Bandages
In order to heal properly, you will have to wear a special bandage on the treated areas during two or three weeks. It is quite uncomfortable but, unfortunately, it is necessary. You will also have some flexible and thin drainage tubes applied, they will drain off excess fluids from the wounds to an airtight plastic bottle. These drainages help reduce the incidence of bruises.

Amount of pain
Moderate to high. Your physician will advice you to take analgesics every 6 or 8 hours; this will bring great relief to you.

Removal of the stitches
Between 7 to 14 days after the surgery.

Bruises and swelling
It is not usual for bruises to develop. The inflammation is moderate and will remain for some days.

Scars
We would like to say that this surgery is one of those surgeries that leave no scars behind, but we definitely cannot. The resulting scar runs from hip to hip, following the outline of a bikini, and is permanent. The incision is made in such a way that the resulting scar will always be concealed by your underwear or bathing suit. In due time, it will turn to pale pink and will become less and less evident. The other scar is the one around the navel, but it is disguised by it and is not very visible.

Recovery
You will have to rest at the hotel for a few days, usually no more than a week. You should try to start walking as soon as possible. You will be able to go back to work two weeks after the surgery, if your job is a sedentary one. If it is not, and you will have to lift heavy objects or do physical exercise, you should wait between two and four weeks more. You will probably be able to show up in public again wearing a bathing suit after a month. The first weeks after the surgery tend to be long and unpleasant. Some people may experience depression during this period. This is very usual after any kind of surgery, regardless of its triviality. You may even feel that you made a terrible mistake in deciding to have a surgery. But you shouldn't worry. Most of the people who today are happy and satisfied with the results of a surgery have also gone through that phase.

Possible risks and complications
Tummy tuck surgery is a major surgery procedure. It is very unlikely for it to present any complications when performed by a qualified surgeon. However, every surgical procedure, regardless of its triviality, has some risks and we should always think of them as a possibility.

• Adverse reactions to anesthesia.
• Infections; although they are very unusual if you take the antibiotics your physician will prescribe.
• Uneven scars that may need a simple surgical intervention at a superficial level.
• Pulmonary thrombosis. It happens very rarely, but if a blood clot travels through the bloodstream and reaches the lungs, it may cause a cardiopulmonary arrest. In order to prevent this from happening, you should try to move your legs and leave the bed as soon as you can.
• If bruises get too large, they may require drainage.
• Seromas, or fluid accumulation beneath the skin. In some cases, they may require to be drained with a syringe.
• Skin necrosis occurs in a very small percentage of the cases, but it can be solved if it is taken care of in time.
• If you decided to undergo this surgery because of flaccidity that developed after a pregnancy and you get pregnant again after the surgery, it is very likely that you will loose part or all of the benefits you have obtained. What is more, it is very hard to predict the elasticity of the resulting scar and of the muscles that were tightened during the surgery. Therefore, tummy tuck surgery is only advisable if you have decided not to have any more children. In spite of this recommendation, many women got pregnant again after tummy tuck surgery and had no problems during their pregnancy, and some have even decided to run the risk of having a second surgery.

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