Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck)  Quick Facts

Anesthesia: General      (asleep) Time: about 4 hours

Recovery:        2-4 weeks Total cost: $7,000 - $9,000

• Surgery takes approximately 4 hours, general anesthesia
• Most patients have surgery as a one day surgery
• Someone must drive you home from the surgery center and to the office the next day for your 24 hour checkup
• My hospital admitting privileges are at Alton Memorial and St. Anthony’s in Alton , IL
• Incisions and resulting scars are usually from hip to hip, around the navel and sometimes from the navel downwards.  
• Like any other scar, the early scars are red to pink and then fade with time
• It takes a year or more for the scars to completely mature
• Touchup surgery is more frequent with abdominoplasty
• Any additional surgery involves additional expense
• Unless medically necessary, I don’t do touchups until after a year
• Patience is required on your part.  It takes time to settle in.
• The navel never looks good in the beginning
• The larger the abdominal apron – the more likely you are to have a vertical scar
• If you plan to loose weight, do it first
• You should be done having children.  Subsequent pregnancy, weight gain can undue your results
• You will need preop testing before surgery
• There is usually a drain on each side for a time.
• The drains are removed when the drainage is minimal
• You need help with small children and household chores for 1-2 weeks
• The dressing changes aren’t difficult but you’ll need help for a few days
• Complications are no different than any other large abdominal surgery
• You must move after surgery to avoid blood clots
• Pain medication and antibiotics scripts are called to your pharmacy in advance
• Some sutures come out in about a week, the rest usually in 10-14 days
• The area right above the horizontal scar may stay puffy for a long time
• You may not be able to stand straight for the first week or so
• It is important that you adhere to postop scar therapy recommendations
• Smoking can cause you to have complications of healing