5 Tips For Reducing Swelling After a Tummy Tuck (Updated 2024)

As with most types of surgery, swelling is a normal part of tummy tuck recovery. There are steps you can take during your initial recovery to help minimize swelling and speed up the healing process. In this blog, I will share some of my tips for reducing swelling after a tummy tuck in order to facilitate a smoother recovery and optimal results.

What Are the Stages of Swelling After a Tummy Tuck?

While experiences vary with the specifics of the surgery and individual patient factors, swelling progresses along the following timeline for most tummy tuck patients:

• Days 2 to 3: Swelling peaks.
• 4 to 6 weeks: Swelling greatly diminishes.
• 3 to 6 months: Noticeable swelling fades and the abdomen becomes more defined.
• 6 to 12 months: Residual swelling is gone.

How To Reduce Swelling Fast After a Tummy Tuck?

For the fastest and easiest recovery, follow your surgeon’s post-op instructions closely. Here are my 5 tips to help:

1. Wear Your Compression Garment Faithfully

This is one of the most important things you can do to reduce swelling after a tummy tuck. The compression garment:

• supports your abdominal muscles and tissues
• reduces fluid buildup and swelling
• promotes healing
• creates shapely results
• reduces the risk of fluid buildup (seroma)

You’ll typically wake up in your compression garment on the day of your surgery, and you’ll need to keep it on around the clock for the next few weeks. Do your best to wear it regularly and only remove it to bathe unless instructed otherwise by your surgeon.

Compression garments are also common after liposuction, which your tummy tuck may include. (Are you trying to decide if you need a tummy tuck, liposuction, or both? Find out how to decide in this blog post.)

2. Eat Healthy & Stay Hydrated

Diet is a big potential contributor to swelling after surgery, but it can also have the opposite effect. To heal quickly and keep swelling to a minimum, eat plenty of lean protein, healthy fats, and nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables.

Lower your sodium intake and drink plenty of water to prevent your body from holding onto excess fluids.

As Verywell Health reports, you’ll also want to stay away from foods that cause constipation, as this is a common issue post-surgery. Make sure your diet is rich in fiber (and fluid) to combat this.

3. Work In Some Light Movement

You won’t want to jump back into your usual workout routine right after a tummy tuck, but starting light movement as early as possible will promote healthy circulation and minimize swelling. Take short walks around the house and gradually work your way up to more activity over the next few weeks. However, make sure you do not lift anything over 10 pounds (including children and pets) until cleared by your surgeon.

4. Get Plenty of Good Sleep

Sleep plays a huge role in your recovery, so try for 8 hours of good sleep every night—more if you need it. Early on, sleep in a recliner or propped up on pillows so you don’t stress your incisions and can easily get in and out of bed. Being reclined will also prevent fluid buildup.

If you find it difficult to sleep, make sure to move around during the day, limit screen time before bed, cut back on caffeine, and journal or spend time with loved ones to manage stress.

5. Elevate Your Legs

This will help to reduce swelling in your lower body, including your abdomen. You can elevate your legs by propping them up on pillows while you are lying down.

What’s Next?

For more information, review my blog post about tummy tuck recovery. To see examples of what your results may look like once your tummy tuck recovery is complete, please visit my tummy tuck before-and-after photo gallery.

If you would like to discuss your tummy tuck journey at my Northbrook, IL, plastic surgery practice, please get in touch by calling (847) 504-2333 or requesting a consultation online.