Mini Abdominoplasty

1. Understanding Your Goals

• Your priorities: The consultation starts with what you would like to change, what matters most to you and what you hope surgery will achieve.

2. Clinical Assessment

• Clinical assessment: Dr Mercer assesses anatomy, tissue quality, asymmetry, scars and any factors that may affect the operation or healing.

3. Options, Limits & Planning

• Options and limits: Suitable surgical options, likely scars, trade-offs and realistic outcomes are discussed rather than assuming that surgery is the right answer.
• Planning: If you choose to proceed, clinical photography, measurements and a personalised operative plan are completed before a surgery date is confirmed.

4–6 weeks before

• Weight stability: Aim to be at a stable, maintainable weight before surgery.
• Nicotine: Stop smoking, vaping and nicotine products for the interval advised by Dr Mercer.
• Health review: Complete any requested blood tests and medication or clot-risk assessment.

1–2 weeks before

• Medicines and supplements: Follow your individual instructions regarding medicines that may affect bleeding or recovery.
• Home arrangements: Organise transport, comfortable clothing and practical help for the first few days if needed.

Anaesthesia

• General anaesthetic: Mini abdominoplasty is usually performed under general anaesthesia.

Operative sequence

• Low incision: A transverse incision is placed low on the abdomen and planned around the amount of skin to be removed.
• Limited elevation: Tissues are elevated mainly below the navel rather than across the full abdominal wall.
• Selective tightening: Limited lower-abdominal muscle repair can be performed when indicated.
• Skin removal: Excess lower-abdominal skin is removed and the remaining skin is redraped without routinely repositioning the navel.
• Optional contouring: Limited liposuction may be added to adjacent areas where appropriate.
• Closure: The incision is closed in layers and a compression garment is applied.

Days 1–7

• Expected: Tightness, swelling, bruising and pulling around the lower abdominal incision are common.

Weeks 2–3

• Work and mobility: Many patients return to non-physical work as comfort improves, while lifting remains restricted.

Weeks 4–6

• Exercise: Exercise and abdominal loading are reintroduced progressively after review.

3–12 months

• Maturation: Residual swelling settles and the lower-abdominal scar gradually softens and fades.

First 1–2 weeks

• Compression: Wear the recommended garment and keep the incision supported as advised.
• Walking: Short, regular walks are encouraged from the early postoperative period while strenuous activity is avoided.
• Wound care: Keep dressings clean and attend the scheduled early review.

Weeks 3–6

• Activity: Increase normal activity gradually while avoiding heavy lifting and abdominal strain until cleared.
• Scar care: Silicone, massage or other scar care can begin once the incision is fully healed and reviewed.

Early review

• What happens: The team checks wounds, swelling, comfort and any dressings during the first postoperative period.

1–2 weeks

• What happens: Incisions and early healing are reviewed; sutures or dressings are removed when appropriate and activity guidance is updated.

6 weeks

• What happens: Dr Mercer reviews recovery, scars and return to exercise, and checks that healing is progressing as expected.

3–6 months

• What happens: Progress photographs may be taken as swelling settles and scars continue to mature.

Around 1 year

• What happens: A longer-term review can be used to assess the mature result once tissues and scars have fully settled.