Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) in Enugu

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.

Yes, there will be a scar, since removing excess skin always has that price. A classic tummy tuck leaves an incision across the lower abdomen from hip to hip, below the underwear or swimsuit line; a mini tummy tuck leaves a much shorter one. Over time it fades and thins.

Sagging skin and the fat apron are precisely what the surgery removes — entirely, together with stretch marks below the navel. The surgeon pulls the skin of the upper abdomen down, and the tummy ends up smooth with no extra lift.

No, you won't feel pain during the procedure — a tummy tuck takes place under general anaesthesia. In the first days, tightness and soreness appear; painkillers prescribed by the doctor relieve them, and by the end of week one the discomfort eases noticeably.

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.

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.

It is a question of scope. With a small excess of skin below the navel, a mini tummy tuck is enough: the incision is shorter, the navel is not moved and recovery is quicker. The classic operation removes the skin-and-fat apron across the entire abdomen, moves the navel and allows diastasis repair along the full length of the muscles.

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.

No regrowth of removed skin: that part of the result is permanent. The abdomen can stretch again only with significant weight gain, so a stable weight matters. Pregnancy after a tummy tuck is possible, although it stretches the repaired muscles; that's why surgery is 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.

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 necessary. After a classic tummy tuck you spend 1–2 days under medical supervision; after a mini tummy tuck one day is usually sufficient. Then 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, 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.

Pregnancy after a tummy tuck is not prohibited, yet the sequence matters: childbirth first, surgery second. Otherwise skin and muscles stretch once more and part of the result is lost. Surgeons advise one thing: planning a child, wait at least a year after the procedure.

Yes, it's required, since without the garment recovery is worse — it supports the tissues and reduces swelling. You wear it around the clock for the first 3–4 weeks and then in the daytime for roughly another month. Your operating surgeon gives the exact period.