Abdominoplasty in Latakia: a Flat Stomach

No, weight loss is not what it does. Its purpose is to remove excess stretched skin and the fat apron and to restore the abdominal muscle wall. We operate at a stable weight; if your weight is still changing, start with a dietitian or endocrinologist.

Yes, there will be a scar — the unavoidable cost of removing excess skin. In a classic tummy tuck the incision runs across the lower abdomen from hip to hip, below the underwear or swimsuit line; in a mini tummy tuck it is much shorter. Over time the scar fades and becomes thin.

The surgery does exactly that: it removes sagging skin and the fat apron completely, and the stretch marks below the navel are removed with them. Pulling the upper abdominal skin downward, the surgeon leaves the tummy smooth without an extra lift.

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.

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.

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.

The difference comes down to the scope of surgery. A mini tummy tuck is done 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, involves moving the navel and allows diastasis repair along the full length of the muscles.

Recovery follows three milestones — office work after 2–3 weeks, the end of swelling and tightness by 1.5–2 months, and assessment of the final result and scar at 6–12 months, when tissues have fully adapted.

Removed skin does not grow back, so 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, which is why surgery is planned once 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.

It's the same for all patients: the first changes show 2 weeks after surgery, when the main swelling goes down. After that there are two checkpoints — an interim result at 1.5–2 months and the final contours at 6–12 months.

Yes, it is needed: a classic tummy tuck requires 1–3 days in hospital under medical supervision, while one day is usually enough after a mini tummy tuck. You recover further at home, and the surgeon monitors progress at scheduled check-ups.

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.

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 after a tummy tuck isn't forbidden, but the order matters: childbirth first, then surgery. Otherwise the skin and muscles stretch again and part of the result is lost. Surgeons give one piece of advice: if you plan 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.