Among the plastic surgery patients at our Louisville and Lexington, KY, practice locations, women and men who get tummy tucks are often the most satisfied after their procedures. When performed by an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon, a tummy tuck can create a flat stomach, with incisions that are concealed by bikini bottoms or briefs.
It’s important, however, to understand that the recovery following a tummy tuck can take time and requires patients to diligently follow their surgeons’ instructions. In this blog post, I offer some tips that can help tummy tuck patients plan for a successful recovery:
Tip 1: Listen to your surgeon’s advice. If you have any questions, ask them. If you can’t remember something, call the surgeon’s office. Plastic surgeons all have their own recovery protocols. You may hear something different from a friend or family member who had plastic surgery, but it’s important to follow the instructions from your surgeon.
Tip 2: Be a patient patient. Recovery can be tedious — and you can only binge watch so many shows — but remember that the outcome will be well worth getting the rest you need and taking a few weeks off from the gym.
Tip 3: Make sure you’ve prepared before surgery. Arriving home after surgery to a clean house, a refrigerator stocked with prepared meals, filled prescriptions, and everything you might need within arm’s reach of your bed gets your recovery off on the right foot. Make sure you have reliable caretakers for children and pets, and coordinate a realistic work schedule or vacation time with your employer so you’ll have enough time to rest.
Tip 4: Your body is boss. Pay close attention to the signals sent by your body. Some patients tend to pay more attention to the calendar than how they feel. Recovering after surgery varies from patient to patient, and guidelines regarding how long it takes are just that — guidelines. Don’t push your body to do more than it can handle, whether at work, home, or when exercising.
Tip 5: Maintain your results. Abdominoplasty at our Louisville and Lexington, KY, practice locations creates the contours you’ve wanted since you first starting thinking about getting a tummy tuck. But now that our surgeons have done their part, it’s up to you to establish healthy habits, including nutrition and an exercise plan that will help you maintain the optimal results.
It can help to talk to other people who have had similar procedures. If you don’t know any personally, I encourage you to read about one of our patients who generously agreed to share her story on our website.
If you are interested in learning if a tummy tuck is right for you, request a consultation online at our Lexington or Louisville, KY plastic surgery locations or call (502) 899-9979 to schedule your visit.
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