Tummy Tuck for Patients from Douala

No, it will not help with weight loss. The goal is another: to remove excess stretched skin and the fat apron and restore the muscle wall of the abdomen. Surgery is done when weight is stable; if it is still changing, see a dietitian or endocrinologist first.

Yes, expect a scar — the unavoidable price of removing excess skin. The classic tummy tuck incision runs across the lower abdomen from hip to hip, sitting below the underwear or swimsuit line; the mini tummy tuck incision is much shorter. Gradually the scar fades and becomes thin.

That is exactly the purpose of the surgery: sagging skin and the fat apron are removed entirely, along with stretch marks below the navel. The upper abdominal skin is pulled downward by the surgeon, leaving a smooth tummy with no extra lift needed.

No, during the procedure there's no pain: a tummy tuck is under general anaesthesia and nothing is felt. Tightness and soreness show up in the first days and are relieved by painkillers prescribed by the doctor; by the end of the first week, discomfort eases noticeably.

Restrictions after a tummy tuck don't differ from patient to patient. No physical exertion, heavy lifting or sudden movements for the first 2–3 weeks; no sauna, steam bath, pool, tanning beds, alcohol or smoking for at least a month. Sport is resumed gradually and only with the surgeon's approval. Compression garments are worn for another 4–8 weeks.

Patients must be 18 or older and have no contraindications. There is simply no upper limit: at our clinic each case is weighed individually after an examination and health assessment.

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.

Recovery has three milestones: office work is possible after 2–3 weeks, swelling and tightness pass by 1.5–2 months, and the final result and scar are assessed at 6–12 months, once the tissues have fully adapted.

Skin that has been removed doesn't regrow, which makes that part of the result permanent. The abdomen will only stretch again with significant weight gain, so maintain a stable weight. A pregnancy after a tummy tuck is possible, but it stretches the repaired muscles — surgery is therefore planned once your family is complete.

Yes, preparation is required. 7–10 days before a tummy tuck, stop smoking, alcohol and medicines that affect blood clotting. A pre-surgery check-up is needed: blood tests, ECG, leg vein ultrasound, and GP and anaesthetist consultations. Complete it in advance, not the day before.

It is the same for everyone. When the main swelling subsides, 2 weeks after surgery, the first changes are visible; then there are two checkpoints, 1.5–2 months for an interim result and 3–6 months for the final contours.

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.

The list of tests before a tummy tuck doesn't differ: blood and urine tests, coagulation panel, biochemistry, infection tests, ECG, chest X-ray, leg vein ultrasound and a GP's report. You get the exact list from the surgeon at the consultation; tests usually remain valid for 10–14 days.

No, it is not needed by everyone: a repair is done only when the rectus abdominis muscles are really separated. The surgeon notices diastasis at the examination, with ultrasound used to confirm it in case of doubt. Separated muscles are brought together in the same surgery, no separate procedure required.

Pregnancy following a tummy tuck isn't forbidden; what matters is the order: childbirth first, then surgery. Otherwise the skin and muscles stretch again and some of the result is lost. Surgeons offer one piece of advice — if you plan a child, wait at least a year after the procedure.

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.