Infection after a tummy tuck

The tummy tuck intervention can help you get rid of the excess skin and fat tissue from the inferior level of the abdomen. It can be performed with or without the repositioning of the belly button. It is a complex intervention, and a good communication with your plastic surgeon is mandatory, both before and after the procedure.

One of the most important complications that can occur after this type of intervention is the infection.
The infection is an invasion of microorganisms that can be localized or generalized in a living being. Through multiplication, these microorganisms affect the body. A generalized infection can manifest through high fever and a degradation of the general health condition. A localized infection will usually present the following symptoms: high fever, an inflammation of the area infected – pain, redness, edema - and the formation of an abscess filled with puss.


Infection after the tummy tuck surgery occurs only in rare cases, usually if the patient didn’t maintain a proper hygiene of the surgical incision after being discharged or is not taking antibiotics. The risk of infection is greater when body contour surgeries are performed in parallel with procedures in the abdominal area.

To prevent infections, we give antibiotics during the surgery and for at least a week after it was performed. If you experience any sign of infection from the ones mentioned above, make sure to seek medical help immediately. Infections can be treated with antibiotics, and in exceptional cases, additional surgery might be needed.