C-Section Pouch Removal Surgery

Before you undergo any cosmetic surgery procedure at Karidis Clinic, you will have a consultation and a pre-operative assessment with your plastic surgeon. They will listen carefully to your concerns and what you expect to achieve and discuss which procedure, or combination of procedures, is appropriate.

At this stage, they will also ensure you are fully aware of the potential risks and complications inherent in that specific procedure and explain to you what you can expect immediately after surgery, throughout the recovery process, and when you will likely see the final results.

During the pre-operative assessment, the surgeon may take measurements of the area to be operated on and assess your skin tissue quality and the degree of skin laxity. The position of the incisions will also be decided upon.

A full medical history will be taken to ensure you are fit and well and can undergo surgery at this time.

After the initial consultation, there will be a two-week ‘cooling-off’ period before you can decide to proceed with surgery. You are welcome to return for further consultations with your Karidis Clinic surgeon, free of charge, if you have more questions.

If you make the decision to proceed with surgery, you’ll be given advice on how best to prepare for your operation, and you will have a dedicated Patient Coordinator who can answer any queries you may have.

Any pre-surgery tests can occur at the Hospital of St John & St Elizabeth, a leading London private hospital where Karidis Clinic is based. The hospital has recently built a new wing including a diagnostic department with the latest X-ray, MRI, CT and ultrasound technology.

We advise patients to stop smoking as soon as possible as nicotine acts as a vasoconstrictor, which impedes the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the surgical site. This can slow down healing, increase the chance of infection and even cause tissue to die. Smoking also increases the risks of a general anaesthetic, and smokers are more likely to suffer ill effects from an anaesthetic.

You will also be advised when to discontinue taking aspirin or other blood-thinning medication in advance of your operation. You will be asked to fast six hours before surgery.

All Karidis Clinic procedures are performed at the Hospital of St John & St Elizabeth. When you arrive, you’ll be greeted and taken to your stylish and luxurious private room with its spacious ensuite bathroom.

The nursing team will take your blood pressure and relevant vitals, and you will see your Karidis Clinic surgeon, who will make the final mark-ups. Our anaesthetist will also visit you.

Clinical photography will be taken to assist in your care and to enable clinical assessments to be made. These become part of your confidential medical record. These include photographs of the operation site and any distinguishing features and will be taken pre-op and post-op. 

Your procedure will be performed under a general anaesthetic, and once the surgeon has sutured the incision site, you will be taken to a specialist recovery room.

Once the hospital nursing team has ensured your recovery is complete, you will be taken to your hospital room for your overnight stay. The hospital nursing team will be on hand throughout the night, and you will be fitted with compression stockings and a compression device if required.

The following day, you will be visited by your Karidis Clinic surgeon or nurse and then discharged into the care of a friend or family member by the hospital nursing staff.

The pain and discomfort experienced after surgery are unique to the individual patient and the extent of their procedure. However, it should start to subside in the first week and should be easily managed with over-the-counter painkillers.

If necessary, you’ll be advised to wear a specially designed surgical support garment for approximately six weeks after surgery to support you during the healing process.

Depending on the nature of your job, you can usually expect to be able to return to work and normal activities between one to two weeks.

You’ll be given a comprehensive plan for the recovery process, including dates for your cast or suture removal and your check-ups with your Karidis Clinic surgeon. However, we are always on hand throughout this period, and you have access to our dedicated surgical nurse 24/7 if you have any concerns.

The C-section pouch refers to the hanging belly you’re left with after a caesarean section that can persist even when you lose any pregnancy weight.

During pregnancy, your muscles and skin stretch to accommodate the growing baby and many women are left with increased skin and muscle laxity after their baby is born. Unfortunately, the scarring after a C-section operates like a tight band at the base of the abdomen, causing lax abdominal skin and muscles and any excess fatty tissue to hang over the scarring in the form of a C-shelf.

We recommend waiting at least 6 to 12 months after your C-section before considering surgery to address the C-shelf. This allows your C-section scar enough time to heal and any swelling to subside. Waiting will also enable you to return to your pre-pregnancy shape, as it is vital to be at or near your ideal body weight to achieve the optimal result.

An abdominoplasty is major surgery, and you can’t lift or stretch immediately after your operation, so you may wish to postpone your procedure.

Although a tummy tuck scar is typically more extensive than a C-section scar, most patients are happy to exchange them as the tummy tuck incision is placed lower down on the abdomen, where it is easily hidden by underwear or swimwear. The goal of a C-section is to deliver your baby as quickly and safely as possible, whereas a tummy tuck aims to produce an aesthetically pleasing outcome. This is achieved with careful preoperative planning of incision closure and placement, avoiding excessive tension on the skin for optimal scar healing.

During a tummy tuck, a lengthy incision is made just above the pubic area, from hip to hip, and a second incision is then made around the umbilicus. Your Karidis Clinic surgeon can then access the underlying abdominal wall up to the border of the rib cage. The abdominal muscles can then be tightened if they have become lax, and a tummy tuck is often used to address another post-pregnancy problem known as diastasis recti or abdominal separation. The abdominal muscles thin and stretch, and a bulge can appear down the midsection. This tightening of the abdominal muscles and the removal of the restrictive C-section scar tissue helps to address the C-section pouch.

Liposuction can be combined with a tummy tuck to remove any stubborn fat deposits, and then the skin is redraped to your new contour, and any excess skin is removed. The umbilicus may be repositioned or reshaped to produce a natural result.