You have this little pooch belly that just will not go away no matter what you do and you are wondering how long it takes for an abdominoplasty recovery if you choose to have one done. Recovery usually will take at least six weeks. So be prepared to have a few minutes of extra time on your hands.

Abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, is major abdominal surgery. Do not let anyone tell you any different. Make sure you have a good understanding of the procedure and all the pros and cons that go with it. Do some research before you talk to your doctor and find out about the procedure and make a list of questions you have so you get all the answers you need. Talk about complications that are possible and what to do if you experience any of them.

Now, it would be a good idea to make arrangements with a family member or friend to help you with things that need to be done for several days after the surgery during the abdominoplasty recovery period. You will not be much for being up and moving around. In fact, you will not even be able to stand up straight so the things you normally would take for granted like getting dressed or cooking a meal will be out of the question for the time being. It would be a good idea to stock up on essentials before you even go in for the surgery but, if something gets overlooked then family or friends will be happy to get whatever it is for you, I’m sure.

Also be sure to ask family or friends if they mind being available to get your prescriptions filled. The doctor performing the procedure will no doubt prescribe a good narcotic pain reliever as well as an antibiotic to prevent infection. You should plan ahead for the possibility of constipation as well. This can happen with the surgery itself and also with taking a narcotic pain reliever, so take a stool softener for at least three days prior to the surgery because the doctor will advise you not to strain to go to the bathroom after surgery.

Abdominoplasty surgery is no laughing matter. You will be incapacitated for a while after the surgery. If you plan ahead then you can alleviate some of the potential boredom that will come with the sudden lack of activity you will experience during the recovery. During this time please be sure to follow any and all of your doctor’s orders. If you try to do too much then you risk injury and infection.

Doctor’s orders will include how soon you can bathe after surgery, how often you should change your bandages, care and cleaning of the drain tubing and pouch, any lifting restrictions and any activity restrictions and even instructions on how soon you can begin having sex again, too. As with all surgeries there are possible complications. The most prevalent of which may be bleeding. If you experience any excessive bleeding during your abdominoplasty recovery then call your doctor immediately.

There are many, many reasons someone would choose to have an abdominoplasty procedure done. After pregnancy is one good reason, especially if the baby was taken by Cesarean section. During a Cesarean section the abdominal muscles are cut by the doctor and because of this the muscles may have a difficult time recovering and lose their elasticity along with the skin of the abdomen.

During the procedure the doctor will use a technique called “baseball stitching” of the damaged abdominal muscles to strengthen them so they heal nicely then use liposuction to remove any fat remaining under the skin. The skin is then stretched, pulled taut and the excess is trimmed off. The belly button has to be relocated and the incision stitched closed. Next, drain tubes are put in place to keep fluid from building up under the skin. Keeping the fluid from building up will also help the healing process and decrease the possibility of infection.

After all of this is done the whole abdominal area is wrapped tightly with a compression dressing to help support the muscles and skin during the healing period. A narcotic analgesic will be prescribed to manage the pain. You can expect the recovery to take about six weeks to two months depending on the extent of the procedure you choose to have done.

If you are overweight and have tried everything you can think of to lose weight and have failed, first of all, know that you are not alone. This has happened to the best of us. So what do you do if you want to be healthy? One thing you can do is a procedure like abdominoplasty. You will still have to change the way you eat and think about food otherwise you will not keep the weight off and the procedure will be a waste of time and money.

You can have the flat belly you have always wanted and look toned and in shape with just one procedure. When the weight is gone then you will not only look and feel healthier you will be healthier. Joints and muscles will not hurt so much anymore. Once your body gets used to not having to carry around all that extra weight your joints and muscles may not hurt anymore at all.

Other benefits may include a decrease in blood pressure, cholesterol and even eliminating diabetes symptoms. Anything you can do to decrease signs and symptoms of any one of these disorders will help you save some money on prescriptions and visits to the doctor. You may even be able to save on medical and life insurance premiums if you become healthier by losing the weight.

Professionals will tell you to not use this procedure as an alternative for a good weight loss program but if you want to look and feel your best and get the added benefit of being healthier in so may ways then talk to a board certified plastic surgeon in you area to get the information you need to make an informed decision about abdominoplasty.