Tummy Tuck Surgery (Abdominoplasty) at our London Clinic

You’ll find out if you’re suitable for an abdominoplasty during your consultation. Your surgeon will ask you about your general medical history including details, about any previous abdominal surgery, or childbirth (where relevant). Women who plan to become pregnant imminently should usually postpone the operation until after their family is complete.

If you’re a smoker, you’ll be asked to stop smoking well in advance of surgery. Smoking seriously constricts blood vessels and therefore decreases blood flow to a given area resulting in poor healing. Aspirin and certain anti-inflammatory drugs and other medications can cause increased bleeding, so you must avoid these. You have to remember that an abdominoplasty is not performed if you are overweight, so you should have a weight that is within 10-15% of your ideal weight.

It helps if you’re open to discussing your expectations at the consultation so that we can make sure that you are happy. Your surgeon will also be frank with you and together you’ll work at choosing the procedure that’s right for you and which will come closest to achieving your desired result.

Yes, your tummy tuck will be considered permanent. This is because the removed fat cells and skin can’t grow back. The internal sutures also remain permanently (designed to repair your stomach muscles). However, fluctuations in weight and ageing can limit how long the results last. To maintain your result make sure that you exercise regularly and eat a balanced diet.

Depending on the results you want and your situation, tummy tuck surgery can last between one and five hours and you’ll need to stay in hospital for a few nights.

In certain borderline situations, abdominoplasty can be performed if your weight is very slightly above the 10% of your ideal weight. The absolute maximum is 15% above in certain cases, with the understanding that this can be performed with some success and with a couple of provisos: 

• Firstly, the result may not be as ideal as it would be if you were within 10% of the ideal weight. 
• Secondly, further procedures, i.e. liposuction, may be required, or further weight reduction will be necessary to improve your result. 

Abdominoplasty in these situations is usually performed to remove the loose, hanging skin, which does not go with even the most diligent of exercises and diet, and the hope is that this will act as an incentive or motivation for you to pursue further weight reduction longer term.

There are several variations in the technique of abdominoplasty. The decision will be based on the quality of your skin, the presence of stretch marks, the laxity of your muscles, and the amount and distribution of fat. A decision can only be made at the consultation after a proper examination. However, broadly speaking, if you have loose muscle and excess skin in both the upper and lower abdominal areas with only modest fat deposits you’ll most likely require a full abdominoplasty.

Occasionally, a ‘mini’ abdominoplasty is performed. This may be appropriate if you have loose skin confined mainly to the lower abdominal area, from the belly button downwards, but have retained good skin and muscle tone above the belly button, and with little or no excess fat.

Alternatively, if this is accompanied by modest excess fat in the upper abdomen, then liposuction may be used in conjunction with the ‘mini tuck’ to improve the result. However please note that in our experience very few patients are suitable for a ‘mini’ tuck. And the term ‘mini tuck’ is actually misleading as the scar is still about 10 inches long and therefore not exactly ‘mini’!

Pain and discomfort are subjective sensations but an abdominoplasty is considered one of the more painful procedures. Luckily appropriate painkillers will keep you comfortable and our team will care for you and support you. And it’s good to know that compared to a caesarean section delivery, which requires cutting into the muscles to deliver the baby, an abdominoplasty, which only tightens the muscles on a more superficial level, is significantly less painful!

Any pain is probably more noticeable when standing or walking in the first few days following surgery and usually involves the upper half of the tummy. Some patients report the sides (flanks) – which sometimes need some liposuction to contour the waist – as being more painful than the abdomen. So for the first week or so, you’ll need to take regular painkillers to minimise this.

It’s helpful for you to know that your scar length will be substantial. These normally extend from hip to hip above the pubic area in a slightly curved but horizontal line. At times it may be necessary to add a small vertical component to this and therefore the appearance may be likened to an upside-down ‘T’.

Although all surgeons try to suture the incision as neatly as possible, it is ultimately impossible to predict the eventual appearance. In fact, very rarely can abdominoplasty scars be described as hairline. Due to the normal healing response these always appear red, raised and lumpy in the first few months after surgery, but do tend to settle with time. A silicone gel will be provided for you which will help the appearance of the scars. However, it may take up to 18 or 24 months for the scars to improve. 

Stretching and prominence of all or parts of the scar can occur. If necessary, and when deemed appropriate, we may have to revise a scar to try to improve its appearance. This will be discussed at your follow-up consultations.

Tummy tuck surgery requires the skills of a surgeon, the hospital theatre team and an anaesthetist and the safety and care provided by a great hospital team and setting.  

Our fees for the day of your surgery include all of these as well as telephone access to a dedicated patient journey app and post-operative nurse once you are home. The price also includes all of your pre-operative and post-operative care and you can call us or come to see us as many times as you like with your questions relating to this procedure. We also give you access to our Practice Coach who will help you through your journey and prepare you for a successful and speedy recovery.

Should you require additional care we can offer that too and factor in everything that you need to make your journey the smoothest and the best for you. Let us know what you need and we’ll give you a detailed quotation after you have seen your surgeon and discussed exactly what you need at your consultation.

For more information on what our surgical fees cover, please click here.