Classic and Mini Tummy Tuck in Antwerp
We remove excess abdominal skin and fat and repair separated muscles. We perform classic and mini tummy tucks, taking diastasis and post-pregnancy scars into account
Guarantee under an official contract
400+ successful surgeries
10 years of abdominal surgery experience
Free consultation
before surgery
What is a tummy tuck
and who is it for?
Abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, is surgery that tightens the front abdominal wall by removing surplus stretched skin and fat. It won't make you lose weight and is no substitute for diet and exercise. Its goal is a flat contour of the abdomen — removing the overhanging skin-and-fat apron, repairing separated rectus muscles and creating a new navel where needed.
After childbirth, a C-section or major weight loss, excess skin and diastasis — separated rectus abdominis muscles — may remain, and that is when it is chosen. Diet and exercise can't solve this: stretched skin won't shrink and separated muscles won't rejoin without surgery. Pregnancy should be planned 12 months or more later; no surgery while breastfeeding.
Guarantee under an official contract
10 years of abdominal surgery experience
Free consultation before surgery
Tummy tuck techniques at City Medical Centre
Classic tummy tuck
First comes a horizontal incision above the pubic area, whose length depends on how much excess tissue there is. The scar line is planned so that underwear and swimwear hide it. Then the surgeon repairs separated rectus muscles, removes excess skin and fat, repositions the navel and places drains. The classic operation takes 2–4 hours under general anaesthesia.
Indicated for marked excess skin, rectus diastasis and a C-section scar.
Mini tummy tuck with diastasis repair
In a mini tummy tuck the scope is narrower: the surgeon corrects just the lower abdomen, the incision is shorter and the navel is not repositioned. It is used for small excess skin when the main concern is diastasis or overhang above a C-section scar, and recovery is shorter. The technique is chosen at an in-person consultation, once the abdominal muscles and skin are assessed.
When excess skin is minor: less trauma and shorter recovery.
How the surgery goes: from consultation to result
Surgeon consultation
The surgeon discusses your wishes, carries out an examination, assesses fat deposits and excludes contraindications. City Medical Centre adds a hormone screening to help predict the long-term result.
Pre-surgery check-up
ECG, chest X-ray and blood tests (complete count, coagulation panel, biochemistry, HIV, hepatitis, syphilis), plus a GP consultation where needed.
All tests can be done at the clinic with no waiting.
Preparation
Medicines affecting blood clotting are stopped 2 weeks before. A week before, no alcohol or smoking, so healing is faster. The last meal is 8 hours before.
Surgery day
On the day: meeting the surgeon, skin marking, fitting of compression garments. Then 2–4 hours of surgery under general anaesthesia.
Waking up and monitoring
After the operation, 1–3 days in hospital under medical supervision.
Recovery
The binder is worn for 1.5–2 months. Most of the swelling settles within 30 days, and office work resumes after 2–3 weeks. The final result is evaluated at 3 months.
Surgeon consultation
The surgeon discusses your wishes, carries out an examination, assesses fat deposits and excludes contraindications. City Medical Centre adds a hormone screening to help predict the long-term result.
Pre-surgery check-up
ECG, chest X-ray and blood tests (complete count, coagulation panel, biochemistry, HIV, hepatitis, syphilis), plus a GP consultation where needed.
All tests can be done at the clinic with no waiting.
Preparation
Medicines affecting blood clotting are stopped 2 weeks before. A week before, no alcohol or smoking, so healing is faster. The last meal is 8 hours before.
Surgery day
On the day: meeting the surgeon, skin marking, fitting of compression garments. Then 2–4 hours of surgery under general anaesthesia.
Waking up and monitoring
After the operation, 1–3 days in hospital under medical supervision.
Recovery
The binder is worn for 1.5–2 months. Most of the swelling settles within 30 days, and office work resumes after 2–3 weeks. The final result is evaluated at 3 months.
Post-op check-ups
Get a post-surgery consultation with your surgeon to review results and get more information, at the clinic's expense until the end of the year
Who the surgery suits and who it doesn't
With chronic diseases, please get advice from a clinic doctor!
Indications
Excess abdominal skin and fat after childbirth or weight loss
Separation of the rectus muscles (diastasis)
A sagging lower abdomen or an apron of skin
After childbirth or rapid weight loss — restoring the silhouette
Lower abdominal scars, including after a C-section
Contraindications
Age under 18
Endocrine obesity
Severe chronic and mental illness
Decompensated diabetes
Blood clotting disorders
Cancer
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Severe heart, kidney or liver disease
Temporary contraindications: inflammatory skin conditions in the treated area, acute infections, menstruation, anticoagulant use
Book a consultation
Call or message us —
our coordinator will contact you shortly
and book your consultation
Book a consultation
Call or message us —
our coordinator will contact you shortly
and book your consultation
Recovery after a tummy tuck
Straight after surgery the patient spends 1–3 days in hospital under medical supervision. Drains are usually removed on day two, and stitches after 7 days. A compression binder is worn for 1.5–2 months — it supports the abdominal wall and shapes a smooth contour. Most swelling resolves within 30 days, and office work resumes after 2–3 weeks. Sports, sauna and heavy lifting are off-limits for 2–3 months, and sleeping on your back with knees bent is advised at first. The scar matures fully by 12 months, fading and becoming barely noticeable.
Our specialists
Skilled plastic surgeons and doctors who look after patients' beauty and health
Dr. Goncharova
Dermatovenereologist, trichologist, surgeon
11+ years of experience
Dr. Goncharova
Dermatovenereologist, trichologist, surgeon
11+ years of experience
Why patients choose City Medical Centre
Hormonal approach: before surgery an endocrinologist rules out hormonal causes of obesity, making the long-term result more reliable
Combined procedures
A tummy tuck may be done together with liposuction of the flanks and waist or diastasis repair in one operation — a single anaesthesia and recovery period
Support until the result
Your surgeon remains available during the whole recovery, and the contract sets the price — no hidden extra charges
Book a consultation
Call or message us —
our coordinator will contact you shortly
and book your consultation
Book a consultation
Call or message us —
our coordinator will contact you shortly
and book your consultation
Tummy tuck: frequently asked questions
Can you combine a tummy tuck and liposuction or diastasis repair?
Yes, combining is allowed and is very common in practice. Liposuction of the flanks and waist is added to a tummy tuck, and after childbirth — repair of rectus diastasis. Recovery with such a combination is shorter, and the surgeon will tell you at an in-person consultation how extensive the procedure will be.
Is a tummy tuck a way to lose weight?
No, it will not help you lose weight; the goal is different. It removes excess stretched skin and the fat apron and restores the abdominal muscle wall. Surgery is done at a stable weight — if yours is still changing, first consult a dietitian or endocrinologist.
Will there be a scar after surgery?
Yes, a scar is the unavoidable price of removing excess skin. In a classic tummy tuck it runs across the lower abdomen from hip to hip, below the underwear or swimsuit line; in a mini tummy tuck the incision is much shorter. With time, the scar fades and becomes thin.
Will the surgery remove stretch marks and sagging skin?
Yes — removing the sagging skin and fat apron is exactly what the surgery is for. They are removed fully, with the stretch marks below the navel. By pulling the upper abdominal skin down, the surgeon leaves the tummy smooth without any extra lift.
Is the surgery painful?
No, there's no pain in the procedure: with general anaesthesia for a tummy tuck, nothing is felt. The first days bring tightness and soreness that painkillers prescribed by the doctor relieve, and the discomfort eases noticeably by the end of the first week.
What should you avoid after a tummy tuck?
The rules after a tummy tuck are the same for everyone. For the first 2–3 weeks you avoid physical exertion, heavy lifting and sudden movements. Sauna, steam bath, pool, tanning beds, alcohol and smoking are out for at least a month. Sport is resumed gradually, with the surgeon's approval only, and compression garments are worn for another 4–8 weeks.
At what age is a tummy tuck allowed, and is there an upper age limit?
You must be at least 18, with no contraindications. No upper limit exists — at our clinic each case is considered individually, after an examination and health assessment.
How does a mini tummy tuck differ from a classic one?
The difference is the extent of surgery. A mini tummy tuck is performed for a small excess of skin below the navel, with a shorter incision, the navel not moved and faster recovery. A classic tummy tuck removes the whole-abdomen skin-and-fat apron, includes moving the navel and allows full-length diastasis repair of the muscles.
How long does recovery take?
Recovery goes through three milestones. Office work — after 2–3 weeks. Swelling and tightness — gone by 1.5–2 months. The final result and scar — assessed at 6–12 months, when the tissues fully adapt.
Will the result last with weight gain and after pregnancy?
Removed skin does not grow back — that part of the result is permanent. The abdomen will stretch again only with significant weight gain, so keep your weight stable. Pregnancy after a tummy tuck is possible, but it stretches the repaired muscles, so surgery is planned once your family is complete.
Do you need special preparation for surgery?
Yes, preparation is a must. Stop smoking, drinking alcohol and taking medicines that affect blood clotting 7–10 days before a tummy tuck. The pre-surgery check-up covers blood tests, ECG, leg vein ultrasound and consultations with a GP and anaesthetist. Get it done in advance, not the day before.
When will the result be visible?
Everyone gets the same answer: 2 weeks after surgery, when the main swelling subsides, the first changes become visible. Two checkpoints follow: 1.5–2 months — interim result; 3–6 months — final contours.
Do you need to stay in hospital, and for how long?
Yes, a hospital stay is part of it: after a classic tummy tuck, 1–2 days under medical supervision, and after a mini tummy tuck usually just one day. Recovery continues at home while the surgeon monitors it at scheduled check-ups.
What tests are needed before surgery?
Everyone gets the same list before a tummy tuck: blood and urine tests, a coagulation panel, biochemistry, infection tests, an ECG, chest X-ray, leg vein ultrasound and a GP's report. At the consultation the surgeon gives the exact list; tests are usually valid for 10–14 days.
Is diastasis always repaired during a tummy tuck?
No, repair is needed only when the rectus abdominis muscles are actually separated, not for everyone. The surgeon identifies diastasis at the examination; if in doubt, it is confirmed by ultrasound. Separated muscles are brought together during the same surgery, without a separate procedure.
Can you plan a pregnancy after a tummy tuck?
Pregnancy is not forbidden after a tummy tuck, but the right order is childbirth first, then surgery. Otherwise skin and muscles stretch again, and part of the result is lost. The one piece of advice surgeons give: if a child is planned, wait at least a year after the procedure.
Do you have to wear compression garments, and for how long?
Yes, it's required; recovery without the garment is worse, since it supports the tissues and reduces swelling. For 3–4 weeks it is worn around the clock, and then during the day for about another month. The exact period is given by the operating surgeon.
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Tummy tuck in Antwerp step by step
Abdominoplasty is often combined with other procedures. Liposuction of the flanks and waist can be added to shape the silhouette, and after childbirth rectus diastasis repair is included. One anaesthesia and one recovery period cover everything, and the surgeon decides the scope at an in-person consultation. This makes the operation a complete abdominal correction for patients from Antwerp.
It all begins with a surgeon consultation: the doctor listens to your wishes, examines the abdomen and rules out contraindications, and a hormone screening is ordered to help predict the long-term result. Patients from Antwerp then complete a check-up: blood tests including a coagulation panel, biochemistry and infections, ECG and chest X-ray, all available at the clinic with no waiting.
Budget planning starts with a conversation, not a price list. At the free consultation the surgeon explains what your case requires and gives a figure that does not change later: it goes into the contract with no hidden charges. The clinic has 400+ successful surgeries and 10 years of abdominal surgery experience. Patients from Antwerp simply leave a phone number to begin.
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