If you are not tolerant to pain then you may not be happy to hear that pain and soreness from a tummy tuck can last as long as a year after operation. This means that you may be prescribed a lot of painkillers that could put you at risk for addiction.

Your plastic surgeon will also probably give you a list of medications that you will not be allowed to take for two weeks before surgery. These include medications such as aspirin, antidepressants or serotonin supplements. This is because these drugs can cause excessive bleeding.

Depending on what procedures you have had you can recovery time of at least a month and in many cases up to three or four months. You may not be able to attend work or exercise for three months, as that is how long you may seem swollen. Be prepared for some discomfort and restricted movement. You will also obviously not be able to sleep on your stomach as that can cause further bleeding or ripping of stitches.

Be aware too that a tummy tuck is generally an expensive procedure that is considered to be elective cosmetic surgery. This means it is not covered by most insurance plans. The only instance in which it would be covered is if tummy tuck was deemed necessary to correct a hernia.

******* (c) 2005 Kelly Altodona - All Rights Reserved

Kelly Altodona is a cosmetic surgery freelance author.

There are a number of professional organizations worldwide that publish lists of plastic surgeons. However you may need to be wary here as of course, these memberships can be paid for. The most reliable sources of information about plastic surgeons are through consumer groups and government organizations.

In United States American Society of Plastic Surgeons is a good place for you to start looking for a board certified plastic surgeon. Just type Society's name into a popular search engine such as Google or Yahoo and you should be led to a page, which can help you find appropriate doctor in your region. Although membership in this organization does not necessarily guarantee superior care you will at least be able to see all of a plastic surgeon's individual qualifications at a glance and be able to access more information about him or her by using Society's toll free number.

Your family doctor or dentist may also know a reputable plastic surgeon as often doctors and dentists need to refer burn or injury patients to a plastic surgeon for professional care.

******* (c) 2005 Kelly Altodona - All Rights Reserved

Kelly Altodona is a cosmetic surgery freelance author.