Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)

After pregnancy, weight loss or just plain aging, many people find themselves with excess skin and fat around the belly and decreased the strength and the tone of the muscles beneath. Abdominoplasty or 'tummy tuck' addresses these problems for both women and men. The result is improved body contour and a smoother shape to the abdomen.

Tummy Tuck is divided into classical abdominoplasty and mini abdominoplasty. Your preoperative examination will decide which one will match your case the best.

The mini abdominoplasty is a relatively simple intervention with only a night hospitalization. Your navel will not be replaced and is compared to the classical abdominoplasty a much more comfortable intervention.

At the classical abdominoplasty the incision line is most commonly from hipbone to hipbone, just above the pubic area. A second incision is made to free the navel from the surrounding tissue. The incision line is placed in an area where your bikini or underwear will cover it. In time the incision line will become barely perceptible. During the operation the abdominal muscles are tightened by pulling them close to each other and stitching them into their new position. This provides a firmer abdominal wall and narrows the waistline. This procedure is called the 'internal corset'. The operation is performed with general anesthesia or epidural anesthesia. The whole procedure will take 3-4 hours and requires 2 days of hospital stay. You have to wear a corset for 15 days after the operation.

Avoid to take Aspirin before the operation. For smokers it is recommended to quit smoking 10 days before, and 10 days after the procedure.   

The recuperation period is longer compared to the other aesthetic surgery interventions. You have to wait for 20 days until you can get back to work and have to avoid heavy duties for 6 weeks.