As a trusted plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Dr. Dumanian is always more than happy to answer his patients’ questions. One of the most asked-about aspects of abdominal hernia surgery, abdominoplasty and other abdominal surgeries is the recovery period, including what patients should wear. Following their abdominal procedure, most patients find it beneficial to wear a compression garment, which is a soft, surgical girdle-like garment that fits over your abdomen and compresses it, minimizing swelling and encouraging proper healing. In this blog post, Chicago plastic surgeon Dr. Dumanian discusses compression garments in detail.
Compression Garments after Hernia Surgery
Abdominal compression garments, also known as a ‘hernia belt’, wrap around the abdomen, fitting tightly to provide support but not so tightly that they cut off circulation to the area. The goal of compression garments is to provide compression to the skin and soft tissues, alleviating pain, reducing swelling and improving overall healing. Additionally, sudden movements like coughing, laughing and sneezing can be uncomfortable and lead to bruising. Compression garments help control these sudden movements and increase patient comfort.
Compression garments come in different sizes; some garments closely resemble a girdle while others are longer and cover your buttocks, thighs or even knees. Girdle-like compression garments or binders (a wide piece of strong elastic material that comes with zippers or Velcro closure) are most appropriate for abdominal hernia repairs, abdominoplasty and liposuction in the abdomen.
Longer garments including bicycle shorts and Spanx for hernia support are most appropriate if you have had liposuction in the legs and thighs in addition to your abdominal procedure. Dr. Dumanian can make his recommendations on an appropriate compression garment during your initial hernia surgery consultation.
Immediately after your hernia repair or abdominal surgery, Dr. Dumanian will place the compression garment over your abdomen, which should be worn for the remainder of the day. After the first few days after your procedure, you can take off your compression garment for showering. Depending on the extent of your surgery and your healing progress, you may be advised to wear your compression garment for weeks or months. Swelling typically goes down in two weeks, but it may take several weeks for it to disappear completely.
Contact Dr. Dumanian
To learn more about hernia surgery, including the recovery process, contact Dr. Dumanian today. Please schedule a one-on-one consultation by calling (312) 695-6022.