Infection from tummy tuck surgery – This can vary from a small amount of redness on the skin, requiring antibiotics by mouth, to a pocket of infection that requires surgery and admission to the hospital for IV antibiotics. 

Bleeding from a tummy tuck procedure – A small amount of bleeding may cause bruising and swelling. Rarely, bleeding is severe enough that you need another surgery to stop it.

Blood Clots from a tummy tuck procedure – After the tummy tuck procedure, blood clots can form in the veins in the legs. They can cause swelling, and they can potentially break off and travel to the lungs, where they can be fatal. Smoking, surgery time over 4-6 hours, and not moving around enough after surgery all increase the risk. This is a rare but serious risk of surgery, and all precautions are taken to ensure your safety.

Poor wound healing after a tummy tuck procedure – This is more common with smokers and patients with medical conditions that affect wound healing like, diabetes, kidney disease, or obesity.  It is also seen in patients with poor protein intake, which can occur with rapid weight loss or extreme dieting.