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Tummy Tuck surgery or Abdominoplasty in Kenya

A tummy tuck is also known as an abdominoplasty. This is an operation normally aimed to remove the excess skin, fat and tissue from the lower part of the abdomen. There are a variety of abdominoplasty procedures available, and operations are tailored to suit a patient’s wishes and needs. Generally speaking, tummy tucks are most commonly carried out to remove excess skin after substantial weight loss, to remove unwanted scars, stretch marks or excess fat and for patients who have had multiple pregnancies and would like to get their actual figure back (“Mommy Makeover”). Abdominoplasty / tummy tuck is not an operation for people who are overweight, or as a weight loss tool. However, in appropriate patients who have already lost some weight, an abdominoplasty can have a life-changing effect and is, in our experience, associated with high patient satisfaction, enabling a healthier lifestyle.

Always includes 360° Liposuction

flanks & upper abdomen

(using the BodyJet ® WAL

water assisted liposuction)

Summary

General anaesthetic
Operating time about 2 - 3 hours
Hospital stay 1 -2 nights
Back to work after 2 weeks
Compression garment for 6 weeks
Full exercise after 6 weeks

Am I a good candidate for Abdominoplasty / tummy tuck?

The abdominoplasty / tummy tuck is best performed on a patient who is fit and healthy. The ideal patient is someone whose weight is close to normal, particularly those who have been overweight and have lost the excess weight. You may be a good candidate for abdominoplasty / tummy tuck if you have one or more of the following conditions:

During the consultation, you will be asked about the results you would like to achieve from abdominoplasty / tummy tuck. This will help your surgeon understand your expectations and determine whether they can be realistically achieved. If you plan to become pregnant or lose weight in the future, you should discuss this with us. Scarring from previous abdominal surgery may limit the results of your abdominoplasty / tummy tuck but in many cases these scars can be removed as part of the operation.

Abdominoplasty – the operation

The type of tummy tuck best suited to you depends on the appearance of your abdomen: A mini tummy tuck is suitable if you have minimum excess of skin below the belly button. A full tummy tuck is most often used if you have more excess skin and tissue between the belly button and your pubic skin region, but also if excess tissue exists above your belly button (umbilicus).

Mini abdominoplasty:

For patients with only a small amount of excess skin a lesser abdominoplasty might be appropriate. During the operation, a wedge of skin and fat is excised from the lower tummy leaving a horizontal scar above the pubic hair. Sometimes the muscles will also be tightened. No scar is left around the umbilicus, which may be stretched slightly into a different shape.

Full abdominoplasty:

For patients who have significant skin laxity, excess fat and separation of the muscles, a classic tummy tuck is the most common procedure. During the operation, an incision is made from hip to hip and around the umbilicus. The excess skin and fat is excised from above the umbilicus to just above the pubic hair. The muscles above and below the umbilicus are tightened. The skin is then brought down and the skin that was above your belly button is sewn to that above your pubic skin area.

This will give you a small scar around the umbilicus and a longer scar across the lower abdomen along the bikini-line. The scar will thus be invisible when you wear your panties/ bikini. Although this operation leaves a scar, it does provide the greatest improvement in abdominal shape and becomes much less visible after a few months when the scar matures. If you do have a scar from a caesarean or hysterectomy, this can be removed at the same time.

Skin and fat resection:

Abdominal muscles:

In both mini and full tummy tucks, the muscles of the abdomen will usually be repaired. These are called rectus-abdominis muscles (the 6-pack muscles), which are stretched and may stay apart after pregnancy or weight loss (the opening in the midline of your tummy is called a rectus diastasis and can be the reason for a hernia). During surgery, these muscles can be stitched back together into their correct position (rectus plication). At the same time, hernias can be repaired. This will dramatically improve the shape of your tummy, prevent future hernias and improve your posture.

360° Liposuction with every tummy tuck at the Vitality Fountain Clinic

In order to give you an awesome result, Dr Stasch always performs liposculpture of your abdominal area: upper tummy, flanks and back, in order to achieve a perfectly feminine look. If you want a “snatched” waist, lets us know and we will make it happen.

Before the procedure - Your preparation

Before the surgery, you might be asked by Dr Stasch’s team to come to the surgery with empty bowels – we will prescribe a laxative which need be taken the afternoon before the op. Empty bowels will make the recovery much easier and more comfortable.
You will be admitted on the day of surgery, and your length of stay depends on which procedure is done. Usually with a classic tummy tuck, you will stay in the hospital for about 1 night only.

After the procedure - Your recovery

You are encouraged to stay in bed following the surgery in a “beach-chair” position to reduce the tension on your tummy. This means your upper body will rest inclined, and your legs and thighs bent and supported by pillows. This reduces the tension on the freshly sutured tummy and improve recovery.
Move your feet and lower legs regularly to improve circulation in your legs and avoid DVTs (Deep vein thrombosis = clots in your legs).
With a full abdominoplasty / tummy tuck you will have tape dressings (steristrips) over your wounds, and tight tape dressings on your tummy. At least two drains (plastic tubes attached to suction bottles) will have been placed to drain excess wound fluid and blood. The drains will usually be removed after 48 hours, and you will be given instructions about your dressings. On the day following surgery, we will encourage you to mobilize gently (walk around). You will also be fitted with a surgical compression garment to gently support your tummy. You will be encouraged to wear this for 6 weeks following the operation.
Post-operative pain in these procedures is easily controlled with pain tablets. Its less painful than a caesarian section.
You will be mobile from day one post-op and should be back to full exercise within six weeks. Stitches will NOT need to be removed as they are absorbable. Most people have approximately 2 weeks off work following a tummy tuck procedure, depending on the type of work they do. The recovery is slightly slower if you have had your muscles repaired as there will be more tightness. Important to point out is the fact that some people recover much quicker than others.

We will keep a close eye on you after your surgery and would normally see you for your follow-up appointments at regular dressing clinics every 2-3 days and then 6 weeks and 3 months following surgery, at which point your post-operative photographs will be taken.

Results after an abdominoplasty / tummy tuck

Abdominoplasty will enhance your body contour by making your abdomen firmer and flatter. You may find that you feel more comfortable in your clothing and are more confident about your appearance.

All abdominoplasties / tummy tucks result in some scarring although the nature of the scars will depend on the technique that has been used. We will aim to locate the horizontal scar within the area covered by usual underwear or swimwear. Scars tend to be quite red and raised in the first six weeks, changing over six months or so and then should start to fade. Most patients will form good quality scars over time, but occasionally and unpredictably some patients will get lumpy scars that do not improve unless treated. Especially in African skin, hypertrophic or keloid scarring can occur, in which case appropriate treatment will be initiated by us.

How long will the results last?

When the excess skin and fat are removed from your tummy and your muscles repaired, you are unlikely to develop excess skin or splitting of the muscles unless you have further pregnancies or you put on a significant amount of weight – your abdomen should remain firmer and flatter for many years. However, gravity and the effects of aging will eventually take their toll. If, after a period of years, you again become dissatisfied with the appearance of your abdomen, you may choose to undergo a second procedure to restore a more youthful body contour although this is extremely rare and most patients are happy for the rest of their lives.

Generally we advise that tummy tuck procedures should be performed after you have completed your family. It is possible to get pregnant and have children following your abdominoplasty / tummy tuck but this will undo some of the cosmetic and corrective surgery that was involved in the procedure.

What complications can occur?

Whilst these operations are generally safe in the hands of a qualified and experienced plastic surgeon and regarded to be highly successful, there are, as with any operation, risks involved and the possibility of complications that patients need to consider.

A full abdominoplasty / tummy tuck is a major operation and you must be prepared for the process and recovery period. Most patients are delighted with the physical and cosmetic improvements that abdominoplasty brings. However, it is impossible to guarantee that every patient will be completely satisfied with the result. There will be minor asymmetries with respect to the scars, and possible residual bulges (dog ears on the sides). We will commit to correct all imperfections for free, like scar revisions or other small corrections if needed.

Wound healing problems may occur in response to the suture materials. Most wound problems are minor and can be managed with simple dressings; however more major wound problems can arise such as infections, skin loss, wound separation and delayed healing. Wound problems, if they occur, can delay your recovery and result in worse scarring. In some patients fluid will collect in the abdomen in the region of the operation (seroma formation). If this occurs it needs to be removed using a syringe and needle, this is done in the outpatient clinic.

All patients can expect alteration in the feeling of the lower abdomen, which are rarely permanent. This operation carries a risk of blood clots in the legs and possibly the lungs. Various precautions are taken to limit this risk but if a blood clot occurs, treatment with blood thinning medication will be needed for several weeks. Blood clots in the lungs can be serious.

Smokers are strongly advised to discontinue smoking several weeks prior to surgery and after the operation, as smoking increases the risks of complications and delays wound healing by altering blood circulation in the skin. You can reduce your risks of complications by closely following our instructions before and after the surgery.

Tummy tuck / abdominoplasty cost

The cost of tummy tuck surgery depends on your circumstances and the technique we will perform. For more information on tummy tuck costs, we invite you to book a consultation session with Dr Stasch. During this confidential appointment, we can discover more about what you would like to achieve and find out if tummy tuck surgery is right for you.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS about Tummy Tuck surgery:

Does a tummy tuck leave scars?

Tummy tuck surgery / abdominoplasty leaves a well hidden scar in your bikini line – out of sight and only really visible when you are naked. The fear of scarring is a big concern for many people who are considering a tummy tuck. In our experience, the fine scar along the incision line improves with time and we have a system of initiating the proper treatment with tapes or silicone gel to give you the desired results. The scar is as low as your caesarian section scar – which will of course be taken away during a tummy tuck.

Will I have drains after 360 Lipo and tummy tuck?

Drains are often used after surgery to help the body expel fluids that collect at the surgical site. After a tummy tuck, patients will have one or two temporary tummy tuck drains inserted to speed up the recovery process and avoid additional swelling, haematomas or seromas. The usual duration of the drains is 2-5 days, depending how much fluid they collect. Removal of the drains is done very gently and does not cause pain.

Can I have a tummy tuck before having kids?

There are no major risks associated with becoming pregnant after tummy tuck surgery, but Dr. Stasch recommends that the patients wait until they have completed their family and are not planning on more children before undergoing this procedure. This can help ensure the results achieved are not compromised by the bodily changes that often occur during pregnancy. Of course, we have many patients who successful had babies after tummy tuck – even many years later.

How long do I have to wait for plastic surgery after giving birth?

Usually we recommend to wait a minimum of 3-6 months after having had a baby to come for a mummy makeover to ensure that you have fully recovered from the procedure. Breast feeding is important and should not be interrupted for cosmetic surgery. However, if the baby can take the bottle, then pumped breast milk stored in the fridge / freezer can be used for a few days after the operation during recovery of the mother.

What happens to my tummy tuck results if I gain weight?

A small amount of weight gain and loss is normal and has no effects, but a significant weight gain after a tummy tuck can have a negative impact on your tummy tuck results. You can see increased belly fat, stretch marks, and loose or stretched skin. For these reasons, Dr. Tilman Stasch recommends that you get a tummy tuck procedure after weight loss and maintain a healthy diet and exercise regime after your recovery to maintain your results. Having said that, the results will ALWAYS be way better compared to not having has tummy tuck surgery.

When can I start waist training after a tummy tuck and 360 Lipo?

Corset training is recommended 2 weeks after your tummy tuck. This will give you the snatched waist that most of our patients desire. We also always provide post- surgical garments which will be fitted for 6 weeks after surgery.

we will assist you

Quick Contact

Dr. Tilman Stasch

For further information about what is involved in this type of procedure, please contact us
on +254 725 045 705 and +254 714 144 000
or info@drstasch.com