Contents
Your recovery at a glance
- Off work
- Return to work: 2–3 weeks for desk jobs, 6–8 weeks for physical work
- Driving
- No driving for 2–3 weeks (until off pain medication and can move comfortably)
- Exercise
- No exercise except gentle walking for 6 weeks
- Your garment
- Compression stockings fitted
- First review
- Week 1 (Days 7–10)
- Full recovery
- 6 months for full recovery, 2–3 weeks off work
This is a general guide for the average patient. Your own instructions come with your discharge information and in your recovery guide in the Waterfront patient app, and they come first.
Before you leave the hospital
- Painkillers: Make sure you have your painkillers before you leave, the nurse looking after you will go through them with you.
- Compression Stockings: Fitted before discharge. These are essential for preventing blood clots, wear them day and night until you are fully mobile, for most people around 3 weeks.
- Follow-up appointments: You will be given a card with details of your first nurse appointment (usually end of week 1) and contact details if you have concerns once you get home.
- Getting home safely: You must have someone to take you home and a responsible adult with you for the first night.
Week by week
Days 1–3 Early recovery
What is normal
- Significant pain and tightness
- Very bent when walking (like sitting in invisible chair)
- Extensive swelling
- Bruising, especially at sides
- Blood spots on dressings
- Difficulty getting in/out of bed
- Mood changes
What to do
- Take strong painkillers regularly
- Wear your compression stockings day and night
- Walk bent over – don’t force straight posture
- Walk around home every 2–3 hours
- Many patients find sleeping propped up on a couple of pillows (or in a recliner) most comfortable at first
- Shower carefully (OK if outer dressings get wet)
- Get out of bed: roll onto side, use arms to push up, swing legs down, stand slowly while staying bent
Days 4–7 Gradual progress
What is normal
- Pain more manageable
- Still very bent when walking
- Swelling peaks then stabilises
- More energy each day
What to do
- Continue compression stockings
- Increase walking distances gradually
- Keep belly button clean with cotton bud
- Stay bent – don’t force upright position
- Continue taking medications regularly
- Attend first nurse appointment (usually end of week 1)
Week 2 Slow improvement
What is normal
- Starting to stand slightly straighter
- Pain decreasing significantly
- Bruising fading
- Still very swollen
- May return to desk work end of week
What to do
- Remove paper tape by end of week 2 (apply Vaseline if stuck)
- Glue tape stays until week 3
- Continue avoiding heavy lifting
- Increase light activities gradually
- Begin gentle mobility exercises
- Continue compression stockings
Weeks 3–4 Turning point
What is normal
- Walking more upright daily
- Most bruising gone
- Swelling reducing
- Feeling more human
- Can moisturise scars if dry
What to do
- Continue avoiding heavy lifting
- Can moisturise scars if wounds dry
- Increase walking activities
- Begin light scar care routine
- Continue compression stockings if recommended
- Return to more normal activities gradually
Week 6 Nearly normal
What is normal
- Nearly normal posture
- Most bruising completely resolved
- Significant swelling reduction
- Feeling much more normal
What to do
- Can start gentle exercise with approval
- Continue scar care (tape and moisturising)
- Normal activities mostly resumed
- Follow-up appointment around week 6
- Continue protective activities
Month 3 Most swelling gone
What is normal
- Most swelling gone
- Final results becoming visible
- Scars significantly faded
- Feeling completely normal
What to do
- Resume normal activities
- Heavy lifting (over 10kg) now permitted
- Continue sun protection on scars
- Can resume swimming
- Full exercise programme with approval
Month 6 Final result
What is normal
- Final results visible
- Scars well-healed and faded
- Complete return to all activities
- Confident with appearance
What to do
- All activities permitted
- Regular exercise including abdominal work
- Continue long-term care as advised
- Annual check-ups as recommended
Wound care and scars
- Keep belly button clean daily with cotton bud
- Apply recommended scar cream or silicone strips after wounds dry (week 5+)
- Watch for signs of infection around incision sites
- No baths, swimming, or hot tubs until wounds fully healed (approximately 6 weeks)
Comfort and pain relief
- Take your painkillers as directed on their labels, every medicine you go home with is labelled with its dose and frequency, and your nurse will go through them with you before you leave. Paracetamol and ibuprofen can safely be taken together
- Take prescribed pain medication as directed – don’t wait for pain to become severe
- Significant discomfort is expected for first week, especially when moving
- Dihydrocodeine is essential in the first week, especially if muscles were tightened
- Use cold packs on abdomen (over garment) for first 48 hours
- Walking short distances helps reduce pain and prevents blood clots
- Tightness and pulling sensations are normal
- Pain improves significantly after first week
Compression stockings and garments
Compression Stockings (REQUIRED)
- Wear day and night until you are fully mobile, for most people around 3 weeks
- They matter most while you are less mobile than usual
- Prevents blood clots
- Fine to remove for washing
- Compression Garments (OPTIONAL)
- Not required – no proven benefit and may increase DVT risk if too tight.
- If you choose to wear one, it must not be tight or restrictive and should feel comfortable. Stop if causing discomfort.
- Your compression garment should have:
- High waist support
- Adjustable closures (hooks or velcro)
- Breathable fabric
- Comfortable fit (firm but not painful)
- Available online from Lipoelastic or Macom (use code QUABA for discount), or department stores like M&S, Tesco, Asda.
Scar care
Your Scars
- Hip-to-hip horizontal scar
- Circular scar around belly button
- Usually hidden by underwear
- When to Start (Week 5): Only start scar care when wounds are completely healed.
- Scar Care Routine
- Step 1: Apply Micropore Tape, Use 3M micropore tape from pharmacy; Leave on 3–5 days; Can shower with it on
- Step 2: Remove and Moisturise, Use plain moisturiser (E45, Aveeno, Bio-Oil); Leave exposed 1–2 days
- Step 3: Repeat Cycle, Continue for 4+ months. Stop tape if irritation occurs.
- Scar Timeline
- 3 months: Scars still pink/red
- 6 months: Significant fading
- 12 months: Final appearance
Lifestyle guidelines
✓ DO
- Walk regularly but stay bent initially
- Wear compression stockings until you are fully mobile (for most people around 3 weeks)
- Many patients find sleeping propped up on a couple of pillows (or in a recliner) most comfortable at first
- Keep belly button clean daily
- Eat high-fibre foods
- Take laxatives preventatively
- Be patient – recovery is slow
- Listen to your body
- ✗ AVOID
- Smoking or vaping nicotine for at least 4 weeks
- Alcohol for 3 weeks
- Heavy lifting for 3 months
- Forcing upright posture early
- Straining when using toilet
- Sit-ups for 6 months
- Swimming until wounds are fully healed (usually around 6 weeks)
Activity, driving and work
- Avoid heavy lifting for the first 6 weeks, then build up gradually, take it more slowly (up to about 3 months) if your muscles were tightened
- No driving for 2–3 weeks (until off pain medication and can move comfortably)
- Light walking is encouraged from day 1 to prevent blood clots
- Avoid bending, stretching, or straining for 4–6 weeks
- Return to work: 2–3 weeks for desk jobs, 6–8 weeks for physical work
- No exercise except gentle walking for 6 weeks
- No sit-ups or direct abdominal exercise for 6 weeks; if your muscles were tightened (plication), build core work back gradually from about 3 months, your surgeon will guide you at follow-up
- Gradually resume normal activities after 6 weeks with surgeon approval
Follow-up appointments
- Week 1 (Days 7–10): First post-operative nurse appointment to check healing and wound progress. Outer dressings removed; Wounds checked; Paper tape (steri-strips) or glue tape left on; Belly button stitches removed; Questions answered
- Further nurse reviews, as needed: Some patients need further nurse reviews. If so, the nurses will arrange these with you and will discharge you from nurse-led care once they are happy your wounds have healed.
- Around 6 months: surgeon review (final follow-up): Your surgeon will usually see you at around 6 months to assess your final result. Your surgeon is always available to review you sooner if required, and in some circumstances may wish to see you before your final follow-up.
Common questions
Why am I so bent over?
The skin has been pulled tight. Standing straight too early can damage the repair. Your body naturally protects itself by keeping you bent. Without muscle tightening: 2–3 weeks. With muscle tightening: 3–4 weeks or longer.
When will I stand normally?
Most patients stand straighter by weeks 2–3 if muscles weren’t tightened. If muscles were tightened (plication), it may take 3–4 weeks or longer. Don’t force it – let your body guide the process.
Why does my tummy feel so hard?
Swelling creates firmness in the abdomen. This is completely normal and will soften gradually over 3–6 months as the swelling reduces.
Is the numbness permanent?
No, numbness is temporary. It takes 6–12 months for full sensation to return. Some areas may always feel slightly different, which is normal.
When can I sleep on my stomach?
Whenever it’s comfortable, there’s no strict rule. After a tummy tuck that’s usually a few weeks away simply because of the tightness. Many patients find sleeping propped up on a couple of pillows most comfortable at first.
Why is my swelling worse at night?
Fluid accumulates during the day. Morning appearance shows your true progress. This is completely normal.
Your guide in the patient app
Your recovery guide in the Waterfront patient app is the personal, dated version of this page, with your own instructions, your appointments and the hospital’s contact details.
Download the printed leaflet (PDF)
Your discharge information and your recovery guide in the Waterfront patient app tell you who to contact and when. If you have any concerns about your recovery, contact the hospital using the details you were given.