Is a tummy tuck painful?

Is a tummy tuck painful?

Steve Fallek (Plastic Surgeon & Medical Director, Face Focus Medical Spa, New York City) gives expert video advice on: What are the risks and complications associated with a tummy tuck?; What should I expect after a tummy tuck?; What are the costs associated with a tummy tuck? and more...

The most painful part of a tummy tuck is when the rectus muscles - those are the muscles that get stretched out with pregnancy - are tightened. There are stitches that are pulled and put into the muscle. In terms of the tummy tuck incisions themselves, it's not very painful, but patients are a bit uncomfortable after a tummy tuck and do require strong pain medications. That pain usually lasts for about a day or two, and then starts to resolve over the course of a week.