Drains or No Drains for Tummy Tuck–Is A Drainless Tummy Tuck Worth It?

Is it safer to use drains or not to use them for a tummy tuck? Drains are slender plastic tubes that are placed under the skin flap during an abdominoplasty to remove accumulated blood during a tummy tuck recovery. Therefore, drains prevent the development of hematoma, or blood clots under the skin, which can cause infection, wound breakdown, or even skin loss. 

Advocates of the drainless tummy tuck say that abdominal drains are uncomfortable and are extra work to take care of. Furthermore, they claim that proper tacking of the skin flap to the abdominal muscle prevents fluid accumulation, thus making drains unnecessary. As an experienced Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon who has performed many tummy tuck surgeries over the years, the answer is—it depends! In very small and petite patients who don’t have much excess skin to be removed, the surgery is rather limited, and a drain might not be necessary. On the other hand, in larger patients, and especially when liposuction is added, a drain is a must because there is going to be much blood accumulation, which needs to be safely removed to prevent tummy tuck complications. In these instances, even “Progressive Tension Sutures” would not prevent a seroma or hematoma.

A good compromise is to place the drains through the incision line and, on the flanks, so that it won’t bother the patients when sitting or bending. This makes tummy tuck drains comfortable and easy to remove, with no additional scars! Also, drains can be removed as soon as the drainage subsides, depending on the extent of the surgery.

To learn more about abdominoplasty and tummy tuck recovery, please visit www.beautifulself.com

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