Tummy Tuck

A tummy tuck requires general anaesthesia. The approach to a tummy tuck procedure will vary depending on your cosmetic goals. A tummy tuck can combine surgical methods such as liposuction, skin removal, and muscle tightening. Your skin quality, amount of fat, and muscle strength will determine this.

If the procedure involves repairing abdominal wall, the surgeon will pay more attention to the skin and muscle, and the surgeon may repair them with internal sutures. The surgeon will then trim the skin and re-drape it, closing the incision with sutures.

You may be required to stay overnight depending on the severity of your operation. Following the surgery, we may recommend you wear surgical drains for a few days.

Those who have lost weight rapidly

After losing weight rapidly, the skin on the stomach can sag and become crepey. Despite your best exercise efforts, you may have difficulty shifting the excess skin. In this circumstance, a tummy tuck can lift and tighten the skin.

Those who are looking to restore their pre-pregnancy figure

A tummy tuck is a common post-pregnancy procedure that we often combine other procedures like breast augmentation and lift in what’s known as a ‘mummy makeover’.

The results of a tummy tuck are immediate, but you can expect to experience some swelling that resolves with time. You may start to get an indication of the overall results after around two months. The final outcome will start to be visible after around six months.

Patients should be prepared to take up to 3 weeks off work. You will be unable to drive for a few weeks after your operation. You should avoid strenuous activity for up to 6 weeks. Initial recovery takes around six weeks. You will start to see your results after 2-3 months which will progressively improve.

The duration of the operation varies from case to case. It can be from 1-5 hours.

Your surgeon will discuss the risks with you during your consultation. They include:

• Adverse reaction to anaesthesia
• Bleeding
• Infection
• Swelling
• Necrosis
• Numbness
• Skin discolouration
• Fluid accumulation
• Poor wound healing
• Blood clot
• Pain

The results are permanent; however, your results may change if you decide to have more children or put on weight. If you wish to maintain your results, it’s ideal to wait until you have completed your family and can ensure you keep a stable weight without significant fluctuations.

The severity of scarring will depend on the extent of your tummy tuck procedure. Generally, the surgeon will conceal the incision within the underwear line. It can take up to a year for the scar to begin to fade.

If you have good skin laxity and don’t require much removal of excess skin or fat, a mini tummy tuck might be the best approach. A full tummy tuck might involve some muscle tightening, removal of excess skin and liposuction. Therefore, the operation is more invasive and would leave a more significant scar.

The surgeon may reposition the belly button during a tummy tuck depending on whether it’s necessary.

A patient who has less elasticity within their skin and whose skin is therefore sagging will be a more suitable candidate for a tummy tuck. If you’re able to ‘pinch an inch’ of fat in the selected area, you may be a suitable candidate for liposuction. Liposuction targets excess fat, whereas a tummy tuck focuses more on the surrounding muscle and skin. A suitable candidate for liposuction would have good skin tone and elasticity. Combining the two procedures often gives the best results.

Diastasis refers to when there is a defined gap of around 2-3 fingers between the abdominal muscles. This condition occurs when the muscles can become separated due to excessive pressure put on them, such as pregnancy. The separation creates a protrusion or bulge between the middle of the ab muscles.

When the abdominal skin and muscles have stretched beyond the point where they can return to their natural state, you may wish to consider a tummy tuck. There’s a lot of contradictory theories surrounding whether you can repair these muscles with exercise. Most surgeons would agree that no exercise regime will be enough to repair the damage to the fascia and muscles, and exercise won’t address sagging skin. Surgery is a definitive way to correct this problem. With the proper rehabilitation exercises, the stomach can become flatter, but the success is often limited, partly due to misunderstanding how the muscles repair in this area.

Unfortunately, diastasis is often coupled with loose and sagging skin. For optimal results, many women opt for a tummy tuck which specifically targets weakened muscles and skin, closing the separated muscles and restoring a firmer and flatter stomach.