Dr Norris performs abdominoplasty in fully accredited hospitals. This is for your safety and to ensure optimum quality of care throughout the operation and the immediate postoperative period. The anaesthetist that Dr Norris works with, Dr Ross Foreman, will give you a general anaesthetic. You can expect the operation to take 3-4 hours.

If you are having a full abdominoplasty, then the incision required (and the scar this subsequently forms) will need to be across the lower abdomen at the level of your pubic hair and extend upwards and outwards on either side to your hip bones. Dr Norris will ask you to bring the type of underwear or swimsuit bottom you intend to wear after your operation to ensure the scar will be hidden.

The skin is lifted up from the abdominal muscles to the level of the rib cage. The belly-button (umbilicus) is released from the lifted skin and remains attached to the abdominal muscles. The abdominal muscles are tightened to give you a flatter tummy and a smaller waist. Then the lifted skin is pulled down firmly so that the excess skin and fat can be removed and the umbilicus is stitched into its new position.

If you are having a lower abdominoplasty only, the incision may still need to be as long as the one for a full abdominoplasty but the skin is lifted off the abdominal muscles only to the level of the umbilicus and the umbilicus does not need to be separated from the lifted skin and stitched back into a new position.

If you are having a mini-abdominoplasty it may be possible to limit the incision and scar to the width of your pubic area and the umbilicus will not need to be moved.

With all types of abdominoplasty you may also benefit from having some liposuction done at the same time to give you the result that you desire.

At the end of the operation two drains are placed beneath the skin and the incisions are closed with absorbable sutures to save you the inconvenience of having them removed. A dressing is applied over the incisions and you will leave the operating theatre wearing a comfortable and supportive compression garment.

You can expect to remain in the hospital for 4-5 nights if you have a full abdominoplasty, but very occasionally a longer stay may be required. When in bed you will be positioned so that you are bent at the waist and knees to take tension off the wound. The day after the operation a physiotherapist will help you to start walking around the ward, although you will still need to remain in a bent-over position at this early stage. You will slowly straighten up over the next 7-10 days.

The drains are most commonly removed just before you go home, but very occasionally they may need to stay longer in which case a nurse will visit you at home each day to look after them. The compression garment will need to be worn day and night for 4 weeks.

When you go home you will require a friend, family member or partner to drive you as you won’t be able to drive yourself for the first two weeks after the operation. You will leave with written instructions, a prescription for pain-relief, and a follow-up appointment with Dr Norris for one week.

At home you should be comfortable enough to go for short walks initially. Many people are comfortable enough to return to light daily activities at two weeks after the operation and may even return to work at this time. However, you should plan to be off work for 3-4 weeks and will not be able to return to more vigorous and strenuous exercise and activities for 6-8 weeks after the operation.

At one week after leaving the hospital you will have a follow-up appointment with Dr Norris in the consulting rooms. This is to check on how you are feeling, make sure the wounds are healing without problem, and reassure you that your postoperative course is going to plan.

If at any time before this first follow-up appointment, or at any time after this you note a problem or have any concerns at all please contact Dr Norris immediately.