Did Eva Frantz have a tummy tuck? Yes, and she explained why in her own words

What did Eva Frantz say about her tummy tuck?

Frantz told the story on her own website in a post written in Swedish, “Jag har gjort en plastikoperation och det var ett av mina bästa beslut någonsin!” (“I have had plastic surgery and it was one of my best decisions ever!”). She explained that she had given birth to three children and that after the third pregnancy her stomach no longer recovered, however much she trained and cut back on food. The excess skin sometimes hurt, rubbed against her clothes and gave her a rash.

After a consultation with a plastic surgeon in Finland she chose the procedure herself: “I concluded that a mini tummy tuck was what I wanted. It means making an incision below the navel, doing liposuction on the lower half of the abdomen, removing excess skin and stitching it up again.” She was clear that she was not after a dramatic change: “I just wanted to look like myself about five years ago.”

That post is all this article relies on. Frantz described her own experience; where the text below explains techniques, timelines and prices, it describes the tummy tuck in general, not her treatment, and we do not guess at anything she did not say.

Why her openness matters

Frantz wrote that she had not talked about the operation earlier because she did not have the energy to deal with people's reactions. What pushed her to write was a series of documentaries that, in her view, presented cosmetic surgery only as something desperate. Her point was different: adults can decide on an operation calmly and after careful thought, for reasons that are practical as much as aesthetic.

She was also honest about the limits. “An operation always involves a risk,” she wrote, adding that the risk of not being satisfied, or even regretting it, always exists. She discussed the decision with her children in advance and stressed that she did it for herself. For readers, the value of her post lies in that balance: a clear reason, realistic expectations and no promise that surgery fixes everything.

Her situation is also a common one. After pregnancies, stretched skin does not shrink back and separated abdominal muscles do not come together again through exercise alone. That is exactly the kind of problem a tummy tuck is designed for — it is not a weight-loss method.

How a tummy tuck is done today

A tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) is surgical tightening of the front abdominal wall. The surgeon removes excess stretched skin and fat and, where needed, repairs separated rectus muscles (diastasis). The operation is done under general anaesthesia. The two main options:

• Classic tummy tuck — a horizontal incision above the pubic area, planned so underwear and swimwear hide the scar. Muscles are repaired, excess skin and fat removed, the navel repositioned and drains placed. It takes 2–4 hours.
• Mini tummy tuck — only the lower abdomen is corrected, the incision is shorter and the navel is not moved. It suits a small amount of excess skin; recovery is shorter.

As in Frantz's description, a tummy tuck is often combined with liposuction — for example of the flanks and waist — in one operation, with one anaesthetic and one recovery period. Which technique fits is decided by the surgeon at an in-person consultation after assessing the skin and muscles.

Who is a good candidate and how to prepare

Typical reasons to consider a tummy tuck:

• excess abdominal skin and fat after childbirth or major weight loss;
• separation of the rectus muscles (diastasis);
• a sagging lower abdomen or an apron of skin;
• lower abdominal scars, including after a C-section.

The operation is done at a stable weight. Pregnancy should be planned at least 12 months later, and surgery is not done while breastfeeding. Contraindications include age under 18, endocrine obesity, decompensated diabetes, blood clotting disorders, cancer, and severe heart, kidney or liver disease. Before surgery the clinic orders blood tests, an ECG and a chest X-ray, plus a hormone screening. Medicines affecting blood clotting are stopped two weeks before (only with the doctor), alcohol and smoking a week before, and the last meal is eight hours before the operation.

Recovery after a tummy tuck

Frantz wrote that she went home the same day with ordinary painkillers, a support corset and wound-care instructions, that the first night was uncomfortable but no worse than proper muscle ache, and that she took it gently with abdominal exercise for the first month. Six months later she said the scar was clearly visible but did not bother her at all. Every patient's recovery is different. In general, after a tummy tuck at City Medical Centre the patient stays in hospital for 1–3 days; drains are usually removed after two days and stitches after seven. A compression binder is worn for 1.5–2 months. Most swelling goes within 30 days and office work is usually possible after 2–3 weeks. Sport, sauna and heavy lifting are off-limits for 2–3 months. The result is assessed at three months, and by twelve months the scar has matured and faded.

1. Day of surgeryGeneral anaesthesia; the operation takes 2–4 hours and compression garments are fitted.
2. Days 1–3Hospital stay under medical supervision; drains are usually removed after two days.
3. Day 7Stitches are removed and the first check-up takes place.
4. Weeks 2–3Office work is usually possible again; the compression binder stays on.
5. Month 1Most of the swelling has gone.
6. Months 2–3The binder comes off after 1.5–2 months; sport, sauna and heavy lifting return after 2–3 months.
7. Month 12The scar has matured, faded and is much less noticeable.

A tummy tuck at City Medical Centre

City Medical Centre performs classic tummy tucks and mini tummy tucks with diastasis repair, and can combine them with liposuction of the flanks and waist. The first consultation with the surgeon is free and can be held online for patients from other countries. The price is named at the consultation after the examination and is fixed in the contract with no hidden extra charges. Post-operative check-ups take place after 7 days, 3 months and 6 months. More details are on the tummy tuck page.

To be clear: City Medical Centre has no connection with Eva Frantz or her treatment. We tell her story because she chose to write about it openly on her own blog.

Frequently asked questions

When did Eva Frantz have her tummy tuck?

In January 2023. She wrote about it on her own blog in June 2023, about half a year after the operation.

What kind of operation did she have?

In her words, a mini tummy tuck: an incision below the navel, liposuction of the lower half of the abdomen, removal of excess skin and stitching up.

Why did she decide on it?

After her third pregnancy her stomach did not recover despite training and dieting, and the excess skin sometimes hurt and caused a rash. She said she wanted to look like herself about five years earlier.

How much does a tummy tuck cost at City Medical Centre?

The price is named at the free consultation after the surgeon has examined you, and it is then fixed in the contract with no hidden extra charges.

What is the difference between a mini and a classic tummy tuck?

A mini tummy tuck corrects only the lower abdomen with a shorter incision and the navel is not moved. A classic one treats the whole abdominal wall, moves the navel and allows full diastasis repair.