Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) In Cotswold Community

Your first discussion with a surgeon should clearly set out your expectations and whether the operation can give you the results you desire.

Careful discussions regarding the reasons for wanting a tummy tuck and your suitability for this type of surgery are very important at this stage. Make sure that you obtain as much information as necessary to enable you to make a fully informed choice and make sure you receive satisfactory answers to all your questions.

If, for example, your fat deposits are only in the area below the navel, you may require a less complex procedure called a partial abdominoplasty, or “mini-tummy tuck”. You may, on the other hand, benefit more from partial or complete abdominoplasty done at the same time as liposuction to remove fat deposits from the hips, for a better bodyshape. Or maybe liposuction alone would create the best result for you.

A medical history should also be taken to make sure that there are no reasons why you shouldn’t have this operation. You would normally be asked to sign a consent form which means that you have understood the potential benefits and risks associated with an abdominoplasty.

Photographs may also be taken by the practitioner as a "before and after" comparison at a later date.

The surgeon may also wish to write to your G.P. giving details of the operation so that if there are any problems associated with surgery in the short or long-term, your doctor is aware of the procedure and can help you to recover.

Anaesthesia

Tummy tucks are usually performed under a general anaesthetic. Alternatives include an epidural anaesthetic injection (sometimes used in childbirth) which will numb the area from the waist down, combined with a sedative to make you drowsy, so that you remain awake but feel very little discomfort.

Please take into account that a general anaesthetic carries more potential risks – this should be clearly explained by the surgeon before you make any decisions about the anaesthetic.

The operation

If you make a decision to go ahead with a tummy tuck, the actual procedure may take place in an outpatient surgical clinic, but most surgeons and patients prefer a hospital setting where you can recover overnight.

An abdominoplasty usually takes two to five hours, depending on the extent of work required, and whether any combined procedures such as liposuction are involved. Partial abdominoplasty may take an hour or two.

Partial abdominoplasty:

During the operation, a large cut is made which runs across the lower abdomen, just above the pubic area. The skin is then separated from the abdominal wall between the incision above the pubic hair right up to the navel. Fat deposits are removed and the skin is stretched down to the incision line, with the excess skin removed before it is restitched. If the navel is not repositioned, it can be pulled into an unnatural shape as the skin is tightened and stitched.

Full Abdominoplasty:

During the operation, a large cut is made which runs across the lower abdomen, usually from hipbone to hipbone, just above the pubic area. A second incision is then made to free the navel (tummy button) from surrounding tissue. Next the skin is separated from the abdominal wall all the way up to the ribcage to reveal the abdominal muscles.

The muscles are then pulled and tightened and stitched into position to provide a firmer abdominal wall which provides the foundation for a slimmer waistline. Fat deposits may also be removed. The skin is then stretched down, with the excess skin again being removed. A new hole is then usually cut for your navel. Next, the navel is stitched back into place and the original incision is closed as the tightened skin is stitched back into place.

After an abdominoplasty, dressings will be applied, and a temporary tube may be inserted to drain excess fluid from the area of surgery. Firm elastic bandages are then applied to support the area.

For the first few days following surgery, the abdomen will feel swollen and tight with some pain and discomfort.

At first you may not be able to stand up straight without feeling a tugging sensation, but you should start walking as soon as possible.

Bruising after the surgery is usually quite light but swelling is substantial and it can take up to three months to disappear. Risks also include numbness of the abdominal skin and it may take several months for the sensation to return.

Like all surgical procedures, there is always a possibility of complications or side effects and, although rare, these can include infection, a reaction to the anaesthesia, blood or fluid collection underneath the skin, nerve damage, blood clots, and an irregular or a “lop-sided” appearance after the operation.

The surgery does produce a permanent scar which, depending on the extent of the procedure, may extend from hip to hip. Your scars may actually appear to worsen during the first three to six months as they heal, but this is normal. Expect it to take nine months to a year before your scars flatten out and lighten in colour. While they'll never disappear completely, abdominal scars will not show under most clothing.

It may take you weeks or months to feel like your old self again. If you start out in top physical condition with strong abdominal muscles, recovery from this procedure will be much faster than if you are out of shape when you have the operation. 
 

Only fully trained and qualified surgeons should perform an abdominoplasty or tummy tuck procedure.

For more information about practitioner training, qualifications and relevant medical organisations please view the information contained within the Legislation section of the Consulting Room.

Thousands of abdominoplasties are performed successfully each year. When done by a qualified plastic surgeon who is trained in body re-shaping, the results are generally quite positive.

However, because tummy tucks are major procedures, they carry an increased risk of complications, and longer recovery times than other forms of cosmetic surgery.

It is also very important for you to describe exactly how you envisage the final cosmetic result with an experienced surgeon who also performs liposuction so that they can assess you properly and recommend the most appropriate procedure, or combination of procedures for you.

The longevity of results is difficult to predict, and depend upon maintaining good control over excessive weight fluctuation causing the skin to stretch, following the procedure. Your surgeon will discuss predicted duration of results with you from their own experience and the experience of their colleagues.

Please note that results of cosmetic surgery vary enormously, depending upon both the patient and the skill of the individual surgeon, so outcomes for procedures will always be more variable than those for less invasive non-surgical treatments.

(All before and after photographs featured are real patients treated by highly experienced surgeons, your results may differ).

Front and side views of female abdomen with stretch marks before abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) surgery and 6 months after.

Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) Before and after pictures courtesy of Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Mr Christopher Inglefield, BSc, MBBS, FRCS (Plast) at London Bridge Plastic Surgery.