Getting Back to Normal
It may take you weeks or months to feel like your old self again. Some people return to work after two weeks, while others take three or four weeks to rest and recuperate. Very gentle exercise, such as strollling, will help you heal better.
Vigorous exercise, however, should be avoided until three months after surgery. Your scars may actually appear to worsen during the first three to six months as they heal, but this is normal. Expect it to take nine months to a year before your scars flatten out and lighten in colour. While they’ll never disappear completely, abdominal scars will not show under most clothing, even under bathing suits.
What if I have “dog-ears” sitting on my hips?
Sometimes skin retraction does not occur completely in the first year. You may be left with excess skin or “points” on your hips that need to be removed surgically. This is known as touch-up surgery and is usually done under local anaesthesia. It may incur extra costs and should be budgeted for. Some surgeons consider “dog-ears” a normal consequence of surgery and do not offer touch up surgery. This all depends on one’s personal standards.
Your New Look
Abdominoplasty, whether partial or complete, with or without liposuction, produces excellent results for patients with weakened abdominal muscles, excess skin, and excess fat deposits. And in most cases, the results are long lasting, if you follow a balanced diet and exercise regularly. If you’re realistic in your expectations and prepared for the permanent scar and recovery period, abdominoplasty may be just the answer for you.
