Body contouring and tightening – when the skin no longer keeps up

Excess skin that disappears neither through exercise nor through diet is often felt to be a burden in everyday life – when getting dressed, during sport, and sometimes also because of skin irritation in the folds. Tightening operations can help here. Body lifts and abdominal wall reconstructions were already an established part of my training.

Tummy tuck

In a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty), I remove excess skin and fatty tissue from the lower abdomen.

• Mini tummy tuck: Only the area below the navel is tightened; the navel stays in its place.
• Full tummy tuck: Skin and fat are tightened from the costal arch to the groin; the navel is cut around and sewn back in at the same place.
• For separated abdominal muscles (diastasis recti): The edges of the muscles are brought back together with internal sutures – like an internal corset.
• Combination with liposuction: on the flanks, for a harmonious waist.

The scar runs low, usually from hip bone to hip bone, and can generally be hidden under underwear or swimwear. Stretch marks only disappear insofar as they lie within the area of skin removed.

Body lift

A body lift tightens the trunk all the way round: abdomen, flanks, buttocks and outer thighs. It is mainly considered after massive weight loss, when excess skin has formed in a ring around the body.

Upper arms and thighs

With slight slackening, liposuction may be sufficient, because the skin contracts somewhat afterwards. With significant excess skin, tightening is performed, often combined with liposuction:

• Upper arm: scar on the inner side between the armpit and the elbow – usually barely visible when the arm is hanging down.
• Thigh: with slight slackening, an incision in the groin; with more pronounced slackening, additionally on the inner side towards the knee.

My approach

For me, the priority is a natural result that suits the body. It takes into account your wishes and your anatomical conditions as well as the realistic possibilities of the procedure.

Recovery at a glance

	Abdomen	Upper arm	Thigh
Compression	girdle, approx. 6 weeks	bolero, a few weeks	compression trousers, a few weeks
Office work	after about 2 weeks	after about 1 week	after 1 to 2 weeks
Sport	gradually from about 6 weeks	after about 3 to 4 weeks	light sport after about 4 weeks

These figures are guidelines; the actual course depends on the extent of the procedure and on your healing.

Process: preparation, procedure, aftercare

Using the tummy tuck as an example, the steps show the typical process; it is similar for a body lift and for upper arm and thigh lifts. We decide on the place of the procedure during the consultation.

1. 01a few weeks beforePreparation

   Examination, planning of the incisions and extent, preliminary examinations, informed-consent discussion with time to reflect.

2. 02day of surgeryProcedure

   Tightening under general anaesthesia; depending on the extent, with an inpatient stay.

3. 03weeks to monthsAftercare

   Compression, rest, check-ups; the scars mature over months.

Preparation

1. Weight It should be stable over several months – otherwise the result is not reliable.
2. Planning The incisions and the course of the scars are planned so that they lie under clothing as far as possible.
3. Preliminary examinations and thrombosis prevention as instructed by the doctor.
4. Smoking stop in good time beforehand – smoking significantly increases the risk of wound-healing problems.
5. Organisation Have your compression girdle fitted in advance and arrange help with the household for the first few weeks.

The day of surgery

1. Marking while standing The incisions and the excess to be removed are marked.
2. Procedure Excess skin and fatty tissue of the lower abdomen are removed, and the abdominal wall is tightened downwards; if necessary, the abdominal muscles are brought together and the navel is repositioned.
3. Completion layered sutures, drains if necessary, compression girdle.

Healing at a glance

Risks

Tightening operations are major procedures. The risks include secondary bleeding, seromas, wound-healing problems, infections, thromboses and conspicuous scars. Smoking significantly increases the risk of wound-healing problems. Careful preparation and an informed-consent discussion are therefore particularly important.

Frequently asked questions