Zari Hassan and her tummy tuck: “that mummy tummy did not go away”

What has Zari Hassan said about her tummy surgery?

Ugandan businesswoman and TV personality Zari Hassan has spoken openly about having surgery on her abdomen after five children. In a July 2023 interview on NTV Uganda’s Mwasuze Mutya, quoted by Ghafla, she explained: “I have had five kids, natural births, and every time you give birth, you are left with a mummy tummy. I used to exercise, but that mummy tummy did not go away, and I needed to get rid of it, and there is nothing wrong with it.”

Later that year, Pulse Uganda, which described her as having undergone abdominoplasty, reported her advice to other women: “Also, what people don’t know is that after the surgery, you need to observe what you eat, you need to exercise, you need to live a healthy life, drink your vitamins… All those things.”

These reports are all we rely on. Zari did not describe the surgical technique, the length of the scar or the surgeon in these quotes, so this article does not guess. Where the text below explains a tummy tuck, it describes the operation in general, not her treatment.

Why her explanation rings true for many mothers

What Zari describes is one of the most common reasons for a tummy tuck. After several pregnancies the skin of the abdomen can stay stretched and the rectus muscles can separate (diastasis). Exercise strengthens muscles, but it cannot shrink stretched skin or bring separated muscles back together. That is why she says exercise alone did not work.

Her second point is just as important: surgery is not the end of the work. A tummy tuck is not a weight-loss method, and the result lasts best with a stable weight, a sensible diet and regular activity. This article makes no judgement about anyone’s body; the focus is on what the operation can and cannot do.

How a tummy tuck is done today

A tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) tightens the front abdominal wall: excess stretched skin and fat are removed and, if needed, separated muscles are repaired. It is done under general anaesthesia. There are two main versions:

A classic operation takes 2–4 hours. A tummy tuck can also be combined with liposuction of the flanks and waist in the same operation, with one anaesthesia and one recovery period. The surgeon chooses the technique at an in-person examination.

Who is a candidate and how to prepare

A tummy tuck suits adults with excess abdominal skin and fat after childbirth or weight loss, separated rectus muscles, a sagging lower abdomen or scars on the lower abdomen, including after a C-section. Surgery is done at a stable weight. Pregnancy should be planned at least 12 months later, which is why many women choose it once their family is complete. It is not done under 18, during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or with serious chronic illness, decompensated diabetes or clotting disorders.

At City Medical Centre the surgeon examines you and orders a hormone screening. Tests include blood counts, a coagulation panel, biochemistry, infection tests, an ECG and a chest X-ray. Blood-thinning medicines are stopped two weeks before, alcohol and smoking a week before, and the last meal is eight hours before surgery.

Recovery after a tummy tuck

Patients stay 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 possible after 2–3 weeks. Sport, sauna and heavy lifting are off-limits for 2–3 months, and sleeping on your back with the knees bent is advised at first. The result is assessed at three months, and by 12 months the scar has matured and faded.

1. Day of surgeryGeneral anaesthesia; a classic tummy tuck takes 2–4 hours.
2. Days 1–3Hospital stay under medical supervision; drains usually come out after two days.
3. Day 7Stitches are removed and the first check-up takes place.
4. Weeks 2–4Office work resumes; most swelling goes within 30 days.
5. Months 1.5–2The compression binder comes off.
6. Months 2–3Sport and heavy lifting return with the surgeon’s approval; the result is assessed.
7. Month 12The scar has matured and faded.

A tummy tuck at City Medical Centre

City Medical Centre in Moscow performs classic and mini tummy tucks for international patients, taking diastasis and C-section scars into account. The first consultation is free. The price of a tummy tuck is given at the consultation, after the surgeon has assessed the skin and muscles, and it is then fixed in the contract with no hidden extras. Follow-up 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 Zari Hassan or her treatment. Her words are simply a well-known example of a mother who talked openly about the operation.

Frequently asked questions

Why did Zari Hassan have a tummy tuck?

She said that after five natural births she was left with a mummy tummy that did not go away with exercise, and she wanted to get rid of it.

Is a tummy tuck the same as liposuction?

No. Liposuction removes local fat, while a tummy tuck removes excess stretched skin and fat and can repair separated muscles. The two are often combined in one operation.

Can I have a tummy tuck if I want more children?

Pregnancy should be planned at least 12 months after surgery, and a later pregnancy stretches the repaired muscles again, so many women wait until their family is complete.

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

The price is given at the free consultation, after the surgeon has examined the abdomen, and it is then fixed in the contract with no hidden extras.

When can I go back to work after a tummy tuck?

Office work usually resumes after 2–3 weeks. Sport, sauna and heavy lifting are avoided for 2–3 months.