Recovering From Abdominal Skin Tightening
By David Reid | Published on December 1, 2009 | 0 Comments
After completing his medical education at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Dr. David S. Reid went on to residencies at the Naval Medical Center and Walter Reid Medical Center. Now at New Dimensions Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery in Belleville, Illinois, Dr. Reid has been in private practice since 1995. In this article, he tells us what to expect when recovering from an abdominal skin tightening procedure.
A tummy tuck or abdominal skin tightening is a pretty big operation. Whether you are treating someone who has previously undergone bariatric surgery, or just someone who is looking for a firmer stomach area, this surgery can last four hours or longer. Before undergoing an operation like this, patients need to be sure they have the time to devote to recovery, which can often be a matter of weeks.
For bariatric patients specifically—I am talking about those who have had a weight loss surgery and are now undergoing an abdominal tightening procedure as a way of reducing the extra skin in their midsection—this procedure can go on for quite a long time. These patients typically need a little more to be done to them to put them in a good, top notch shape, which is why it is not uncommon for these surgeries to take more than four hours to complete. And the stitches that I am putting into the muscle fascia are quite delicate, so that adds to the time.
When you are working on a post-bariatric patient, there is simply more skin to tuck and tighten than with a typical tummy tuck patient. That largely accounts for the increased time the surgery itself will take. In addition, you may need to extend the incision a little bit longer for patients who have previously undergone a bariatric surgery than for patients who have not.
In general situations, I would recommend that any patients coming in for an abdominal skin tightening procedure take at least two to three weeks off from work to recover. That is a time frame for a typical desk worker, though, and not someone who might have a more physically demanding job. Anyone who works in a more physically demanding job should take additional time off work to recover, although that amount of time depends on their specific job.
When you are tightening the muscle fascia specifically in an abdominal skin tightening, that can be a bit more painful to recover from than just a typically tummy tuck. So for patients who have had their muscle fascia tightened, I would recommend a little more downtime for recovery. Because those muscle stitches can be quite delicate, I typically tell patients that they need at least six weeks of recovery time before returning to their normal, active life.
All of these are just general guidelines, though, and it is important that anyone undergoing an abdominal skin tightening procedure check with their doctor specifically to find out how long they need to schedule time off for a proper recovery.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
Tags: abdominal skin tightening, plastic surgery
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*Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.