A Tummy Tuck Expert Weighs In: Facts About Tummy Tuck Recovery, Pain & Scars (Updated 2024)

What goes into creating a really beautiful tummy tuck result? We interviewed Dr. Parker, renowned for his tummy tuck surgery expertise. He has performed thousands of procedures with beautiful results. In the following interview, he shares fascinating details about his techniques to reduce post-op discomfort, lower the risk of unpleasant side effects, and, best of all, produce beautiful, natural-looking results.

Wondering what you can expect during tummy tuck recovery, what the pain level will be like, and what your tummy tuck scars will look like? Keep reading to learn more.

Are patients concerned about their tummy tuck recovery?

Many patients are nervous about what they will feel like in the days after surgery. During their consultations, we’ll talk about the fact that the tightening of those abs or rectus muscles can be the most uncomfortable thing. Fortunately, we have ways of dealing with discomfort that weren’t available in the past, such as a medication called Exparel®. We use it for tummy tucks, and it seems to really make a significant difference in postoperative pain.

How does Exparel after a tummy tuck help with pain?

I inject Exparel, a local anesthetic, into the incisions as well as the fascia (connective tissue) that sits on top of the muscles that we repair during a tummy tuck. It lasts for 3 days, so by the time the Exparel wears off, the patient has kind of gotten “over the hump” during what is normally the period when we expect the most intense discomfort.

It’s been significant because it allows patients to really get up and moving in the first few days after surgery. So while pain is a variable thing, it seems to me that our present-day patients, who have tummy tucks that include Exparel, experience a quicker and less painful recovery than patients who had tummy tucks in years past.

What about tummy tuck scars?

As far as scarring goes, we carefully close the incision with multiple layers of dissolvable stitches. We try to take the tension off the scar, which helps make it as thin as possible. This is part of the reason the operation takes the time it does, which is anywhere from 2 and a half to 4 hours, depending on the patient.

“One thing I tell every patient is that I never want to rush an operation, and I particularly never want to rush when closing incisions. Taking the time to close them with multiple layers of stitches really sets us up to get good scars.”

-Dr. Parker

What do you do to make sure tummy tuck scars are easy to hide?

When we do the operation, we have the patient bring in some more revealing clothing they want to be able to wear after having a tummy tuck. I draw on their body with a marking pen where that revealing clothing sits on their body. I make it a point to make a very low incision and try to keep the scar as short as I can so we can hide it beneath the revealing clothing. By closing the scar the way I do, typically, we get a very well-placed, well-concealed tummy tuck scar.

One other thing that we do as part of the scar resolution process is to have the patient start using some scar cream starting about 3 weeks post-op, once their incisions have healed somewhat. That, in conjunction with the incision closure, really tends to give us very good scarring in, I’d say, probably 90% plus of our patients.

Is there anything else about your tummy tuck technique that improves recovery or results?

When I learned the technique for lipo-abdominoplasty a number of years ago, I learned closure techniques that are not directly related to the incision itself but are helpful in terms of scarring. For example, I will put some internal stitches above where the scar is, closer to the upper abdomen. This helps close off the space up there that is created when we lift the abdominal skin and fat, get rid of the extra skin and fat, and pull that remaining skin and fat downward.

How do you make sure the belly button looks natural after tummy tuck surgery?

We take a number of steps when we do the belly button closure to try to make the belly button look pretty and natural. You want to shape the belly button so it’s small, vertical, and has a little bit of hooding at the upper end of it. You also want to sculpt the fat in that area to try to give the belly button a nice, natural look. You also want to minimize spreading.

I’ll put some of the same type of dissolvable stitches around the belly button, which not only helps the belly button heal well and look pretty but also takes tension off the skin. By doing this, it’s very unlikely that our patients are going to have wound healing problems lower down in the abdomen. By putting dissolvable stitches in layers the way I do, it’s very helpful to us in terms of controlling all these things; I think we’re pretty successful at creating a nice belly button shape.

What are the drains for after tummy tuck surgery?

You know, there are some people that will advocate not putting drains in. When I talk to patients about the drains, I typically tell them we do it as an insurance policy. One of the annoying complications after a tummy tuck is a fluid collection under the skin called a seroma. Depending on what studies you read, seromas occur in anywhere from about 15% to 40% of tummy tuck patients. If we do everything that I’ve talked about to this point, plus put drains in, our seroma rate is well below 5%.

When I explain our rationale for using drains, it’s pretty unheard of for a patient to say, “No. I still don’t want any drains.”

-Dr. Parker

Are seromas dangerous? How would you treat one should it occur?

Without the drains, treating a seroma involves sticking the patient with a needle and drawing off the fluid once or twice a week, depending on how much fluid they have. It’s annoying for the patient, but we solve a problem before it gets too bad. If a seroma is not completely eradicated, then sometimes a buildup of scar tissue can occur, which can be problematic and occasionally require a repeat operation.

Those are things I don’t want our patients to have, so when I explain to them our rationale for using drains, it’s pretty unheard of for a patient to still say, “No. I don’t want any drains.” In reality, drains are certainly manageable, and by doing all the other things that we do to assist postoperative healing, I think the drains are in for a relatively short time.

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Do you have any questions about tummy tuck techniques and what this body contouring procedure could do for you? Request a consultation with Dr. Parker using our online form, or call us at (201) 967-1212 to schedule a consultation directly.