Abdominoplasty in Perth: Scar and Results

No, it doesn't help with weight loss — its goal is different: removing excess stretched skin and the fat apron and restoring the abdominal muscle wall. Surgery is done at a stable weight; if your weight is still changing, see a dietitian or endocrinologist first.

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

Removing sagging skin and the fat apron is the very job of this surgery: both are removed fully, taking the stretch marks below the navel with them. The upper abdominal skin is pulled downward, so the tummy is smooth without an additional lift.

No, the procedure itself doesn't hurt — a tummy tuck is performed under general anaesthesia, so you feel nothing. Tightness and soreness appear over the first days and are relieved with the painkillers your doctor prescribes; by the end of the first week the discomfort noticeably eases.

Everyone follows the same restrictions after a tummy tuck. The first 2–3 weeks — no exertion, heavy lifting or sudden movements. At least one month — no sauna, steam bath, pool, tanning beds, alcohol or smoking. Sport returns gradually and only if the surgeon approves. Compression garments — another 4–8 weeks.

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 lies in how extensive the surgery is. A mini tummy tuck is done when there is a small excess of skin below the navel: shorter incision, no moving of the navel, faster recovery. The classic one removes the skin-and-fat apron over the whole abdomen, includes moving the navel and allows repair of diastasis along the full length of the muscles.

There are three stages in recovery: you can return to office work after 2–3 weeks, swelling and tightness pass by 1.5–2 months, and at 6–12 months the final result and scar are assessed as the tissues fully adapt.

That part of the result is permanent: removed skin does not grow back. Significant weight gain is the only thing that will stretch the abdomen again, so keep your weight stable. Pregnancy is possible after a tummy tuck, but it stretches the repaired muscles, so surgery is planned after 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.

Same answer for everyone: at 2 weeks after surgery, with the main swelling down, the first changes are visible. Then two checkpoints: the interim result at 1.5–2 months, the final contours at 3–6 months.

Yes, hospital stay is required — 1–2 days under medical supervision after a classic tummy tuck, while a mini tummy tuck usually needs only one day. You continue recovering at home, and the surgeon follows up at scheduled check-ups.

Before a tummy tuck all patients have the same list: blood and urine tests, a coagulation panel, biochemistry, infection testing, ECG, chest X-ray, leg vein ultrasound and a GP's report. The surgeon names the exact list at the consultation; tests are usually valid for 10–14 days.

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.

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; 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.