Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) in Calabar

No, it won't make you lose weight. It has a different aim — to take away excess stretched skin and the fat apron and rebuild the abdominal muscle wall. The operation is done at a stable weight; if your weight is still shifting, see a dietitian or endocrinologist first.

Yes, a scar is unavoidable — that is the price of removing excess skin. With a classic tummy tuck the incision crosses the lower abdomen from hip to hip and sits below the line of underwear or a swimsuit; with a mini tummy tuck it is much shorter. The scar fades and thins over time.

Removing sagging skin and the fat apron is exactly what this surgery does: they are removed completely, and stretch marks below the navel go with them. The surgeon pulls the upper abdominal skin down, so the tummy ends up smooth without an extra lift.

No, nothing hurts during the procedure, since a tummy tuck is performed under general anaesthesia. Tightness and soreness come in the first days and are relieved with painkillers prescribed by the doctor; the discomfort noticeably eases by the end of the first week.

After a tummy tuck the restrictions are the same for all patients. In the first 2–3 weeks, physical exertion, heavy lifting and sudden movements are not allowed. For at least a month, avoid sauna, steam bath, pool, tanning beds, alcohol and smoking. Sport resumes gradually and only with the surgeon's approval. Another 4–8 weeks in compression garments.

The minimum age is 18, only in the absence of contraindications. An upper limit doesn't exist at all — our clinic looks at each case individually, after examination and a health assessment.

The difference is in the scope of surgery. A mini tummy tuck is for a small excess of skin below the navel: the incision is shorter, the navel is not moved and recovery is faster. A classic one removes the skin-and-fat apron across the whole abdomen, moves the navel and allows diastasis repair along the full length of the muscles.

Recovery comes in three milestones: 2–3 weeks until office work is possible, 1.5–2 months until swelling and tightness pass, and 6–12 months until the final result and scar are assessed, once the tissues fully adapt.

The removed skin does not grow back, so this part of the result lasts permanently. Your abdomen will stretch again only if you gain significant weight, so keep your weight stable. After a tummy tuck pregnancy is possible, yet it stretches the repaired muscles, and so surgery is planned when your family is complete.

Yes, you need to prepare. Smoking, alcohol and medicines affecting blood clotting are stopped 7–10 days before a tummy tuck. A pre-surgery check-up is needed — blood tests, ECG, leg vein ultrasound, GP and anaesthetist consultations — and should be done in advance, not the day before.

The answer is identical for all: first changes can be seen 2 weeks after surgery, when the main swelling subsides. There are then two checkpoints — interim result at 1.5–2 months and final contours at 3–6 months.

Yes, a hospital stay is needed: after a classic tummy tuck, 1–2 days under medical supervision; after a mini tummy tuck one day is usually enough. Recovery continues at home, and the surgeon monitors it at scheduled check-ups.

Everyone has the same tests before a tummy tuck: blood and urine tests, coagulation panel, biochemistry, infection tests, ECG, chest X-ray, leg vein ultrasound and a GP's report. The surgeon gives you the exact list at the consultation; results are usually valid for 10–14 days.

No, not all patients need a repair. It is done only when there is actual separation of the rectus abdominis muscles. The surgeon sees diastasis at the examination, and if in doubt, it is confirmed by ultrasound. The separated muscles are brought together in the same surgery, so no separate procedure is needed.

You can get pregnant after a tummy tuck, but the order matters: childbirth should come first, then surgery. Otherwise, the skin and muscles stretch again and you lose part of the result. Surgeons have one piece of advice: if you plan a child, wait at least a year after the procedure.

Yes, it's a requirement: recovery is worse without the garment because it supports the tissues and reduces swelling. The first 3–4 weeks it stays on around the clock, then during the daytime for roughly a month more. Your operating surgeon will name the exact period.