Are tummy tucks (witch hazel) painful?

Yes..: I'm told by my patients that it's similar to a c section.

Not necessarily: Tummy tuck surgery usually involves sewing up the muscles, flattening the abdominal wall, and this is the most painful part. Many surgeons use a post operative anesthetic pump that bathes the muscle with numbing medicine, making the discomfort after surgery much less. The pump is empty at 3 days, but the numbing effect lasts for the duration of recovery.

Yes but Varies: Generally speaking, most tummy tuck operations involve “repair” of the abdominal wall muscles that may have spread with pregnancy and/or weight gain/loss. Because of this “muscle work”, these operations tend to be quite uncomfortable for the first few days. Occasionally, patients do not require muscle plication; these patients tend to have less discomfort postoperatively. I hope this helps.

Moderately painful : Any surgery that involves cutting or sewing muscle tends to be somewhat painful. Most tummy tucks (witch hazel) will also include muscle tightening. Patients generally manage the pain quite well with a medication such as vicodin. I've never had a patient tell me that the pain was so significant that she regrets having the surgery.

Not very: with the use of newer pain management options placed at the time of surgery. That said people vary tremendously with respect to their perception of pain. Either way the worst is over after 2 days usually and pain shouldn't factor into the decision for or against a procedure choice because it goes away.