When a tummy tuck is performed, excess skin and fat from the abdomen is lifted and removed. If we look at the anatomy of the abdomen, the nerves that provide sensation to the abdomen comes not only from the top but also the bottom and inside out to provide sensation to the skin.
So what happens when the skin is lifted from the abdomen? The nerves that provide sensations are damaged. These nerves are very small that are invisible to the surgeon’s naked eye. Nevertheless, the nerves will slowly start growing back to provide sensation to the abdomen again during the recovery period.
During this process, patients will feel different sensations around the abdomen. Some people describe a tingling feeling or sharp pains around the abdomen, but these different sensations will change and evolve over time until your body regains its natural sensitivity. These are all essentially a part of the normal healing process after a tummy tuck. The nerves start regenerating into areas and reconnecting to these receptors around the body. Remember, there is going to be a lot of inflammation and a scar formation inside and all these reactions that occur may cause some degree of pain or discomfort. In rare cases however, a certain percentage of patients do not completely regain sensation after surgery.