If you’ve been through a tummy tuck procedure, the recovery can be quite prolonged. While the surgery might have been necessary after a child or just to make you feel better, it is a full-blown operation and needs to be treated as such.
Fortunately, this guide is here to help. It runs through how to recover more effectively from a tummy tuck, including everything you need to do, from wearing the right clothing to getting your nutrition right.
So, without further ado, let’s dive in:
Get Sufficient Rest and Sleep
You want to start by making sure you’re getting enough rest and sleep. The body needs downtime to heal and repair after having your midsection reshaped.
Ideally, you want to get 8 hours of sleep per night. You can get more sleep by turning off your devices in the evenings and ensuring that the bedroom is cool and dark.
You can also do it by exercising more during the day and reducing the amount of stress in your life.
Once you get enough sleep and rest, you’ll notice that your stitches heal faster. You’ll also start to see swelling go down and your new midriff emerge.
Consider Your Pain Management
At the same time, you’ll need to consider your pain management. Immediately after surgery, you won’t feel much. However, pain usually starts to kick in when the anesthetic completely wears off, usually after about six hours.
Your doctor should provide you with various levels of painkillers to try. You should work your way up the stack according to their instructions until you feel more comfortable.
A little discomfort after a tummy tuck is normal and not usually something you need to worry about. Most of the pain comes from the swelling and the immune system doing its job.
If you have a lot of pain that lasts a long time, then using more powerful painkillers is sometimes necessary. You can also go back to your doctor for a consultation and to check that there aren’t any problems with infections or other issues.
Add Hydration To Your Routine
As part of your recovery, you’ll also want to add more hydration to your routine. Drinking more is essential if you want to get better quickly.
The best way to do this is by keeping a large flagon of water at your desk or with you wherever you go. The more you can consume, the more likely you are to remove toxins and reduce swelling across your body, supporting healing.
Yes, it’s a cliché, but drinking more water is something doctors recommend post-surgery. If you don’t like the taste of tap water, try bottled water or drink herbal teas, since these have a similar effect.
Use Compression Garments
Another approach is to button up your shapely PJs to enable you to adapt to the figure you want. Brands like Faja allow you to create an hourglass figure (or others), depending on your preferences, by wearing their special compression garments.
These look great and help you feel your best. They can also reduce fat loss after surgery and help you recover from a tummy tuck by providing additional support and shaping.
Move Gently
Movement should also be a part of the process of recovering from a tummy tuck. Exercise provides your body with additional stimulation that tells it to recover.
Gentle movements like short walks and light activities can be extremely helpful for improving circulation and reducing the risk of blood clots. Movements like these allow more blood and healing factors to arrive at the target site, allowing it to get better faster.
Gentle movement shouldn’t involve a lot of exertion, though. Exercising too vigorously could damage the incision site and cause it to ooze or take longer to heal. It could also rip it entirely, which is a medical emergency.
The most dangerous activities are weight lifting and strenuous cardiovascular exercise, like mountaineering or competitive cycling. Indulging in these sports for the first three to six months after a tummy tuck is not usually a good idea.
Book Follow-Ups
You also want to ensure you book follow-up appointments with your surgeon. These allow the doctor to monitor your progress and uncover issues that might make it harder for you to get better.
Usually, follow-ups go smoothly, and there’s nothing to report. However, there can be problems or issues that arise that require urgent action.
If you’re the sort of person who feels anxiety around medical procedures, these follow-ups can be a godsend. Getting professional advice from a doctor on how to proceed and whether further work is required can keep you calm and help you enjoy the process more.
Get Emotional Support
Related to this, it’s helpful to reach out and get emotional support when recovering from surgery that’s as comprehensive as a tummy tuck. It can be a trying time, especially if you feel uncomfortable in the following days and weeks, or woozy from medications.
Most patients have a friend or family member they keep close by to support them and keep their spirits high during what is normally a challenging time. These people can help you keep going when things get tough and remind you why you opted for surgery in the first place.
Dial In Your Nutrition
Finally, it’s a good idea to dial in your nutrition and ensure that you provide your body with the calories and nutrients it needs to recover. Research shows that post-surgical patients often need much more food than normal as their bodies repair and restore tissue. The same will likely occur for you. You’ll want to make your nutrition as high-quality as possible to recover faster and avoid any annoying issues.
Start by eating a balanced diet with plenty of protein. Protein is essential after surgery because it provides the raw materials the body requires to prepare new tissue.
Next, you’ll need to add plenty of fruits and vegetables for all the micronutrients you require, and perhaps take a multivitamin short-term. Eating whole foods is usually the best policy.
