Strenuous activities can affect your results. A tummy tuck often involves repair of abdominal muscles in addition to pulling the skin smooth and snug. You must avoid abdominal crunches, heavy lifting, stretching or working out for 3-6 weeks. Your surgeon will give you the all-clear for each of these. Raising the blood pressure in the first few weeks can increase swelling and pose a risk for bleeding, so jogging, swimming and even sex are off limits for this short time.

Many people share crowded beaches or pools with fellow vacationers, friends and kids when playing in the sun, so these environments pose a risk for unexpected lumps and bumps. After a breast augmentation or abdominal procedure, you must be careful to avoid aggressive contact or impact to these areas.

Until your incisions heal, they are at risk. The ocean is home for innumerable micro-organisms, and besides bleach, pools often contain all sorts of bacteria you don’t want to think about either. Hot tubs aren’t better. Even your own bathtub is less clean for healing incisions than a shower. Any break in the skin is prone to infection. While healing, soaking an incision can also macerate the edges making them slow to close. For these reasons, you’ll be advised to keep your incisions safe, covered and dry as much as possible until they are completely healed.

One more concern is scar visibility, though this has less to do with the act of swimming. If your incisions are exposed to the sun while healing or even throughout the first year while they mature, they can darken permanently. Keeping incisions carefully covered can be tricky in swimwear so try to keep that in mind when you’re choosing how to relax during your downtime.

If you have questions about recovery after mommy makeover, a Miami cosmetic surgery expert like Dr. Phillip Craft can help you to plan for your best experience, recovery and a new look you’ll love. We welcome you to call and schedule a consultation.