Patients can have an Abdominoplasty performed and go home the same day, all our procedures are day-case procedures.

The incision most commonly is around the waistline and may extend around the belly button and up the front of the tummy if appropriate.

Occasionally, patients may have a tube inserted to drain away fluid after surgery.

The wounds are dressed to ensure the belly button can be checked after surgery and each patient is immediately placed into medical-grade compression garments to support the wounds.

When patients come into the clinic, a UK trained plastic surgeon with expert knowledge make a full assessment.

The reasons sought for surgery are established and what they hope to achieve as a result of having an Abdominoplasty.

The amount of fat & skin is assessed to establish the type of abdominoplasty that best suits each individual.

The body may have undergone changes due to losing weight, a thorough assessment of their suitability for anaesthetic must be made in order to preserve patients safety.

It is important for the patient to be appropriately counselled to understand the whole process including surgery and after surgery.

Patients are given at least 2 weeks to make a considered decision and only once both patient and surgeons, are happy does the patient proceed to surgery

Patients are put in compression garments immediately after surgery to help support the wounds.

As soon as they are comfortable, patients will be able to notice the change in the shape of the tummy.

There will be some swelling but there should not be any pain.

Once ready, patients can go home with pre-booked follow up appointments

Excess fat and skin around the tummy is very common and therefore abdominoplasties are common.

There are a large number of scenarios where patients may have extra fat and or skin.

This commonly includes after pregnancy, following significant weight loss and ageing.

The extra tissue that can be treated is from under the ribs all the way down to the pubic bones.

This is not just a straight line with tissue from the sides of the tummy that can be drawn towards the middle to be improved.

Some patients may wear compressive clothing or very loose clothing.

Patients with extra fat may have tried machine-based fat reduction or fat-dissolving injections.

For those with extra skin, patients may have tried radio frequency-based machines to tighten the skin.

Most of these methods can help with small changes, but if more than this is required, different surgical options are utilised.

A mini-abdominoplasty deals with the extra skin near the waist only.

A full tummy tuck deals with the extra skin at the front (in a head to toe direction).

If excess skin is present in both directions (head to toe and side to side), a Fleur-De-Lys abdominoplasty is needed, leaving an upside-down T scar across the front of the tummy.

If extra fat is present, liposuction is combined with any of the types and in some circumstances is called a Brazilian Tummy Tuck (which tends to leave a scar along the waist).

Of note, apart from a mini-abdominoplasty, all other types need to move the belly button, which leaves a scar around it.