Classic and Mini Tummy Tuck in Seattle

No, it won't help you lose weight. 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 — you can't remove excess skin without one. In a classic tummy tuck the incision crosses the lower abdomen from hip to hip and stays below the underwear or swimsuit line; a mini tummy tuck needs a much shorter one. Over time the scar fades and thins out.

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, 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.

The minimum age is 18, and only if there are no contraindications. There is no upper limit at all: our clinic considers each case individually after an examination and health assessment.

Scope of surgery is the whole difference. A mini tummy tuck is for small excess skin below the navel — shorter incision, navel left in place, faster recovery. A classic one removes the skin-and-fat apron across the entire abdomen, involves moving the navel and allows diastasis repair along the full length 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.

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, it is required. 7–10 days ahead of a tummy tuck, give up smoking, alcohol and medicines that affect blood clotting. You'll need a pre-surgery check-up: blood tests, ECG, leg vein ultrasound, plus GP and anaesthetist consultations. Complete it early, not on the day before.

The answer is the same for everyone: first changes are visible 2 weeks after surgery, once the main swelling subsides. Then come two checkpoints: 1.5–2 months for an interim result and 3–6 months for the final contours.

Yes, you will stay in hospital: 1–2 days under medical supervision after a classic tummy tuck, and usually one day after a mini tummy tuck. Recovery then continues at home, monitored by the surgeon 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 everyone needs a repair: it is done only when the rectus abdominis muscles are actually separated. The surgeon sees diastasis at the examination, and if in doubt it is confirmed by ultrasound. The separated muscles are brought together during the same surgery, with no separate procedure needed.

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 is required — recovery is worse without the garment: it supports the tissues and reduces swelling. For the first 3–4 weeks it is worn around the clock, then during the day for about another month. The operating surgeon will name the exact period.