How to Get Rid of a Seroma After a Tummy Tuck

Posted September 10, 2025 in Body Procedures

So, you’ve recently undergone a tummy tuck and now you’re officially on the road to recovery. You’re taking it easy, following your post-surgery instructions, and excited to see your final results. However, upon reading those instructions, you notice that one of the possible side effects you’re supposed to watch out for is a seroma. Now you’re wondering: what exactly is a seroma, and what should you do if you develop one?

In this article, we’ll go over everything you need to know about seromas after tummy tuck surgery, including how to identify, prevent, and treat them.

8 Min Read:

What Is a Seroma?
Risk Factors for Developing a Seroma After Tummy Tuck
How to Prevent Seroma Formation
How to Know if You Have a Seroma
Seroma Treatment Options
Discover Tummy Tuck Surgery Options in Beverly Hills, CA

What Is a Seroma?

A seroma is a collection of clear yellow fluid, known as serous fluid, that sometimes forms under the skin after surgery. It often contains lymphatic fluid, which is a natural component of the body’s healing response. It’s not an uncommon side effect, especially after surgeries that involve significant tissue manipulation, like a tummy tuck.

When Dr. Hadeed removes skin and fat during a tummy tuck procedure, a small “dead space” is created between tissue layers. Seromas form when fluid accumulates between the skin and the underlying muscles, often due to disruption of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels during surgery. Your body naturally responds to the trauma of tissue manipulation by sending fluid to the affected area to protect and heal it. However, sometimes, this fluid collects and forms a seroma instead of being reabsorbed as it should.

Seromas are actually the most common complication after tummy tuck surgery and can range in size from small and harmless to large and uncomfortable. In most cases, they are not dangerous, but they can cause problems if left untreated, especially if they become infected or develop into a chronic issue.

Risk Factors for Developing a Seroma After Tummy Tuck

Risk factors for seroma development after a tummy tuck include the following:

Extensive Surgery: Cosmetic surgery procedures that involve extensive tissue removal or significant manipulation can disrupt blood vessels and lymphatic vessels, creating larger spaces where fluid can accumulate.
Not Using Drains (or Removing Them Too Early): Surgical drains help prevent fluid buildup, and removing them prematurely may increase your risk of developing a seroma.
High BMI or Significant Weight Loss: Patients with a higher body mass index (BMI) or those who have experienced significant weight loss may be more prone to excess fluid collection.
Previous Abdominal Surgeries: Scar tissue and changes to your anatomy may make you more susceptible to developing seromas.
Smoking: Smoking impairs healing and can increase the likelihood of complications like seromas.
Inadequate Compression or Limited Mobility: Not wearing your compression garment or moving too little during recovery can lead to fluid pooling.
Low Protein Intake: Adequate protein consumption is necessary for healing. Low protein intake can impair tissue repair and increase the risk of postoperative complications such as seromas.

Understanding your risk factors for seromas can help you and Dr. Hadeed be proactive and minimize the chances of developing a seroma.

How to Prevent Seroma Formation

While there is no way to completely eliminate the risk of seroma formation, there are several things that can help reduce your chances of developing one, including:

Advanced Surgical Techniques: Skilled surgeons often use special suturing techniques such as progressive tension sutures or quilting sutures to minimize dead space where fluid might collect and reduce the risk of seroma formation.
Surgical Drains: Your surgeon may place a surgical drainage tube to allow excess fluid to escape.
Compression Garments: Wear compression garments to reduce swelling and minimize fluid accumulation.
Limited Activity: Light movement and short walks improve circulation and help your body absorb fluid. Avoid strenuous activities and heavy lifting, as too much movement can interfere with healing.
Home Therapies: Warm compresses and gentle massage can help reduce swelling.
Lymphatic Drainage Massage: If recommended by your surgeon, lymphatic drainage massage by a trained professional can help reduce fluid buildup, promote healing, and potentially lower the risk of seroma formation.
Follow Postoperative Instructions: Following Dr. Hadeed’s detailed aftercare guidelines to the letter to prevent complications.

Preventing a seroma from developing depends on how carefully you follow postoperative instructions and engage in good aftercare. Therefore, careful tummy tuck recovery, including limiting physical activity and following all postoperative instructions, is important to reduce fluid accumulation and prevent seromas. Be sure not to underestimate the importance of rest and self-care during the first few weeks of your tummy tuck recovery.

How to Know if You Have a Seroma

So, what should you look for if you suspect a seroma is forming? Seromas often appear days or even weeks after surgery and can vary in size and location. Common symptoms include:

A soft, squishy lump or balloon-like swelling under your skin near the incision site or surgical site around your lower abdomen
Feeling fluid moving under your skin (it may feel like water sloshing around)
Increased swelling in one specific area after your drains have been removed
Mild postoperative discomfort or pressure (though seromas are usually not painful)
Clear or slightly yellow fluid drainage from the incision site or surgical site

Keep in mind that some swelling is completely normal after a tummy tuck, especially in the early weeks. However, if swelling becomes localized, increases in a particular area, or is noticeably squishy, you may want to check in with Dr. Hadeed.

If a seroma is left untreated, it can sometimes become encapsulated and lead to abscess formation, which may require medical treatment.

You should contact your board-certified plastic surgeon immediately if the area becomes red, warm, painful, or starts draining pus, as these could be signs of an infection, an abscess, or further complications.

Seroma Treatment Options

If you develop a seroma after tummy tuck surgery or other surgical procedure, don’t panic—most are easily manageable and resolve with time or simple medical treatments. However, it is important to seek medical attention after seroma development to ensure proper management and prevent complications.

Prompt and appropriate medical care is important to support a smooth recovery. Depending on the size and your symptoms, your seroma may require medical treatment. If you develop a seroma, Dr. Hadeed may recommend one or more of the following options:

Wait It Out: Small seromas often resolve on their own over time as the body reabsorbs the fluid, so Dr. Hadeed may simply monitor them during your follow-up visits. This natural fluid reabsorption is a key part of wound healing for minor cases.
Needle Aspiration: If the seroma is large or causing discomfort, Dr. Hadeed may have you come into the office so he can remove excess fluid using a needle and syringe. Needle aspiration is a common method for treating seromas, especially when they do not resolve on their own. Multiple aspirations are typically performed until the fluid collection resolves.
Drain Placement: In cases where a seroma continues to come back or increases in size, Dr. Hadeed may reinsert a surgical drain to give the area more time to close off and stop further fluid accumulation. For persistent seromas, a seroma catheter may be used for continuous drainage if standard drains are not effective.
Wear Compression Garments: Wearing a specialized pressure garment helps ensure a successful recovery process in numerous ways. Besides minimizing swelling and supporting your abdomen as you heal, it may also help to speed healing and prevent seroma formation by reducing fluid accumulation.
Manual Lymphatic Drainage: Once cleared by your surgeon, gentle lymphatic massage by a trained professional may help prevent fluid accumulation by stimulating lymph flow.
Surgical Intervention: In very rare cases, surgical drainage may be required to remove a persistent seroma capsule or to revise the area if fluid buildup continues to be a problem. Surgery is considered in more severe cases when persistent seromas do not respond to conservative measures.

Discover Tummy Tuck Options in Beverly Hills, CA

Postoperative seromas that develop after a tummy tuck or other body contouring surgery can be an unexpected bump in your recovery. However, in most cases, it’s a situation that is easy to address. Knowing what to look for and how to prevent a seroma (or any other complications) from developing goes a long way towards avoiding recovery setbacks.

Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Josef Hadeed understands that the proper healing process after cosmetic surgery often comes with concerns and uncertainty. That’s why he ensures that his tummy tuck patients know what to expect and provides them with detailed instructions and comprehensive care from consultation through optimal results.

To learn more about tummy tuck surgery in Beverly Hills, schedule a consultation with Dr. Hadeed today by calling (310) 970-2940 or requesting an appointment online.