Tummy Tuck Abdominoplastik, Bauchdeckenplastik, Bodylift

Are you a good candidate??

After weight loss or pregnancy, there may be excess skin on the abdomen. If possible, we try to improve the result by liposuction in our clinic. Sometimes this is not enough and a tightening of the abdominal wall is useful, especially if there is an excess of skin (fat apron). If you want a smooth abdomen, then an abdominoplasty is currently the only method that will meet your expectations.

How can you imagine the procedure?

While sitting, there is an abdominal crease at the level of the groin, which corresponds to the line of incision running along the pubic hair border in an arc. The skin and fatty tissue is loosened up to the ribcage. The navel is freed from the surrounding tissue at its skin exit point. If the abdominal muscles have moved apart slightly (rectus diastasis), I can perform a tightening of the muscles. This makes the abdomen flatter and emphasizes the waist. The skin is now tightened downwards and the excess is removed. Now the navel is sewn back in, a drainage is placed under the skin and the wounds are closed.

After removing the excess skin I feel where the navel is located. The hidden navel is brought out through a small hole and sewn back in.

The abdominoplasty takes 3 hours and is performed under general anesthesia. One day you will stay in the clinic, the next day you will go home with drains. The drainage is removed after about 3 days, depending on the amount of fluid delivered. If it is only a matter of a pure tightening of the lower abdomen, this can be combined with liposuction.

What are the possible risks?

Of all aesthetic operations, abdominoplasty statistically has the greatest risk:

1. circulatory disorders of the skin, especially in smokers (4x higher risk)
2. Increased risk of thrombosis due to the large wound area
3. Development of a seroma
   → Wound water accumulation due to too much movement between muscles and skin fat tissue
4. Widened scarring
   → Hypertrophy: broad and flat scar    → Keloid: bulbous scar

How long will you be absent?

A recovery period of 3-4 weeks is realistic. If you have a sedentary job, it is recommended that you do not sit upright on the chair at the beginning: This will relieve your stomach. A good alternative is also to use a standing desk.

How do you behave after the operation?

1 day after the operation you will be discharged with the drains. You are not ill, but need some support at the beginning. You will not walk upright for the first few days, but this will be quickly regulated. Do not do too much and allow yourself to rest again and again. Underpadding in the knee area relieves the abdominal muscles. Please keep moving the back of your foot up and down, this activates the muscle pump. This makes the blood flow back better and reduces the risk of thrombosis. After 2-3 days after the operation I remove the drainages, they are very soft and cause only slight pain. The thread material is removed from the navel after 10 days. The thread material at the abdominal incision dissolves itself. It is recommended to wear compression underwear for 6 weeks. Please avoid sports and heavy lifting for 6 weeks. A pure lifting of the lower abdomen can be combined with liposuction.