1. Home
  2. Cosmetic surgery
  3. Body
  4. Tummy tuck

§01 Body · Cosmetic surgery

Tummy tuck.

Abdominoplasty · Full abdominoplasty · Mini abdominoplasty

A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is an operation that removes loose skin and fat from the abdomen and, in most full procedures, repairs separated abdominal muscles.

The surgeon who would operate decides whether it is right for you and takes your consent personally. Vertex Medic helps you understand it first, then coordinates the consultation and the practical side.

Free to ask · No obligation · Never a clinical assessment

GeneralAnaesthetic
2 to 5 hoursIn theatre, typically
Several nightsInpatient stay is usual
£5,000 to £10,000NHS context, not a Vertex price

How Vertex Medic fits in

Vertex Medic is a booking, marketing, administration and coordination platform. It is not a clinic and does not employ surgeons. Your surgeon, an independent registered clinician working from registered premises, decides whether a procedure is suitable, takes your consent and carries it out. Vertex helps you understand your options, arranges the consultation and keeps the practical side in one place.

§02 What it is

Tummy tuck, explained.

A tummy tuck is a surgical operation on the front of the abdomen. It is usually chosen by people who have loose or overhanging skin after pregnancy or significant weight loss, often with a gap between the two central abdominal muscles (rectus divarication, sometimes called diastasis). The surgeon removes the excess skin and fat, usually through a horizontal incision low on the abdomen, and in a full abdominoplasty also stitches the stretched connective tissue between the muscles back together and re-sites the tummy button.

It is not a weight-loss operation. The NHS and the professional bodies BAAPS and BAPRAS all describe it as an operation for people who are already at a stable, healthy weight and who have skin and muscle changes that diet and exercise cannot correct. The amount of tissue that can be removed is limited by anatomy, and the result depends on muscle tone and the fat stored inside the abdomen as well as on the skin.

In the UK the operation is regarded as cosmetic and is generally not available on the NHS, although limited regional exceptions exist after massive weight loss or where a hernia or persistent skin problems are present. Because it is a major operation under general anaesthetic, with a lifelong scar and a recovery measured in weeks, the decision belongs with you and the surgeon who will perform it. Vertex Medic does not perform, assess or recommend surgery: its role is to help you understand the procedure and navigate your options.

People usually look into this when

  • Loose or overhanging skin on the lower abdomen after pregnancy
  • Excess skin and a fold of tissue after significant or massive weight loss
  • A visible bulge of the abdomen that persists despite a stable weight and exercise, often due to separated abdominal muscles
  • Stretch marks and crepey skin below the navel
  • Skin irritation, rashes or hygiene problems under a skin fold
  • Clothing and underwear that do not fit comfortably because of a skin roll

What the surgeon will want to know

  • The surgeon asks why you want the operation and what result you are hoping for, and whether that is realistic. GMC guidance requires the surgeon to consider your psychological needs and to be satisfied that the request is voluntary.
  • A full medical history is taken: previous abdominal surgery, pregnancies and any plans for more, weight history and current BMI, smoking or nicotine use, diabetes, clotting problems, and every medicine and supplement you take.

What it cannot do

  • A completely flat abdomen: BAAPS is explicit that overall shape also depends on muscle tone and the fat stored inside the abdomen, which surgery does not remove
  • A scar that is thin, pale and symmetrical: scar quality varies unpredictably between people and along the same scar, and some people develop thick, raised or keloid scars
  • That the tummy button will look natural or sit exactly centrally: its shape, position and even survival depend on blood supply and healing
  • The absence of dog ears, contour steps or firm areas at the ends or edges of the incision, which sometimes need a further procedure

Vertex Medic does not assess suitability. This section exists so you can decide whether a consultation is worth your time; the surgeon decides the rest.

§03 Options

The techniques a surgeon may propose.

The surgeon recommends a technique after examining you. This is what the choice tends to affect, so the conversation makes sense when you have it.

Full (standard) abdominoplasty

A horizontal incision low on the abdomen, usually within the underwear line, running from side to side. The skin and fat between the incision and the tummy button are removed, the upper abdominal skin is lifted and drawn down, the muscle separation is repaired with stitches, and the tummy button is brought out through a new opening. Drains are often used. This is the most common technique for significant skin laxity with muscle separation.

Often considered for: Skin excess above and below the navel, often with separated abdominal muscles after pregnancy or weight loss

Mini abdominoplasty (mini tummy tuck)

A shorter incision below the underwear line through which a smaller wedge of skin and fat is removed from the lower abdomen only. The tummy button is not usually moved, though it may be drawn slightly downwards or floated, and the muscles are not usually repaired. The improvement is smaller than a full abdominoplasty.

Often considered for: A small amount of loose skin confined to the area below the navel, with little or no muscle separation

Fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty

Combines the low horizontal excision with a vertical ellipse of skin removed up the middle of the abdomen, leaving an additional vertical midline scar. It addresses excess skin in both directions, horizontal and vertical. The junction where the two scars meet is the area most prone to wound-healing problems.

Often considered for: Skin excess in both directions, most often after massive weight loss

Lipoabdominoplasty

Liposuction is combined with an abdominoplasty to improve the contour of the abdomen and flanks. BAAPS notes this can improve overall shape but adds the risks of liposuction and changes how the surgeon must preserve the blood supply to the skin. Not everyone is suitable for the combined approach.

Often considered for: People with both loose skin and localised fat deposits, where the surgeon judges the blood supply to the skin can be preserved safely

Apronectomy (panniculectomy)

Removal of the overhanging apron of skin and fat only, without muscle repair or repositioning of the tummy button. It is a functional operation for a large skin fold that causes rashes, infections or mobility problems, and is the variant most likely to be considered under regional NHS criteria after massive weight loss.

Often considered for: A large, symptomatic skin apron, particularly after bariatric surgery or major weight loss

§04 Consultation and decision

Who decides, and in what order.

From the first consultation, every clinical decision is your surgeon's. Vertex Medic arranges the meeting and keeps the paperwork; it is not in the room.

Step 01

You meet the surgeon who would actually perform the operation. The RCS and the GMC both say only the operating surgeon should advise you about the procedure and take your consent, and that this must not be delegated to sales or booking staff.

Step 02

The surgeon asks why you want the operation and what result you are hoping for, and whether that is realistic. GMC guidance requires the surgeon to consider your psychological needs and to be satisfied that the request is voluntary.

Step 03

A full medical history is taken: previous abdominal surgery, pregnancies and any plans for more, weight history and current BMI, smoking or nicotine use, diabetes, clotting problems, and every medicine and supplement you take.

Step 04

The surgeon examines your abdomen, assessing the amount and direction of skin excess, the quality of the skin, the degree of muscle separation, any hernia, existing scars, and the position of the tummy button. Height and weight are recorded and photographs are usually taken with your consent.

Step 05

Alternatives are discussed, including doing nothing, weight management, exercise, liposuction alone, or delaying surgery if you are overweight, pregnant or planning a pregnancy. The GMC requires the surgeon to tell you about alternatives that could meet your needs with less risk, even from other practitioners.

Step 06

The surgeon explains which technique they think fits your anatomy (full, mini, fleur-de-lis, with or without liposuction), where the scars would be, and what the operation cannot achieve.

Step 07

Risks and complications are discussed in detail, with particular attention to the ones you are most concerned about, together with the recovery period, time off work, driving and exercise restrictions.

Step 08

Fees are set out clearly, including what is and is not included, the charges for follow-up, revision and treatment of complications, and what happens if you change your mind after paying a deposit. GMC guidance paragraphs 28 and 29 require this clarity.

Step 09

You receive written information to take away, and the surgeon may ask permission to contact your GP.

Step 10

You are given time to reflect. GMC guidance says the surgeon must give you the time and information you need and must tell you that you can change your mind at any point. The RCS advises taking at least two weeks after the consultation before deciding.

Step 11

A pre-operative review, at which written consent is completed with the operating surgeon, normally follows on a separate occasion before the day of surgery.

§05 What generally happens

On the day, typically.

Every timing here is typical, not promised. Your surgeon and anaesthetist give you the plan that applies to you.

Anaesthetic
General anaesthetic in almost all cases, given by an anaesthetist. BAAPS notes that abdominoplasty can occasionally be performed under sedation with local anaesthetic, but this is unusual and is a decision for the surgeon and anaesthetist.
In theatre
About two to five hours in theatre (NHS), depending on the technique, whether muscles are repaired and whether liposuction is added.
Stay
An inpatient stay is usual. The NHS describes a stay of several nights for a full abdominoplasty, BAPRAS two or three days, and PHIN typically two nights. A mini abdominoplasty may involve a shorter stay. The length is decided by the surgeon and the hospital.
Time off
About four to six weeks (NHS)
Step 01

You are admitted on the day of surgery, usually having fasted as instructed. The surgeon marks the planned incisions on your skin while you are standing.

Step 02

Measures to reduce the risk of blood clots are usually started before you go to theatre, such as compression stockings and, where the surgeon and anaesthetist judge it appropriate, blood-thinning injections.

Step 03

A general anaesthetic is given by a consultant anaesthetist. BAAPS notes that some procedures can be performed under sedation with local anaesthetic, but this is the exception.

Step 04

The surgeon makes the low horizontal incision, usually within the underwear line, and in a full abdominoplasty an incision around the tummy button so that it stays attached to the muscle layer.

Step 05

The skin and fat of the lower abdomen are removed and the upper abdominal skin is lifted off the muscle layer up towards the ribcage.

Step 06

If the abdominal muscles have separated, the stretched connective tissue between them is stitched back together with internal sutures. Any hernia found may be repaired at the same time.

Step 07

The operating table is flexed so that you are partly sitting, allowing the upper skin to be drawn down to meet the lower incision. Excess skin is trimmed and the deep layers and skin are closed, most often with dissolving stitches.

Step 08

A new opening is made for the tummy button and it is stitched into position. If liposuction has been agreed it is performed at this stage.

Step 09

Drains are often placed to remove fluid, dressings are applied, and a compression garment is fitted.

Step 10

The operation typically takes two to five hours according to the NHS, depending on the technique. You wake in a recovery area with pain relief in place and are encouraged to start walking, bent slightly forwards, within the first day.

§06 Recovery

The weeks after, measured.

The scale is stretched in the early weeks so the first days can be read. Every timing is typical, not promised; your surgeon gives you the plan that applies to you.

Day 1 to 12 months on a logarithmic scale: the first fortnight takes up half the line because that is where the questions are.

  1. First 48 hoursDays 1 to 2, in hospital

    The abdomen feels tight and sore and you are nursed and walk in a slightly bent-forward position to protect the repair. Pain relief is given regularly. Drains, if used, are checked and a compression garment is worn. Early walking, breathing exercises and stockings or injections are used to reduce the risk of blood clots. Bruising and swelling develop, and the lower abdomen is numb.

  2. Week 1Days 3 to 7, at home

    Discharge normally happens once drains are out or manageable, pain is controlled and you are mobile. You need someone at home to help. Standing fully upright is difficult and lifting, stretching and driving are not possible. Swelling, bruising and a pulling sensation along the incision are expected. Any sudden swelling, redness, fever, calf pain or breathlessness should be reported to the surgical team straight away.

  3. Weeks 2 to 3Days 8 to 21

    Most people gradually straighten up and can manage light activity around the house. Wounds are checked and dressings changed by the surgical team. Driving is usually not advised for at least two weeks, and only once you can brake sharply without pain and your insurer is satisfied. Fluid collections (seroma) sometimes appear in this period and may need draining with a needle. Numbness below the navel persists.

  4. Weeks 4 to 6Around one month to six weeks

    The NHS says most people need about four to six weeks off work and exercise, and BAPRAS advises a minimum of four weeks off work. The compression garment is generally worn for about six weeks. Scars are red and raised at this stage. Towards six weeks the surgeon usually allows a gradual return to exercise, with core and heavy lifting introduced last.

  5. Around 3 monthsWeeks 7 to 12

    Most of the swelling settles over the first 12 weeks, though the area can still feel tight or firm, and small lumps of internal scar or fat may be felt. Ordinary work, exercise and daily tasks are usually back to normal. Suture material occasionally works its way to the surface as a small red spot with discharge and is managed with simple dressings. Scars begin to soften.

  6. 6 to 12 monthsSecond half of the first year

    The shape of the abdomen is now close to its settled state and any residual dog ears, steps at the scar edges or asymmetry become apparent. Scars are still maturing and are usually still pink. Sensation continues to return patchily. This is normally the earliest point at which a surgeon would consider any revision.

  7. 12 to 18 monthsOne year onwards

    The NHS and BAAPS both describe scars fading and flattening over 12 to 18 months, and numbness usually resolving over the same period, although some people are left with areas of altered sensation. The scar remains for life. Weight stability is what preserves the result; future pregnancy or significant weight change can stretch the skin and muscles again.

§07 Scarring

Where the scars usually sit.

Typical placement, not a plan

Every tummy tuck leaves a lifelong scar. In a full abdominoplasty there is a long horizontal scar low on the abdomen, usually placed within the underwear line and running from hip to hip, plus a scar around the tummy button. A mini abdominoplasty leaves a shorter horizontal scar with no scar around the navel.

A fleur-de-lis adds a vertical scar up the midline, and where a high tummy button cannot be re-sited a short vertical scar may remain below it. Scars are typically red and raised for the first six weeks and then fade over months, with the NHS quoting 12 to 18 months for them to settle. BAAPS warns that some scars become thick, red and raised (hypertrophic) or extend beyond the incision (keloid), that scars may be asymmetrical, and that dog ears of residual skin at the ends of the incision may need correction.

The final scar position and length depend on your anatomy and the technique the surgeon chooses, and scar quality cannot be predicted in advance.

dashed: where an incision typically runs

§08 Risks and trade-offs

Every operation carries risk.

The list below separates the risks of any surgery from the ones specific to this procedure. No likelihoods are given here: your surgeon should explain how likely each one is for you, and how it would be treated if it happened.

Risks of any operation

    Specific to tummy tuck

    • Bleeding during or after surgery, occasionally needing a return to theatre; a collection of blood under the skin (haematoma)
    • A collection of fluid under the skin (seroma), which may need one or more needle drainages or, rarely, an operation
    • Infection, sometimes of a seroma or haematoma, requiring antibiotics, readmission or further surgery
    • Blood clots in the leg veins (deep vein thrombosis) that can travel to the lungs (pulmonary embolism); this is potentially life-threatening and any breathlessness, chest pain or calf pain after surgery needs urgent medical attention
    • Breathing problems and chest infection after a general anaesthetic
    • Allergic reaction to the anaesthetic, dressings, sutures or medicines, ranging from skin irritation to, very rarely, a severe reaction
    • Blood transfusion if blood loss is significant, with its own small risks
    • Wound breakdown, delayed healing or death of an area of skin (skin necrosis), most often at the lower central part of the scar or at the junction of scars in a fleur-de-lis; this may need prolonged dressings or further surgery
    • Death of fat under the skin (fat necrosis), causing firm lumps, discharge or contour irregularity
    • Loss of blood supply to the tummy button, which can distort it or, in the worst case, cause it to be lost and need reconstruction
    • Numbness of the lower abdomen, which is expected and usually improves over 12 to 18 months but can be lasting; some people develop pins and needles, hypersensitivity or pain from nerves caught in scar tissue
    • Thick, raised, dark or keloid scars, asymmetrical scars, or visible suture marks
    • Dog ears (bulges of skin at the ends of the incision), bulges or steps under the skin, wrinkling and other contour irregularities that may need revision
    • Asymmetry of the abdomen or of the position of the tummy button
    • Difficulty standing fully upright and pain for some weeks after surgery
    • Persistent swelling or skin discolouration, which is usually temporary but can occasionally be long-lasting
    • Small dissolving stitches working out through the skin weeks after surgery (suture extrusion)
    • Distortion of the pubic area or labia in women, which can occasionally need corrective surgery
    • Injury to deeper structures including nerves, blood vessels, muscle and, very rarely, bowel, which could require further surgery
    • Recurrence of muscle separation or skin laxity after a future pregnancy or weight change
    • An unsatisfactory or disappointing result and the possible need for revision surgery, which may not be included in the original fee
    • Higher risk of complications for people with a higher BMI, people who smoke or use nicotine, and people with diabetes

    What no surgeon can promise.

    • A completely flat abdomen: BAAPS is explicit that overall shape also depends on muscle tone and the fat stored inside the abdomen, which surgery does not remove
    • A scar that is thin, pale and symmetrical: scar quality varies unpredictably between people and along the same scar, and some people develop thick, raised or keloid scars
    • That the tummy button will look natural or sit exactly centrally: its shape, position and even survival depend on blood supply and healing
    • The absence of dog ears, contour steps or firm areas at the ends or edges of the incision, which sometimes need a further procedure
    • Full return of sensation below the navel: numbness usually improves over 12 to 18 months but some people are left with lasting altered sensation
    • That the result will last through a future pregnancy or significant weight change, both of which can stretch the skin and muscles again
    • That no further surgery will be needed: revision for scars, asymmetry, dog ears or complications is a recognised possibility and may carry additional cost
    • Any particular clothing size, level of confidence or effect on how other people respond to you

    §09 Questions to ask

    Take these to the consultation.

    Tick them as you go. The list stays on this device and goes nowhere else.

    Paste it into your notes, or print this page.

    §10 Choosing a surgeon

    Checks you can make yourself.

    Vertex Medic lists the checks. The registers are the source of truth, and they are free to search.

    1. 01GMC register

      check the surgeon holds full registration with a licence to practise, and look for their entry on the GMC specialist register in plastic surgery. The RCS strongly advises choosing a surgeon on the specialist register for the relevant area of practice, and both BAAPS and BAPRAS say the same.

      Open the GMC register
    2. 02RCS Cosmetic Surgery Certification

      the Royal College of Surgeons of England keeps a searchable register of surgeons certified in cosmetic surgery by procedure group, including cosmetic body contouring, which is the group covering abdominoplasty. Certification confirms that training, professional skills and knowledge have been assessed to the College's standard.

      Open the RCS cosmetic surgery pages
    3. 03BAAPS or BAPRAS membership

      full members of BAAPS are consultant plastic surgeons on the GMC specialist register who have been examined in aesthetic surgery; BAPRAS is the wider professional body for plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeons. Membership can be checked on the associations' own websites, but neither replaces the GMC check.

      Open the GMC register
    4. 04CQC registration of the hospital or clinic

      in England the hospital must be registered with the Care Quality Commission, and you can read its inspection reports. The equivalents are Healthcare Improvement Scotland, Healthcare Inspectorate Wales and the RQIA in Northern Ireland. The RCS advises against surgery at any facility that cannot show evidence of registration.

      Open the RCS cosmetic surgery pages
    5. 05Insurance and indemnity

      ask to see confirmation that the surgeon holds professional indemnity for this operation in the UK, and ask what the surgeon's and the hospital's cover does and does not include.

    6. 06Revision policy

      ask for the hospital's and the surgeon's written policy on revision surgery and on treatment of complications, including who pays and for how long after surgery the policy applies. BAAPS advises defining this before surgery.

      Open the BAAPS directory
    7. 07Aftercare and who provides it

      GMC guidance requires the surgeon to tell you how to contact them or another named, suitably qualified person about complications out of hours, and to explain follow-up at the outset. Confirm who does the wound checks, where, and how long the surgeon and hospital will support you.

      Open the GMC register
    8. 08Cooling-off period

      GMC guidance requires the surgeon to give you the time and information you need to reach a voluntary, informed decision and to tell you that you can change your mind at any point. The RCS advises taking at least two weeks after the consultation with the operating surgeon before going ahead. Be wary of any provider that resists this or offers time-limited discounts.

      Open the GMC register

    Before you book: what UK rules require.

    • ConsentThe doctor who will operate must discuss the procedure with you and take your consent personally; this cannot be delegated (GMC, Guidance for doctors who offer cosmetic interventions, 2016, paragraph 16).
    • TimeYou must be given the time and information you need to decide, and told you can change your mind at any point (paragraphs 24 to 26). The Royal College of Surgeons sets at least two weeks between consultation and consent.
    • PremisesAny procedure that involves a cut or an implant must take place in premises registered with the Care Quality Commission, or the equivalent regulator in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
    • MarketingMarketing must not claim a procedure is without risk, must not use promotional tactics that encourage an ill-considered decision, and must not offer surgery as a prize (paragraphs 49 to 53). The CAP Code adds that cosmetic advertising must not be aimed at people under 18 (rule 12.25).
    • AftercareThe surgeon must make arrangements for aftercare and continuity of care, including out-of-hours contact, and explain charges clearly, including any charges for revision or routine follow-up.

    Sources: GMC: Guidance for doctors who offer cosmetic interventions (2016) · Royal College of Surgeons: cosmetic surgery · CQC: choosing cosmetic surgery · CAP Code, section 12: medicines, medical devices, health-related products and beauty products. Vertex Medic follows the same rules on this site.

    §11 What moves the price

    Vertex Medic does not set prices.

    Your chosen provider gives you a written, itemised quote after your consultation. This is what usually changes the number, and what the quote should say.

    What moves the price

    • The technique: a mini abdominoplasty is generally less costly than a full abdominoplasty, and a fleur-de-lis or an operation after massive weight loss generally more
    • Whether muscle repair, hernia repair or liposuction is added
    • The surgeon's fee, which reflects experience and location
    • The consultant anaesthetist's fee
    • Hospital charges, including theatre time and the number of nights stayed
    • Whether the price is an all-inclusive package or itemised, in which case the full cost may not be known until invoices arrive (PHIN)
    • Initial consultation fees, which PHIN reports as typically £150 to £250
    • Geographic location, with London and the south east generally more expensive
    • Pre-operative tests, compression garments, dressings and follow-up appointments, which may or may not be included
    • The cost of treating complications, seroma drainage or revision surgery, which is often excluded from the original fee
    • Combining the operation with other procedures, such as breast surgery, in a single anaesthetic
    • Time off work and help at home during a recovery of four to six weeks

    Public reference range

    £5,000 to £10,000

    From about £5,000 to £10,000, plus the cost of any consultations or follow-up care

    Source: NHS, Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty), page last reviewed 29 September 2023. 29 September 2023. Checked 5 September 2026.

    Prices vary by surgeon, hospital, complexity and location, and by what is included in the quote. Vertex Medic does not set or quote treatment prices; any fee is agreed directly between you and the independent surgeon and hospital.

    What a quote should itemise

    • The surgeon's fee and the anaesthetist's fee, separately
    • The hospital or theatre fee, and how many nights it covers
    • Implants or devices where used, by name
    • Follow-up appointments: how many, for how long
    • Dressings, garments, medicines and scar care
    • What a revision would cost, and who decides whether one is needed
    • Who pays if there is a complication, and where you would be treated
    • What happens to your money if you change your mind

    §12 Common questions

    The things people actually ask.

    Is a tummy tuck a way to lose weight?

    No. The NHS, BAAPS and BAPRAS all describe abdominoplasty as an operation for people who are already at a stable, healthy weight. It removes loose skin and repairs stretched muscle; it does not remove the fat stored inside the abdomen, and surgeons generally advise reaching and holding a healthy BMI first because a higher BMI increases the risk of complications.

    What is the difference between a mini and a full tummy tuck?

    A full abdominoplasty uses a hip-to-hip incision, repairs the abdominal muscles and moves the tummy button, and suits skin excess above and below the navel. A mini abdominoplasty uses a shorter incision, removes only a small amount of skin below the navel, leaves the tummy button in place and does not usually repair the muscles. The surgeon decides which is appropriate on the basis of your anatomy rather than preference alone.

    Will I have a visible scar?

    Yes. Every tummy tuck leaves a scar that lasts for life, usually a long horizontal one low on the abdomen and, in a full procedure, one around the tummy button. Surgeons aim to place it within the underwear line, and it usually fades over 12 to 18 months, but scar quality varies between people and some scars become thick or raised.

    Can I have a tummy tuck if I might have more children?

    You can, but BAAPS advises that a later pregnancy is likely to affect the result: the tightened tissues stretch as the baby grows and the skin laxity and muscle separation may recur. Many surgeons therefore suggest waiting until your family is complete. Pregnancy after the operation is not considered harmful to you or the baby.

    Is abdominoplasty available on the NHS?

    Generally not, because it is regarded as cosmetic. BAPRAS notes that limited exceptions exist in some regions, for example after massive weight loss or where there is extensive scarring with a hernia, and each integrated care board publishes its own criteria. Your GP can tell you whether a referral is possible in your area.

    How long will I need off work?

    The NHS says most people need about four to six weeks off work and exercise, and BAPRAS advises at least four weeks. A desk-based job may be manageable towards the earlier end of that range, while physical work takes longer. Driving is usually not possible for at least two weeks and only once you can brake without pain.

    Can liposuction be done at the same time?

    Often, yes. Combining liposuction with abdominoplasty (lipoabdominoplasty) can improve the overall contour, but BAAPS points out that it adds the risks of liposuction and requires the surgeon to preserve the blood supply to the skin more carefully. Not everyone is a suitable candidate, and it is a judgement for the operating surgeon.

    What happens if something goes wrong after I go home?

    Before surgery you should have the contact details of a named doctor who can deal with complications, including out of hours; GMC guidance requires this. The NHS advises contacting the clinic where the operation was done as soon as possible for severe pain or unexpected symptoms, and breathlessness, chest pain or calf pain need urgent attention. If you are unhappy with how a problem is handled, complaints can be raised with the hospital, ISCAS for private hospitals that subscribe, the CQC, or the GMC about an individual doctor.

    §13 Also considered

    Often read alongside.

    Ordinary editorial navigation: nothing here is inferred from anything you have told us.

    Sources and review

    Written by the Vertex Medic editorial team from published UK guidance, checked 5 September 2026. This page is general information, not medical advice. Your surgeon will assess you personally, and no surgeon can guarantee a particular result.

    §14 When you are ready

    A consultation is a conversation, not a decision.

    Tell the Vertex Medic booking concierge what you are considering. A real person calls you back within one working day, explains what happens next, and arranges a consultation with an independent surgeon if you want one. No deposit, no deadline.

    Free to ask · No obligation · Never a clinical assessment

    Ask about tummy tuck