Cosmetic Plastic Surgeon San Francisco Blog

After abdominoplasty surgery, Dr. Weil usually prescribes a compression garment to assist your body with recovery. Typical abdominal binders fit around your mid section and fasten snugly using Velcro fasteners. The garment is tight enough to hold you together, but not enough to cut off circulation. The garment will help reduce swelling and support the tissue during the initial healing process. The abdominal binder allows the sutures to "take" and healing to begin without a lot of stress placed on your skin.

The compression garment is worn all day for two to three weeks after the surgery until the sutures are dissolved or removed. Of course, the garment can be removed for short periods of time for bathing and other necessities. Many women elect to purchase two binders so they can be cleaned more frequently. The binders are much like girdles, and will not be noticeable under your clothing.

Depending on the extent of your surgery, you may also have bandages and a bulb drain to remove excess fluid. Dr. Weil will give you instructions on how to do dressing changes at home, and how to manage the drain until the fluid decreases. It is likely you can be fully active in about two weeks. Full activity including exercise is possible within four to six weeks after the operation. To find out more about what to expect after abdominoplasty surgery, contact Dr. Weil today for an initial consultation.