Also known as abdominoplasty, a tummy tuck involves removing excess skin and fat from the tummy area, as well as tightening the abdominal muscles, so that it has a smoother, flatter appearance. Different types of tummy tuck are available, depending on what you would like to change and what your goals are after surgery.
1 - 6 hours
12 weeks
first 4 - 6 weeks
A tummy tuck is a surgicals procedure during which your surgeon will remove excess skin and fat from the abdominal area and tighten the underlying muscles so that a smoother and firmer appearance is achieved.
It can be helpful if you’ve lost a substantial amount of weight but have been left with loose or sagging skin and fat around your abdomen that is resistant to diet and exercise.
There are a number of benefits that this kind of surgery could bring, including:
There’s a risk with every kind of surgical procedure, as well as potential benefits. Some of the risks and side effects of the tummy tuck procedure include:
Abdominoplasty is usually performed under general anaesthetic, which carries its own risks and side effects.
You should be aware that, just after your tummy tuck, you may feel that it’s harder to stand up straight as you have the sensation that your abdomen is being ‘pulled’. This will improve as time passes. You will have a scar across your lower tummy area and, if you’ve had a full tummy tuck, it will also be around your belly button. In the case of a fleur des lis abdominoplasty, the scar would be in a vertical line travelling up the abdomen area towards the chest.
The scars will gradually fade as you begin to heal.
Before your surgery, you’ll be given general anaesthetic, so you’ll be asleep while the procedure is carried out.
There are different abdominoplasty techniques which are used to combat different types of loose skin and fat, and your surgeon will have discussed the procedure with you in advance of your surgery day.
If you’re having a mini tummy tuck, your surgeon will remove skin and fat from the lower area of the tummy only, and they may tighten the lower abdominal muscles during the procedure.
A full tummy tuck, which is the most popular type of abdominoplasty, can remove more fat and skin than the mini tummy tuck. Your surgeon will make a larger incision, and they may tighten the muscles above and below the belly button during the procedure.
A fleur-de-lis tummy tuck can take away a lot of excess fat and skin on the upper and lower abdomen, as both vertical and horizontal incisions are used.
You might consider having a tummy tuck if you have lost a significant amount of weight which has left you with excess skin and fat in the abdominal area that is resistant to diet and exercise alone. It could be that, as you’ve aged you’ve noticed that your tummy area has started to sag. Or you may just want a more toned and defined look that helps to increase your self-confidence.
Whatever your reasons are for thinking about a tummy tuck, you should be over the age of 18 to be considered for this procedure. You should also be in good health both physically and mentally, and have a good understanding of what could be achieved from this kind of surgery. For the best possible results, you should also be at or near your goal weight with a stable BMI.
You’ll stay in hospital for 1 night and it’s likely that your abdomen will be swollen, tender and sore. You’ll probably have bruising, too.
It’s very important that you wear a compression garment for up to 12 weeks after your abdominoplasty, as this will help you heal and minimise the possibility of post-op complications. You should take at least 2-3 weeks off work after you’ve had your procedure, and your final results should be starting to show from around 3 weeks onwards.
You should mobilise for the first 2-3 weeks following your surgery, and then progress to gentle exercise between 3-6 weeks if the surgeon agrees.
You’re likely to be fully recovered from about 12 weeks post-surgery.
Although, of course, every patient is different and your specific results will depend on your individual circumstances and type of surgery, you can typically expect to see an improvement in the appearance of your abdomen area.
You may notice that it’s more toned and flatter, that the contours of your tummy are improved with more muscle definition, and that you feel more confident about how you look after your surgery.
Yes, it can – it be combined with male chest reduction surgery (gynaecomastia surgery) if you’re looking to improve the appearance of both your abdomen and chest area. By combining these two different procedures, you could achieve a more toned and defined body contour overall.
Abdominoplasty can also be combined with liposuction, which removes excess fat from specific areas such as the flanks (love handles) and the hips – this can help to improve the contours of the body.
And abdominoplasty can be carried out in combination with an arm or thigh lift – procedures which remove excess skin and fat from the upper arms and thighs, resulting in a more comprehensive body transformation.
However, combining procedures can increase the complexity of surgery and the risk of complications, and your surgeon will discuss these with you at your consultation so that you can make the decision that’s right for you.
These types of surgery achieve different aims – a tummy tuck removes excess skin and fat, and liposuction removes only fat. Typically, someone who has loose skin and fat on their abdomen would have a tummy tuck, while someone with pockets of stubborn fat which diet and exercise are failing to shift would have liposuction.
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