Our hospital’s new Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Mr Christopher Macdonald answers our patients’ most frequently asked questions about abdominoplasty; a body contouring procedure to remove excess belly skin and fat after weight loss or pregnancy.
What is abdominoplasty (tummy tuck)?
Abdominoplasty, also known as tummy tuck, is a very common procedure and it's a term used for a full spectrum of operations. It could be something very minor like a mini abdominoplasty where we just remove some skin from below the belly button.
Alternatively, it could be a full, traditional abdominoplasty which can be combined with liposuction. Or, for patients who have undergone significant weight loss and have got a lot of excess skin that needs to be removed, a fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty or a vertical abdominoplasty may be required.
Tummy tuck surgery FAQs
Kate Comrie, Clinical Nurse Specialist, talks about tummy tuck surgery at Benenden Hospital.
What is tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) surgery?
Abdominoplasty surgery is a procedure whereby we remove excess skin and tissue from the lower abdomen. Generally, during this procedure, we tighten up the rectus muscles which tend to have a form of rectus dilation, which is where the muscles separate slightly. This is most commonly caused by pregnancy or extreme weight gain.
So the muscles separate and they don't actually go back together. So all we do is we gently stitch those back together. We don't change the muscles or anything. We just bring them back together and this helps to flatten the stomach. If you have any bulging from this, we remove the skin fat and tissue from the belly button and below. This is for a standard full abdominoplasty.
Depending on the length of your scar, it can help to take away any fullness from the flanks or you can have liposuction to help with this also.
Why have a tummy tuck?
A tummy tuck is great for people who have any fullness or excess skin fat or an overhang of their lower abdomen. So, we remove that excess skin and tissue and we pull down the skin and it gives you a tighter appearance of your stomach.
What will happen during my tummy tuck consultation?
During your initial abdominoplasty consultation with your consultant, you will come to be in hospital and you'll be greeted by a friendly reception staff who will ask you to take a seat in one of our outpatient areas.
You'll be called through to your clinic room where you will meet the consultant and myself. We will go through your past medical history, your social history. We need to make sure that you're fit and well enough for surgery and that you've got good social support at home for after surgery and before. And we will go through what it is that you want from the surgery. What are your expectations? We'll discuss how the surgery is done and we will make a plan for you. We'll decide what type of abdominoplasty is best for you. So whether this is a standard abdominoplasty, a mini, a larger extended abdominoplasty, a Fleur de Lis, which is where we have a vertical scar as well. That's more commonly used for massive weight loss where you have a lot of laxity for the stomach and the abdomen.
Orr you can have a circumferential or a lower body lift, which is a scar that goes all the way around. And this is definitely for a larger weight loss procedure.
Will tummy tuck surgery be painful?
Abdominoplasty surgery generally is not referred to as painful. It can be uncomfortable, especially if we tighten the muscles, which we most commonly recommend doing alongside the skin excision.
So, the abdominoplasty itself just to tighten and strengthen your core. So, paracetamol and Ibuprofen is recommended to have at home after surgery. And if you need something stronger, we will give it to you.
How long does a tummy tuck take?
Abdominoplasty surgery on average takes around three hours. Sometimes if we add in liposuction or we combine it with another procedure, it can take a bit longer. But the average time for abdominoplasty surgery is three hours.
What is the recovery period from a tummy tuck?
Recovery time following abdominoplasty or tummy tuck. It's generally around six weeks. So, for the first two weeks, it's a bit of rest and relaxation at home. You can generally return to work after about two weeks as long as your job isn't too strenuous. But we advise you to avoid heavy exercise and any strength activities for the first six weeks. Scars can take up to 18 months to heal and you might not see the overall result for the first three months, but generally after two weeks, you'll be feeling back to yourself doing more normal things, but it's six weeks before you return to full normal activity.
Does a tummy tuck get rid of stretch marks?
A tummy tuck gets rid of any stretch marks that are in the area of skin that we're removing - so, from the belly button downward. If you have stretch marks in that area and you have a full or an extended abdominoplasty, it will remove all of that fat, skin and tissue. So, it will take away those stretch marks. If you have a mini abdominoplasty, it tends to just take away a little bit of excess skin that you have at the bottom. So, it won't touch any of those stretch marks that are above that lower area just above the pubis. If you have a Fleur-de-Lys abdominoplasty, then we bring some of the skin in as well as down. So, it would remove stretch marks from within that area. Any that are above the belly button do get left behind. Sometimes stretching them can make them a bit more visible. It can also actually make them fade a little bit better.
What happens to my belly button after a tummy tuck?
During an abdominoplasty procedure, the belly button remains on the stalk. However, we remove the skin where the belly button comes through. So, we pull down the skin from higher up, which replaces the skin we've removed and we make a new hull and we just pop the belly button stalk back through and then we stitch it to the new skin.
Will there be any swelling after my tummy tuck?
Following an abdominoplasty or a tummy tuck, there will be a degree of swelling as with any procedure. You will have some fullness to the abdomen, and this is completely normal.
Is it safe to fly after tummy tuck surgery?
Flying after surgery is generally not advised until you've seen your nurse and your consultant. So, we generally don't advise that you fly for about six weeks following surgery. This is just so that we can make sure that you're fully recovered and that everything's going well in case of any slight delays, maybe a little bit of wound healing delay or something like that.
The general guidelines are around about four weeks for anything long haul, so more than four hours, but just make sure that your consultant’s happy that you're ready to fly.
Could you describe a typical abdominoplasty patient?
A typical patient is quite difficult to describe, particularly in terms of how they look, because there's a full spectrum of body types. I see patients who need a small amount of skin or fat taken away as well as those who require a very large amount removed.
But the one thing that all of my patients have in common is that they feel very self-conscious in their body. Whether it’s a minor thing for someone, or it’s having a serious impact, that feeling of dissatisfaction is the same for all patients.
How can self-pay patients access abdominoplasty?
It's very easy for patients to book an appointment with me. You can call our Private Patient team directly on 01580 363158 or, if you prefer, complete our contact form with your details and we’ll call you back.
When should I book a consultation for abdominoplasty?
Once you’ve started your weight loss surgery journey, I’d recommend waiting at least three months before making an appointment for a tummy tuck. It's perfectly reasonable to meet a Plastic Surgeon and start discussing plans then, but I really want you to get to a stable weight for a minimum of six months, if not a year, before having surgery.
Could you tell us about the tummy tuck journey from consultation to recovery?
Once you’ve contacted us, a member of the team will take a few details and discuss what you’re looking for. They’ll book an initial consultation for you and together we'll come up with a detailed treatment plan. We'll also talk about the pros and the cons of abdominoplasty and what the procedure involves.
Once you've had a couple of weeks to think it over, either myself or another member of the team will meet you again to reiterate everything and make sure you’re happy with the treatment plan and know what to expect. We’ll also talk about a surgery date.
How long does it take to recover from abdominoplasty?
Recovery from this surgery is usually quite quick. You’ll only have to stay in hospital for one or, occasionally, two nights. This is to allow any fluid to drain out of the body.
You’ll wear a surgical dressing for about a fortnight after the surgery. During that time, you might feel a little uncomfortable or bruised.
After two weeks you can slowly return to your daily activities and start doing some gentle exercise. On average, it’ll be about four to six weeks before you can start lifting heavy weights or returning to a full gym exercise regime. There'll be some swelling and scarring which will take a little bit of time to settle down, but at six weeks you should be back to your normal life.
Can I have a tummy tuck and arm lift at the same time?
It's possible to combine a breast reduction with an arm lift, or a breast reduction with a tummy tuck, or a tummy tuck with a breast reduction. There are significant benefits to having both surgeries at the same time
However you’ll need to make sure that you’ve got a little bit more support at home for the first few weeks post-surgery.
What effect might abdominoplasty have on my mental health?
Body contouring surgery can have a profound beneficial effect on your mental health, your well-being and body confidence. It could mean that you have more choice when you buy clothes, you could feel more confident with a partner or in general.
Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) in Kent
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Published on 05 January 2022