How Long Is Recovery After Cosmetic Surgery?

Here at Centre for Surgery, we commonly get asked about cosmetic surgery recovery and how long it takes to heal after surgery. We would start by saying recovery after any plastic surgery requires a period of downtime and adherence to your surgeon’s postoperative instructions.  People lead increasingly busy lives with childcare commitments, social activities, going to the gym regularly and so on. Most men and women are, therefore, naturally eager to know when they can return to their normal activities without any discomfort or restriction.

There is no straightforward answer on how long it takes to recover after cosmetic surgery. The length of recovery will be determined by several factors, including the procedure you had, if you experienced postoperative complications, your overall state of health, and how well you followed the postoperative instructions. In general, shorter procedures which are less invasive, will involve a shorter recovery time. Longer and more involved plastic surgery procedures, including combination procedures involving two or three surgeries combined in one operation, will involve a longer recovery.

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Recovery after breast augmentation

Although there is no such thing as an easy recovery after surgery, breast augmentation recovery is considered relatively straightforward compared with, say, an abdominoplasty. This also applies to other types of press surgery, including a breast lift or breast reduction, and in some cases, postoperative discomfort after these procedures may be less compared with under-the-muscle breast implants despite involving longer incisions.

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We would recommend taking one week off work after breast augmentation and avoiding strenuous physical activities during the early recovery period. If you have childcare commitments, it is sensible to arrange for a helping hand as you will not be able to attend to their everyday needs during the first two weeks. You should avoid any form of vigorous physical exercise for at least four weeks after surgery. You may gradually resume physical activity after four weeks but avoid going to the gym until a minimum of six weeks after surgery. Focus on gentle exercises such as walking and using a stationary bike.

Recovery after liposuction

Liposuction is a minimally invasive body contouring procedure, and the recovery period is relatively straightforward compared with an abdominoplasty. We would recommend one week away from work and avoiding excessive physical activity during the early recovery period. Whilst you are recovering in the early postoperative period, focus on getting plenty of rest and gently mobilise around the home. This means you can spend time catching up on your favourite books or TV programmes. Looking after children should be delegated to a responsible friend or relative. Doing too much in the early recovery period may affect the time taken to heal fully.

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Taking a minimum of one week off work is vital to rest and relax, as this will help healing and recovery. Avoid attempting to do the laundry or look after children during this period. This applies even if you feel well enough to carry out many everyday activities. It is not uncommon to feel tired easily after surgery, and you should focus your efforts on getting plenty of rest, which will help your recovery and, ultimately, the final liposuction results.

After four weeks, you may gradually commence light exercises, including short walks and using a stationary bike in a low-resistance setting. After approximately six weeks, you may be able to return to the gym, although you should consult with your doctor first. You will need to wear an appropriately fitting compression garment for at least six weeks after surgery. This helps to minimise bruising and swelling and speed up healing after liposuction. It should be worn day and night continuously.

You will be given a detailed information pack containing all the preoperative and post-operative instructions to follow. If you have any concerns, please reach out to us and speak to one of our clinical support team. You will have regular post-operative appointments with our nursing team, who will closely monitor your healing and progress.

Recovery after tummy tuck

A tummy tuck, also known as an abdominoplasty, is an invasive procedure and involves a lengthy recovery period. The surgery takes approximately 3 to 4 hours to perform and involves several surgical steps. The time taken to heal after a tummy tuck is determined by several factors, including whether abdominal muscle repair was performed and how much skin and fat was removed. If liposuction was combined with an abdominoplasty, this might lengthen the recovery period.

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If you have been considering tummy tuck surgery, we would advise a minimum of two weeks off work and avoidance of physical activities for a minimum of six weeks. Recovery after a tummy tuck can be challenging because you’ll be unable to stand fully upright for at least two weeks. You must stand and walk slightly bent at the hips until your surgeon says you can walk fully upright again. Bruising and swelling after a tummy tuck can be considerable, and it can be tender to touch the abdomen for several weeks after surgery. The key to a smooth tummy tuck recovery is to have a good social support system ready, particularly during the early period after surgery, to give you the crucial support you need.

Abdominoplasty procedures carried out at Centre for Surgery involve the use of dissolvable stitches for the lower abdominal and umbilicus incisions. A permanent stitch will be used to secure wound drains in position. The stitches will need to be removed 3 to 4 days after surgery when the drains are removed. All other stitches are fully dissolvable, which means this will not have to be removed at a post-operative appointment. In our experience, people recover after a tummy tuck at different speeds depending on the extent of the procedure and their overall state of health. Some patients can safely return to desk-based work after two weeks. However, many prefer to take extra time out, and this can be as many as four weeks, particularly for more physically demanding occupations.

Tummy tuck recovery takes weeks and not days, and it can take at least 2 to 3 weeks for you to feel relatively normal again. You should avoid any form of exercise in the early period after a tummy tuck. Mobilising gently around the home promotes healthy blood circulation to the legs and minimises the risk of deep vein thrombosis. You should avoid any intense physical exercise for a minimum of six weeks, and you should always wear the postoperative abdominal binder for a full six weeks continuously. Although recovery after a tummy tuck takes time, the results achievable make a tummy tuck worth it. Patients can achieve a substantial boost in self-confidence and emotional well-being.

Recovery after a mummy makeover

Mummy makeover recovery time is similar to that for a tummy tuck as it also involves an abdominoplasty. Mummy makeover procedures usually involve a combination of breast and tummy surgery and are carefully customised to the needs of the individual patient. The most common procedures which compose a mummy makeover include a tummy tuck and/or liposuction combined with a breast lift and/or breast augmentation.

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Having said that, a mummy makeover has an overall shorter recovery time compared with having each of the individual procedures carried out separately. A mummy makeover is one of our signature treatments at Centre for Surgery, and we carry out between 50 to 60 mummy makeover procedures each year at our Baker Street clinic.

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Having two or more procedures in the same operation involves a similar recovery time to having an abdominoplasty alone. The recovery time is not made up of each individual procedure’s recovery time added together. We would recommend taking off at least two weeks from work after a mummy makeover. Intense physical activities should be avoided for at least six weeks until you have fully healed. Your surgeon will advise you when you can return to more vigorous forms of exercise at your six-week appointment.

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Recovery after Rhinoplasty & Facelift

Rhinoplasty and facelift surgery are two of the most popular types of facial plastic surgery, and we shall discuss them together as they have similar recovery profiles. A nose job and a facelift differ from breast and body surgery in that they both involve a slightly more straightforward recovery and have a lower risk of postoperative complications. These procedures are performed on the face, and any postoperative bruising and swelling will, therefore, be more visible compared with surgery on the breast or body. Breast augmentation and abdominoplasty procedures are easy to conceal beneath clothing.

We would recommend one week of work and avoiding strenuous physical activities for at least four weeks to allow proper healing to take place. There may be a considerable degree of bruising and swelling in the early postoperative period, and any discomfort can be minimised with prescription painkillers issued by your surgeon.

For a full facelift and neck lift, we would recommend at least 10 to 14 days away from work. This will allow any post-operative swelling and bruising to settle down, and any residual bruising can be easily covered with makeup.

Most bruising and swelling after rhinoplasty surgery will disappear after approximately two weeks. Most patients return to office-based roles after one week. Nasal congestion may take up to 4 weeks to improve once post-operative swelling has subsided. The bulk of post-rhinoplasty swelling will disappear after two weeks. You may notice a subtle degree of swelling affecting the tip of the nose, and this can last for up to 12 months. This residual rhinoplasty swelling is most often only noticeable to you or your surgeon, and any persistent nose swelling can be improved with steroid injections after 12 months.

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Follow your surgeon’s recovery instructions to get the best results

The key to achieving excellent results after any type of cosmetic surgery is to follow your surgeon’s preoperative and postoperative care instructions in full. Our clinical support team is available at any time to answer any questions or concerns you may have during recovery after plastic surgery. Our clinical protocols are well established and regularly audited every three months to ensure we deliver the highest medical care standards.

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If you are ready to embark on your journey to an enhanced physical appearance with cosmetic surgery, make sure to have plenty of patience during the recovery after surgery and give your body the time it needs to heal. You can learn more about recovery after cosmetic surgery by consulting a specialist plastic surgeon at our London clinic. The timeframe given above for each procedure should be viewed as rough estimates, and you should always check with your plastic surgeon before commencing any physical activity after surgery.

The final results of cosmetic surgery take time to appear. You will begin to see ongoing improvements in your surgical results over the weeks and months after your procedure. Final results are usually noticeable approximately six months to one year after surgery. The vast majority of patients who have plastic surgery at our clinic find it to be well worth the wait.

Want to learn more about cosmetic surgery recovery?

If you would like to know more about recovery after cosmetic surgery, call us today on 020 7993 4849 or complete the contact form below to schedule an in-person consultation at our state-of-the-art plastic surgery clinic in London. Our consultant plastic surgeons have completed years of training in the UK, followed by specialist fellowships gained at the top medical centres internationally. Our treatment philosophy is focused on providing an attentive level of medical care both before and after your cosmetic surgery procedure to allow early recognition of any potential complications. You can increase the likelihood of achieving excellent cosmetic surgery results by following your surgeon’s post-operative care instructions in full. Our clinical support team will be able to answer any questions or concerns you have after your procedure at any time.

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