Abdominoplasty – abdominal reduction in Hanover

Facts about abdominoplasty

Operating time:	about 2 hours
Sedation:	general anaesthesia
Hospital stay:	2 to 3 days
Aftercare:	Compression girdle must be worn for 6 weeks after surgery - no sports and strenuous physical activities for 4 to 6 weeks
Cost:	starts at 5,000 €

Slim, firm, muscular – lots of men and women of all age groups would be delighted if their stomach corresponded to this ideal. After all, a beautiful and firm stomach is a synonym for attractiveness and a healthy look nowadays.

Unfortunately, however, the stomach naturally loses its elasticity and resilience in the course of life. Moreover, a large loss of weight or pregnancy often leads to an abdominal wall that has „gone out of shape“. A so-called “apron of fat” (excess of skin) often develops, as after a slimming phase simply too much skin exists.

If a laxity of the abdominal wall has been diagnosed, physical exercise and dietary measures are unfortunately not sufficient in the majority of cases to get rid of the excess skin in the stomach region. For a large number of the persons concerned such a drastic change to their stomach means mental stress and they no longer feel comfortable in their own body. In this case an abdominal reduction by means of surgery is the right solution.

New physical well-being thanks to professional surgery

Abdominoplasty is a highly effective method to remove the excess skin and the adjacent fatty tissue with the aim of restoring a slim and beautifully contoured stomach. This surgical intervention can also be optionally combined with liposuction at the hips to improve the hip contours. Simultaneous corrections of the stomach muscle (rectus muscle) are also possible, e.g. if this muscle has become weak or if, following pregnancy, a gap in the muscle has remained (so-called rectus diastasis). By shortening the muscle, a stabilisation and at the same time an accentuation of the waist is achieved.

In the case of abdominoplasty the cut is performed at the height of a caesarean section, thus the scar will later be concealed by bathing trunks and underwear. In the case of a so-called mini-abdominoplasty, the abdominal reduction is limited to the lower stomach region. If a complete abdominal reduction (abdominoplasty) is performed, the complete stomach region is contoured, and a cut is hereby necessary and/or a scar will remain around the navel so that it can be left at its original position.

Following an abdominoplasty it is necessary to wear a girdle for a period of 6 weeks. This is beneficial for the healing process of the new abdominal wall and supports the development of a harmonious surface contour. During this period the patient has to consistently refrain from any physical exercise, and the best is to rest a lot and reduce movements to a minimum to ensure that the result will ultimately meet your approval.

Before undergoing surgery our experts will perform thorough initial examinations in order to develop a treatment concept in agreement with you, taking your specific requirements into account. Our top priority is to achieve a result which is as natural as possible to ensure that you will feel completely comfortable and satisfied in your own body. Please make an appointment for a consultation session at our clinic, in the scope of which we will offer you detailed and competent advice.

Dr. Entezami is an Expert for Abdominoplasty on the renowned portal "info Medizin":

Preparation, operation and aftercare following abdominoplasty

Surgery always involves certain risks, despite the fact that advanced technology reduces any such to a minimum. It is therefore necessary to ensure that you are well prepared for your surgery and are well aware of what you will expect. As a matter of fact we will provide you with the necessary information in the scope of a detailed consultation session. In the following you will find a list of the most frequent questions on abdominal reduction and/or abdominoplasty.

Does abdominoplasty have any effects on pregnancy?

If you desire to have a child, you are recommended to wait until the end of pregnancy/until your family planning has been completed, before contemplating abdominoplasty. After all, drooping skin is often a result of pregnancy. It is best to wait about six months after birth. You are furthermore recommended to wait until you no longer breast-feed your child, and until your hormone household has normalised again.

If you become pregnant once again after surgery, this might have a negative effect on the outcome of surgery and it may be necessary to perform corrective treatment.

What kind of complications may I have to face?

As a rule swelling, bruises and pain develop after surgery, in occasional cases postoperative bleeding is observed. The pain can be well treated with medication and subsides, similar to the other accompanying symptoms within about one week.

Will I have to face a long period of sickness?

You will be required to wear a supporting abdominal and/or compression bandage for a period of 6 weeks. The surgical sutures are self-dissolving and do not have to be removed. You should wait 2-3 months before you start doing intensive physical exercise, or undertaking strenuous activities and exercises which are a strain on the stomach, and you should even avoid the solarium for 6 months in order to prevent a negative influence on scar healing. The same applies to sunbathing. Stomach muscle training no earlier than 3 months after surgery might also help to strengthen the abdominal wall.

The healing process lasts approx. 6 months or longer. In this period you might feel numbness or notice reddening of the skin. It will take even longer for the scars to fade.

Besides the skin will the muscles also be toned?

In the case of patients with abdominal muscles which have lost their tension, it is possible to also tighten the muscles of the upper and lower stomach region when performing abdominoplasty. This is often necessary following pregnancy.

How long does the result last?

That depends whether a partial or complete abdominoplasty was performed and what kind of physical predisposition the patient has. In the normal case, the result is permanent, but a patient who gets pregnant again or puts on a considerable amount of weight, will notice changes. If necessary, these changes can be corrected again by repeating abdominoplasty.

How long do the operation and hospitalisation last?

Depending on whether a complete or partial abdominoplasty was performed, surgery takes approx. 90 minutes. You should take a hospital stay of 2 days into account, in seldom cases it might be slightly longer.

Will visible scars remain?

The cuts will be made similar to a caesarean cut. They are positioned in the bikini area and/or genital area and are thus not noticed. If normal swimwear and underwear is worn, they will be concealed completely. A small scar around the navel remains after a full-scope abdominoplasty.

Is it possible to eliminate pregnancy stretch marks?

If the stretch marks are only located in the lower stomach region, they are eliminated fully in the majority of cases. If they are located in the upper stomach region, they are hardly noticed, as the skin is stretched and the stomach is remodelled.

Is it necessary to model a new navel?

In the event of a complete abdominoplasty, there is no way of avoiding the need to remodel a new navel. In some cases partial abdominoplasty is, however, sufficient.

Does abdominoplasty substitute a diet?

In the case of overweight, it is recommended for patients to reduce their weight prior to surgery (in the majority of cases by changing their diet in combination with physical exercise). After that abdominoplasty makes sense, as the primary aim is to remove excess skin and to tighten the muscles. This surgery should not be mixed up with liposuction which can be helpful, if focus is on removing fat deposits at the stomach and on the hips. If this surgery is desired, it has to be performed in a separate operation.