Two tips to help minimize swelling resulting from tummy tuck surgery
Light walks until you have fully recovered
It all depends on the procedure, but typically, surgeons recommend light exercise a few days after surgery, light exercise mainly consisting in slow walks. Moving is essential to ease and speed up the recovery process, it improves circulation and decreases the risk of postoperative complications such as blood clots. After a few days of mandatory rest, surgeons encourage their patients to walk until they can resume their usual activities. As for the rest of the day and during nighttime, the compressive garment has to stay in place during those walks.
Even if doctors call it light exercise, lifting heavy objects and bending down are proscribed as these movements can put tension on muscles in the treated area.
Eating healthy
Eating healthy is always good to avoid a lot of diseases associated with sedentarity and excessive consumption of fats and sugars. If this guideline applies to healthy individuals, it is all the more important for patients recovering from tummy tuck surgery.
If you did not have a healthy diet before surgery, this could be an opportunity to benefit your health. Eating healthy also speeds up the recovery and given that certain foods can have a negative impact on the result of the procedure, it is best to stick with healthy choices. Foods high in salt tend to cause fluid retention, which is why surgeons recommend avoiding them to help with swelling. Make sure you do not add too much salt in your meals and limit your consumption of frozen meals as those typically contain higher amounts of salt.
Water is the only beverage allowed after surgery as it also helps with swelling. Beer, alcohol or soft drinks are proscribed until the surgeon gives his approval.
