As you prepare for your tummy tuck surgery, there are some essential things to consider aside from what healthy snacks you should stock up on and adding new TV shows to your watch list. One thing you should absolutely be preparing yourself for is your sleeping position after tummy tuck surgery.
After a tummy tuck procedure, sleep in a slightly bent position that avoids pulling on the stitches. This is essential for proper healing and successful results. Sleeping in the wrong position could compromise your results and prevent you from getting the quality rest you need.
Board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Bryan Armijo take great care to ensure patients are well-educated and properly equipped for a comfortable and efficient tummy tuck recovery. Learn more about what you can expect after your tummy tuck procedure, including how, why, and for how long you should sleep in certain positions.
What’s the Purpose of a Tummy Tuck?
Also known as an abdominoplasty, the tummy tuck is a transformative body contouring procedure that sculpts and tones a flatter, firmer, and slimmer abdomen. The process involves excess skin removal, fat reduction via liposuction, and muscle tightening.
Issues a tummy tuck can improve include:
- Extra skin after weight loss or pregnancy
- Lower stomach pooch
- Diastasis recti
- Hernia
- Stubborn abdominal fat
Sleeping After Your Abdominoplasty
Performing a tummy tuck involves making a long, thin incision between the hip bones and just above the pubic mound. Dr. Armijo will make this incision, remove excess fat from the abdomen, and then pull the skin down from above over the incision line. Excess skin is removed, and the stomach is stitched up, leaving a tight, flat stomach.
As you can imagine, lying flat on your back after surgery doesn’t sound like the most comfortable position. Lying flat stretches out the abdomen, putting strain on the incision line, which can lead to pain and potential damage to the sutures. When you rest, it’s recommended that you sleep in a slightly bent position that avoids pulling on the stitches. Instead of sleeping flat on a bed, many surgeons and patients who have recovered from abdominoplasty recommend sleeping in a recliner for the first few weeks.
If you don’t own a recliner, you can always create a similar position by layering pillows behind you in bed in order to support your torso and maintain a bent position.
Practice Sleeping on Your Back After Abdominoplasty
If you’re a front or side sleeper, sleeping on your back after a tummy tuck can feel unnatural and uncomfortable. It’s a good idea to start practicing sleeping on your back for a few nights a week before your surgery. After your operation, you’ll be more likely to get the rest you need since you have already grown used to sleeping in this new position.
Gain the Flat Stomach of Your Dreams with an Abdominoplasty in Dallas, TX!
Are you ready to finally rid yourself of loose skin or stubborn fat and restore a firmer, slimmer, and sexier abdomen? Join the many men and women worldwide who have achieved their aesthetic goals with the help of a tummy tuck surgery.
To learn more about abdominoplasty, including whether you qualify for surgery, schedule your private consultation with renowned Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Bryan Armijo today!