Abdominoplasty, also known as a tummy tuck, is a cosmetic surgery procedure that aims to improve the shape of the abdomen. It involves removing fat, tightening or realigning the abdominal muscles and removing excess skin. There are two main types of procedure, a partial tummy tuck or a full tummy tuck.
Tummy tucks work best for patients who have excess skin that hasn’t been resolved through exercise alone. This can happen due to pregnancy or after significant weight loss. Although tummy tucks do involve removing excess fat, they are not suitable for those solely trying to lose weight through the procedure.
The abdominoplasty procedure
A partial abdominoplasty involves a general anaesthetic. The surgeon cuts an incision from hip to hip, across the lower stomach area. They will then separate the skin from the wall of the abdomen, remove any excess fat and skin, and then stitch the skin back together. A full abdominoplasty is similar, except a second cut is made around the belly button to separate it completely from the surrounding skin. This results in additional scarring and patients will usually be required to stay in the hospital for a few days afterwards.
Recovery after surgery
Following a tummy tuck, patients are expected to wear a pressure garment around the stomach to help it to heal and reduce swelling. You will usually wear this for four to six weeks while the stomach heals. Pain relief is usually given to go home with, as there is usually a lot of pain after a tummy tuck. Driving is not possible for the first few weeks following a tummy tuck and this should be taken into consideration alongside planning time off work for the operation.
Prices
General anaesthetic – from £9,765
This treatment is offered by our surgical cosmetic clinic, Bristol Plastic Surgery. You can read more about this treatment on their website.
