You should not experience pain during your abdominoplasty procedure. Whether you have general anesthesia or local anesthesia with intravenous sedation, the operation should be pain free from start to finish. Patients may begin to experience some pain after the abdominoplasty. There may be some pain immediately after surgery and during recovery, but this pain can be controlled with various pain medications.

Pain is Personal

Not everyone experiences pain in the same way and the degree to which someone experiences pain is very subjective. Even though patient experiences vary, most people should expect some soreness and pain while recovering from abdominoplasty. Also, be prepared for the incision site to become quite itchy as the skin is healing.

Doctors Want to Keep You Pain Free

Surgeons and anesthesiologists are people, too. They want you to be as comfortable as possible during all phases of the tummy tuck procedure, including recovery. You will likely get an injection of local anesthetic at the incision site before you wake from anesthesia. Some patients are furnished with a PCA pump (patient-controlled analgesia) which allows the patient to give themselves pain medication up to a predetermined limit. While at home, the patient will be prescribed enough pain medicine to help them recover comfortably.

Consult with a Professional

If you are concerned about the pain following abdominoplasty, bring this to the attention of your plastic surgeon before the procedure. This medical professional will be able to tell you what to expect and will make it a special point to provide you with what you need to stay as comfortable as possible. You can also discuss pain control with your anesthesiologist on the morning of the procedure.