Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) in Istanbul

A tummy tuck removes excess skin and fat from the abdomen and — just as importantly — repairs the stretched or separated abdominal muscles underneath. The result is a flatter, firmer abdomen and a visibly narrower waist. It is one of the most transformative operations in plastic surgery, most often sought after pregnancies or significant weight loss.

Dr. Mehmet Sürmeli, MD, FEBOPRAS · European & Turkish Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon · Member of ISAPS & ASPS · Licensed in Türkiye, Dubai (DHA) and Abu Dhabi (DOH)

More than skin removal: repairing the muscle wall

After pregnancy or major weight changes, the two vertical abdominal muscles often separate in the midline — a condition called diastasis recti. No amount of exercise closes a true diastasis, and it is the hidden reason many women still look “pregnant” years later despite being fit.

During a full tummy tuck, the separated muscles are brought back together and secured with strong permanent sutures. This tightens the entire abdominal wall, flattens the profile, narrows the waist — and in many patients improves chronic lower-back complaints. The belly button is then reconstructed at its natural position with a technique that avoids the tell-tale “operated” look.

One more honesty point: stretch marks below the navel are a sign that skin will not shrink back after liposuction alone. For patients with significant stretch marks, removing that skin with a tummy tuck gives a definitively better result than any liposuction-only plan — and the stretch marks below the navel are removed along with it.

Full or mini tummy tuck? Two genuinely different operations

The choice between a full and a mini tummy tuck is the most important planning decision, and it can only be made by physical examination — never from photographs alone.

Full tummy tuck — for skin excess and muscle laxity both above and below the navel. The entire abdominal skin is lifted, the muscle wall repaired top to bottom, all excess lower abdominal skin removed, and a new opening created for the navel at its ideal height.

Mini tummy tuck — a distinctly different operation, not just a “smaller” one, suited to a specific anatomy: skin excess limited to below the navel, no major laxity above it, and a navel that sits naturally slightly high. Here the skin is not lifted off the abdominal wall; an ellipse of lower abdominal skin is simply removed. The navel stays attached and settles into a slightly lower, more attractive position on its own. And because the skin’s blood supply stays fully intact, liposuction — including the central abdomen — can be performed safely in the same session.

Why we do NOT combine central liposuction with a full tummy tuck

This is the question we are asked most often, and our answer is one of the clearest examples of how Dr. Sürmeli practises.

During a full tummy tuck, the abdominal skin is lifted off the muscle wall — and lifting it necessarily interrupts part of its blood supply. The skin survives on the circulation entering from the sides. Performing liposuction of the central abdomen in the same session damages exactly that remaining circulation. Published studies show what follows: roughly double the rate of serious wound complications — fluid collections, wound breakdown, and in the worst cases loss of skin or of the belly button.

Many clinics offer “tummy tuck + full abdominal liposuction” in one session. We deliberately do not. Our standard practice:

• In the same session, liposuction is limited strictly to the lower flanks and lower back — areas whose blood supply is untouched by the tummy tuck.
• Definitive VASER® liposuction of the abdomen and waist, when desired, is planned 8–12 months later — after circulation has fully recovered. The final sculpting is then both safer and more precise.

A beautiful result that lasts begins with avoiding the complication that would compromise it.

Tummy tuck as part of a Mommy Makeover

A tummy tuck with muscle repair is the foundation of the mommy makeover, usually combined with a breast lift — with or without implants. Following the same staged-safety philosophy, extensive liposculpting and fat transfer are deferred to a second session, where they achieve better results with fewer complications. We do not rush combination surgery.

Who is a good candidate?

The best candidates have completed their pregnancies (a future pregnancy will undo the muscle repair), have kept a stable weight for about a year, do not smoke — or commit to stopping completely well before and after surgery — and are in good general health. For patients with a BMI above roughly 30–32, we honestly advise further weight loss first: the result will be better and the operation safer. All of this is assessed individually at consultation.

What recovery really looks like

A full tummy tuck takes roughly 2.5–3.5 hours under general anaesthesia, with 2 nights in hospital (2–3 for combination surgery). Thin surgical drains are placed and removed within the first week or so. You will walk in a slightly bent-forward posture for the first days — this protects the repair and is completely normal. A compression garment is worn continuously in the early weeks.

The scar is permanent, but it is planned to sit below the underwear line. It looks red and raised at first, then fades and flattens over 12–18 months; silicone scar care is our standard recommendation. Minor scar irregularities or small skin folds at the scar ends can occur despite correct technique — they reflect individual healing, and are usually easy to refine under local anaesthesia after 12 months if needed.

Milestone	When
Hospital stay	2 nights (2–3 for combinations)
Drains removed	Days 5–10
Walking upright comfortably	~2 weeks
Back to desk work	2–3 weeks
Light exercise (walking, cycling)	4–6 weeks
Physically demanding work / lifting	6+ weeks
Final contour & scar maturation	12–18 months
Optional definitive liposculpting	After 8–12 months

Traveling from abroad? This is routine for us

A large part of this practice is international — particularly patients from the United States, United Kingdom and Europe. Plan to stay in Istanbul a minimum of 6–7 days after discharge (longer for combination surgery) for monitoring, drain removal and dressing changes. Our patient packages cover 4★/5★ hotel options, airport and clinic transfers, your hospital stay with meals and a private-duty nurse during the daytime, medications and your compression garment. Beyond Istanbul, Dr. Sürmeli also holds medical licences in Dubai and Abu Dhabi — for details about UAE consultations, please contact our patient representatives.

Patient safety comes before everything

Abdominoplasty deserves particular respect on one point: it carries a higher baseline risk of blood clots (DVT) than most cosmetic operations — the tightened abdominal wall and the bent-forward recovery posture both slow blood return from the legs. This is precisely why Dr. Sürmeli applies a strict, multi-layered prevention protocol to every patient: an individual Caprini risk score before surgery, compression devices during and after the operation, blood-thinning medication when indicated, and walking within hours of surgery. High-risk patients are honestly advised against elective surgery. Every operation is performed in a fully accredited hospital with complete anaesthesia monitoring — and being advised against surgery when it isn’t safe is part of the care, not a lost sale.

Tummy Tuck FAQ