What the surgeon does
Under a general anaesthetic, the surgeon makes a cut low across the tummy, from hip to hip for a full abdominoplasty, just above the pubic area. The skin is lifted off the muscle wall, the separated muscles are stitched back together, the extra skin and fat are removed, and the belly button is brought out through a new opening. The operation takes two to five hours.
A mini (partial) abdominoplasty uses a shorter cut and only treats the skin below the belly button. See the mini tummy tuck guide.
In hospital
Most people stay at least one night, and some stay a few. You leave with dressings, sometimes drains, and a support garment. You'll need an adult to drive you home and stay with you for the first 24 hours.
Who it suits
Loose skin and stretch marks below the belly button, often with separated muscles, after pregnancy or weight loss, in someone close to a healthy, stable weight.
A tummy tuck isn't for you yet if:
- your weight is still going down or up
- you plan more pregnancies: a pregnancy can undo the result
- you smoke and won't stop well before surgery (some surgeons won't operate on smokers at all)
- the problem is fat with firm skin, when liposuction may be enough
Recovery
Expect about four to six weeks off work and exercise, and several weeks before you can drive. You walk bent forward for the first days and sleep with your knees bent. It takes about six weeks to recover and see the shape, and you wear the garment for about that long. See the recovery guide.
Risks
The common and the less common:
- a long scar across the lower tummy (and around the belly button after a full tummy tuck), red at first and fading over 12 to 18 months
- numbness of the lower tummy skin for months, sometimes years
- a pocket of fluid above the scar (a seroma), which may need draining
- a collection of blood under the skin (a haematoma)
- wounds that are slow to heal, more likely if you smoke
- thick or obvious scars, or 'dog ears' of extra skin at the ends of the scar
- a blood clot in a leg vein, which can travel to the lungs
- infection, or a reaction to the anaesthetic
Your surgeon should tell you how likely each one is for you, and what they'd do about it.
Results
A tummy tuck is not a weight-loss operation. Surgeons generally want you close to a healthy, stable weight first, and many look for a weight that has held steady for around six months. The skin that's removed doesn't come back, and the repair holds as long as your weight stays steady and you don't have another pregnancy. Stretch marks above the belly button stay.
Checking the surgeon
Every doctor practising in Ireland must be registered with the Medical Council, and only a doctor with specialist registration can practise independently as a specialist. For a tummy tuck, check that the surgeon is on the Specialist Division in Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, using the Medical Council's online register.
Questions people ask
Is abdominoplasty the same as a tummy tuck?
Yes. Abdominoplasty is the medical name.
How long does an abdominoplasty take?
Two to five hours, depending on the type and whether liposuction is added.
Will I have drains?
Some surgeons use them for a few days; others don't. Ask at your consultation.