Abdominoplasty / Tummy Tuck in Kenya

Tummy Tuck in Kenya is also known as an Abdominoplasty. This is a surgery 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)

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.