Everything you need to know about… a Tummy Tuck

• Are you unhappy
  with your tummy?
• Have you had
  children and unable to lose the excess fat or tighten the abdominal area?
• Have you lost a lot
  of weight and been left with fat on your tummy which you cannot shift?
• Do your tummy
  muscles feel weak as a result of pregnancy?

If you’re unhappy with your tummy and want to have a contoured, tighter abdomen, then a tummy tuck might be the procedure you’re looking for.

Mr Karri performs a number of different types of tummy tuck at The Karri Clinic including full and mini tummy tucks. His Brazilian tummy tuck has become particularly popular due to the combination of liposuction, internal muscle tightening and removal of excess skin, which can completely rejuvenate the abdomen and define the waistline.  By tightening loose or weakened abdominal muscles, a tummy tuck can also help with a patient’s posture.

What are the different types of tummy tuck?

Full Tummy Tuck

A full tummy tuck involves removal of all the skin and fat between the belly button and bikini line as an ellipse. The abdominal muscles are subsequently tightened and the skin pulled down to create a flatter abdomen. The belly button is detached and re-sited in the abdominal skin that has been pulled down. The final scar runs from hip to hip.

Brazilian tummy tuck

A Brazilian tummy tuck is
a modification of the full tummy tuck and involves two additional steps;
firstly, removal of excess fat by liposuction and secondly tightening of a
specific deeper layer under the abdominal skin in order to enhance the waist
line. The deeper layer that is tightened is different to the muscles that are
also tightened.

Mr Karri also routinely liposuctions
the stubborn 'love handles', which further adds to the beauty of the final
result.

For some patients, Mr Karri creates a new belly button, thereby avoiding the traditional scar around the belly button.  The final scar runs from hip to hip.

Mini tummy tuck

This type of tummy tuck is performed when skin laxity and excess fat is predominantly below the belly button. Generally speaking, such patients only have mild to moderate skin and fat excess. The final scar is shorter than that of a full tummy tuck and the belly button is not touched. The abdominal muscles can also be tightened but not as extensively as with a full tummy tuck or Brazilian tummy tuck.

Fleur-de-lis tummy tuck

For patients who have
both vertical and horizontal skin excess, a full tummy tuck will not adequately
address the horizontal excess.

To remove the horizontal
excess a central segment of skin and fat is also removed leaving an additional
vertical scar. The final scar pattern looks like an upside-down T, resembling a
fleur-de-lis symbol. Although the vertical scar will be visible, it is an
acceptable trade-off for an improved abdominal contour.

A fleur-de-lis tummy tuck
can be likened to wearing a shirt, in which doing up the buttons brings in the
sides of the shirt and tucking in the shirt ensures there is no excess material
hanging over the belt line.

Fleur-de-lis tummy tuck is more commonly performed for patients who have experienced massive weight loss, either naturally or through weight-loss surgery.

What happens during a
Brazilian tummy tuck operation?

The
first step of the operation is liposuction of the abdomen, including ‘love
handles’. Once the excess fat has been removed, an incision is made in the
bikini line. The abdominal skin is then gently separated from the deeper layer,
to create an abdominal skin flap.

The
abdominal muscles are then tightened, followed by tightening of the overlying
tissue layer (to create an internal corset). This part of the procedure is
largely responsible for the beautiful abdominal contour.

The
next step involves trimming the excess abdominal skin and closing the wound. Mr
Karri does not routinely use drains. Some tummy tucks are performed under deep
sedation anaesthesia and patients are able to go home the same day.

Combining tummy tuck with other procedures

To help women regain
their pre-pregnancy figure, Mr Karri offers a combined procedure known as
‘mummy makeover’. This surgery involves simultaneous rejuvenation of the
breasts and abdomen. Using modern plastic surgery techniques, combination
surgery can be safely performed, giving dramatic results.

The best candidates for a
tummy tuck are patients who:

• Are healthy with no
  significant medical issues
• Are Non-smokers
• Have abdominal skin
  laxity after weight loss
• Have finished having their family and been left with skin laxity below the belly button
• Are at a stable weight
  or near/at their ideal weight. A tummy tuck is not a substitute for weight
  loss.

What is the
cost of a tummy tuck?

There
are different types of tummy tuck and during your consultation Mr Karri will
discuss your aesthetic goals and advise the most suitable one for you and the
result you can expect. As a guide, a mini tummy tuck starts from around £4,700.

What is the recovery time post
tummy tuck?

Following
your tummy tuck, Mr Karri and the team will advise on all your aftercare and
advise on when you can resume normal activity. Patients who have a tummy tuck
under sedation anaesthesia are able to go home the same day. A mini
tummy tuck has a shorter recovery time than a full / Brazilian tummy tuck,
which usually takes about two weeks to resume sedentary work and 3-4 weeks to return to full
activity.

If
you would like to find out more about tummy tuck, or wish to book a
consultation with Mr Karri, then email info@thekarriclinic.co.uk or call the team
on 01482 976 980.