Surgery Plastic Surgery Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) Recovery After a Tummy Tuck By Millicent Odunze, MD facebook Millicent Odunze Geers, MD, MPH, is a plastic surgeon with Dignity Health Medical Foundation. Learn about our editorial process Millicent Odunze, MD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD on November 16, 2019 linkedin Scott Sundick, MD, is a board-certified vascular and endovascular surgeon. He currently practices in Westfield, New Jersey. Learn about our Medical Review Board Scott Sundick, MD on November 16, 2019 Print Knape/E+/Getty Images More in Plastic Surgery Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) Planning Your Surgery Reconstructive Surgery Facial Procedures Liposuction More Body Procedures Breast Surgery A tummy tuck, also known as an abdominoplasty, is a cosmetic procedure that reshapes the abdominal wall by removing abdominal skin and fat. If a separation of the abdominal muscles has occurred (known as diastasis recti), repair or tightening of these muscles may be necessary. The road to recovery can be tough. Here is some helpful information: How to Care for Your Abdomen and Incision After a Tummy Tuck Your tummy tuck incision may extend from hip bone to hip bone if you have a full tummy tuck, or may be a little shorter if you have a mini tummy tuck. Read here for tips on how to take care of your incision, drains, and dressings after your tummy tuck.How to Manage Your Pain After a Tummy Tuck Pain after a tummy tuck is unavoidable, but it doesn't have to be unbearable! There are things you can do to make your recovery course less painful. Read here for tips on how to make your experience less painful.When to Resume Activities After a Tummy Tuck After a tummy tuck, you will be limited in the activities that you can perform. Read here for advice on when you'll be able to return to work, exercise, have sex, drive, and many other activites. Recovery After Other Plastic Surgery Procedures Recovery After Plastic Surgery - All Procedures Recovery after surgery is different based on the procedure you have. Read here for recovery tips after breast reduction, breast augmentation, eyelid surgery, facelift, and liposuction. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Liposuction Recovery. Accessed May 22, 2011. Gingrass MK. Liposuction. In Thorne CHM, Beasely RW, Aston SJ, Bartlett SP, Gurtner GC, Spear S, eds. Grabb and Smith’s Plastic Surgery, 6th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 2007. Hunstad JP. Liposuction of the Hips and Thighs. In Evans GRD, ed. Operative Plastic Surgery. New York: McGraw Hill, 2000.