to your sexual activity after 2 to 3 weeks.
• Avoid damaging your abdominal muscles. Backbreaking and exhausting kinds of exercise or activities are restricted within 6weeks from the date of surgery.
• You can return to your regular work in 2 to 4 weeks.
Incision Care
Of course, it is very essential to consider extensive care for the incisions. So, the following may help you to care for the incision after the tummy tuck procedure in Pittsburgh:
• You may take a shower after removal of the drainage tubes.
• You should avoid exposing your scars to sunlight for 12 months from the date of the surgery.
• As much as possible, always use sun block protection if you will go outside your house.
• Always use sterilized strips.
• Keep the incisions clean and have a regular inspection for any sign of infection.
• No tub-soaking while drains or sutures are in place.
• You should wear your compression garment every day for 6 weeks after the surgery.
• Always place soft dressing around the drain sites and over the incisions to get rid of the moisture and to avoid irritation.
• You need to keep your head slightly elevated when sleeping. You can place your pillows under your knees in order to decrease some pains and tensions on your incision.
What to Expect after the Tummy Tuck Procedure
After an abdominoplasty procedure, you can expect some possible things that might happen. And these are the following:
• You may feel and experience temporary soreness, pain, incision discomfort and even numbness of your abdominal skin.
• There is a maximum discomfort that will occur on the first few days after the tummy tuck procedure.
• You will have some swelling and bruising in the abdominal area. It will usually subside for about 6 to 8 weeks.
• Some patients may feel tired for several weeks, and sometimes it lasts for a month.
Appearance after the Tummy Tuck Procedure
After the procedure, you may notice the following:
• You can have a firmer and flatter abdomen with narrow waistline.
• You can walk bent forward and slowly return to your normal posture over the next 3 weeks.
• The scars will be blemished for about 6 months. Then, these will soften and fade afterwards.
• The scar will expand from near one hipbone to the other one, low on the abdomen.
When to Call or Contact Your Surgeon
After an abdominoplasty procedure, it is expected that you will have your recovery period. Of course, it is essential to follow the instructions of your doctor in this stage until you recover. However, there are some instances that some possible risks or complications occur during this stage. When some risks or complications unintentionally occur, you have to consult your doctor at once. You need to call or contact your doctor at once when the following situations or instances occur:
• If you have amplified bruising or swelling.
• If redness and swelling persist for many days.
• If you have an amplified redness on the incision area.
• If you have an increased or severe pain not relieved by the medication of your doctor.
• If you experienced side effects to the medications like nausea, headache, vomiting or rashes.
• If you have oral temperature over one hundred degrees.
• If you have greenish or yellowish drainage from the incisions or if you have noticed a foul odor on the incision area.
• If you have some bleeding on the incisions which is difficult to control.
• If you had loss of motion or feeling.

For more information please call our plastic surgery Pittsburgh PA office at 724-759-7777