Patient guide
Tummy Tuck
Abdominoplasty removes excess skin and tightens abdominal muscles after weight loss or pregnancy.
What this guide covers: This guide covers candidacy, what happens during treatment, recovery timelines, red flags, and questions to ask before you travel.
Browse Plastic Surgery providersQuick facts
- Typical stay
- 5–7 days
- Anaesthesia
- General
- Return to work
- 3–4 weeks
Last reviewed: June 2026
Overview
What is tummy tuck?
A tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) addresses loose skin and rectus diastasis that diet and exercise cannot correct. It is not a weight-loss procedure. Combined with liposuction in selected areas, it can restore abdominal contour — but creates a hip-to-hip scar and requires careful recovery.
Directory
Compare licensed hospitals, clinics, and practices in Turkey that list tummy tuck among their treatments.
Candidacy
Who is it for?
Patients at stable weight with redundant abdominal skin
Women after pregnancy with diastasis recti
Post-bariatric patients after weight plateau
Non-smokers willing to limit lifting for six weeks
Treatment day
What happens
Marking and anaesthesia
Incision lines drawn standing. General anaesthesia standard. Liposuction adjunct may be planned.
Skin excision and muscle repair
Excess skin removed below umbilicus; navel repositioned. Midline fascia plication tightens muscles.
Drain placement and closure
One or two surgical drains often placed. Compression garment applied.
Recovery instructions
Flexed waist walking posture taught to reduce tension on incision.
After treatment
Recovery timeline
Week 1
Drains removed when output low. Flexed posture; no straightening fully.
Next: Weeks 2–6Weeks 2–6
No heavy lifting. Gradual return to driving when off narcotics and able to brake.
Next: Months 2–3Months 2–3
Swelling subsides; scar care begins.
Next: Month 12Month 12
Scar maturation continues; final contour assessed.
Warning signs
Risks and red flags
These are warning signs that should give you pause — or cause you to walk away entirely. No reputable provider will object to being asked these questions.
Combining abdominoplasty with extensive liposuction in same session
No overnight monitoring after large skin excision
Surgeons without hospital privileges for haematoma evacuation
Before you commit
Questions to ask
- Full or mini abdominoplasty — and expected scar length?
- Will drains be used and who removes them if I travel early?
- How do you manage seroma or haematoma risk?
- When can I resume exercise and core training?
Next steps
Research providers with confidence
This guide is for general information only and does not replace advice from a qualified clinician. Use our rankings and directory to compare licensed organisations before you commit.
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