What to expect after tummy tuck surgery

Taking the time to recover well after your surgical procedure is one of the most important parts of ensuring that you get the best results.
A tummy tuck or abdominoplasty is a procedure where excess skin and fat are removed from the abdomen and in some cases the muscles within your tummy are repaired after having stretched – usually after pregnancy.
The result is a smoother and flatter tummy. The recovery after a tummy tuck however can come as a slight shock to many. It is surprising how much we use our tummy muscles to perform so many simple tasks such as sitting up and walking and it can cause some patients to feel like they have lost their independence.
However; we always try and prep our patients as much as possible and recommend that you prepare everything before your op and ensure that you have help on hand for at least the first week as you will need it.
After a tummy tuck you will be swollen and have slight pain, but you will be prescribed pain relief to help with this. You will also be given a garment that you will need to wear at all times for the first two weeks. We recommend that you book at least two weeks off work and avoid exercise and strenuous activities for 6 weeks.

Patient Story

Marie is one of our tummy tuck patient stories who after losing weight expected to feel a sense of relief and a growth in self-confidence but instead found herself feeling even worse with the excess skin on her tummy constantly reminding her of her former self. Going ahead with a tummy tuck procedure was a big decision for Marie to make as she had a feeling of guilt as the damage caused was self-induced by her past. Once Marie finally realised that she had worked hard to get where she was now and that she did deserve something that was finally going to give her the confidence that she craved she decided to go ahead with the tummy tuck procedure.

Now post-tummy tuck procedure Marie is back to exercising and even enjoys a spot of clothes shopping again which she previously used to dread!
“I just feel so overwhelmed to see how well it all fits. I am thoroughly enjoying my new flat-tummied life”
To find out more about Marie’s patient story see here.

Top Tips!

During Marie’s recovery, she decided to keep a diary to look back on once she had got through it. Marie has kindly shared her diary with us with the hope that it may give those going through a tummy tuck recovery period a little bit of hope!
We have picked out some of Marie’s top tips!

1. Prepare to feel emotional – “Strangely, I felt a bit emotional and when asking a random question about having some pepper with my soup, I began to cry. The nurse said it was normal and that it was just the general anaesthetic. I did feel a little crazy as I had no idea why I was crying.”
2. Eat a fibre rich diet and stay hydrated – “Went to the toilet today and again that was fine – stick to a high fibre diet! – bottled water was a big help – the ones with the sports top as I could still drink comfortably in whatever position I was in and didn’t have to worry about spilling it.”
3. Take your medication as prescribed – “Stupidly forgot to take my painkillers and felt like rubbish! When I took them I felt much better.”
4. Don’t do too much too soon – “I was told I could not hoover so I decided to clean the floors by hand. I couldn’t stand doing nothing and daytime TV was rubbish! I experienced no pain. What did happen though is as the day progressed I swelled like a balloon. I had to get back into bed and decided to take an anti-inflammatory. I felt really fed up and a little grumpy that my body had reacted so badly to a little work.”
5. Prepare to feel low at times – “Today I felt a little low about my lack of mobility and dependence. I felt like I was going to be driven crazy by the fact I couldn’t walk or go outside as even walking to the toilet left me feeling tired.”
6. Avoid comedies! – “Really pleased I invested in some box sets, although laughing hurts. My advice if you’re planning tummy tuck surgery is to stick to drama.”
7. Stock up on pillows – “Pillows and more pillows kept me comfortable, especially during the night – keep one under your knees and one to the side of you.”
8. Have a support system in place – “My husband had to go to work so he left me with some fruit and sandwiches for my dinner on a tray so I had everything I needed when he went to work.”

You can read Marie’s diary in full here.

Tummy Tuck Before and After photos

To see more before and after photos see here.
The Private Clinic
We are proud to offer you a team of the most experienced Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons in the UK for our tummy tuck treatments;

• Mr William Van Niekerk, MB ChB, MSc, MRCS, FRCS (Plast), FCMI, RAF (qs). GMC Number: 4362791
• Ms Helena Antoniadou, MBBS, MD & Surg (Hons), FRCS (Eng). GMC Number: 3700956
• Mr Maisam Fazel, MA(Cantab), MB BChir, MSEd, FRCS. GMC Number : 4767420
• Mr Giuseppe Di Taranto, MD. GMC Number: 7614248
• Sandip Hindocha – Consultant Aesthetic Plastic Surgeon, MD, MPhil, MBChB, MRCS, MFFLM, FRCS (Plast). GMC Number: 6122218
• Ms Rieka Taghizadeh, MBChb, MRCS (Glas), FRCS (Plast), GMC Number: 4743910
• Mr George Samouris, MD. GMC Number: 7064009

Get in touch

Tummy tuck consultations are available in London Harley Street, Birmingham, and Northampton.
If you would like to discuss tummy tuck options please call 03339209135 or use our tummy tuck online contact form to book a consultation with one of our surgeons or advisors.