Dr. Mustafa Aydınol
The Tummy Tuck and Mommy Makeover Guide
What I explain to every patient before abdominal surgery in Istanbul: which tummy tuck fits which body, when a mommy makeover makes sense, and what your recovery really looks like.
- ISAPS member
- Turkish Society of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons
- Health Tourism Authorization, Turkish Ministry of Health
In this guide
- What a tummy tuck does, and what it does not
- Muscle repair: when it is needed
- Which tummy tuck fits your body
- Mommy makeover: one plan, one recovery
- Results from my practice
- Are you a good candidate?
- The operation
- Your week in Istanbul
- After you fly home
- Risks and honest limits
- How to read before and after photos
- Questions to ask any surgeon
- Cost and how to get a quote
- About Dr. Aydınol and your next step
Before you start
A tummy tuck is not one operation. A mini, a full, an extended, a Fleur-de-Lys and a reverse tummy tuck treat different problems, leave different scars and need different recoveries. Choosing the right one for the patient in front of me matters more than anything else in this guide.
A mommy makeover is not one operation either. It is a plan: the changes pregnancy left in your abdomen, waist and breasts, corrected in one session with one anaesthesia and one recovery, but only as far as it is safe to combine them.
Read this guide at your own pace. When you are ready, send me a few photographs and I will tell you honestly which operation your body needs, and whether a tummy tuck is the right answer at all.
What a tummy tuck does, and what it does not
A tummy tuck removes excess skin and fat from the abdomen and, where needed, repairs the muscles. Once the skin has stretched beyond its ability to recover, diet, exercise and non-surgical tightening cannot replace it.
I assess every abdomen in three layers
Skin
How much loose skin there is and whether it continues around the flanks. This decides the type of tummy tuck and the length of the scar.
Fat
Fat of the abdomen, waist and back, treated with liposuction in the same operation, carefully, so the skin keeps its blood supply.
Muscle
Whether the abdominal muscles have separated after pregnancy or weight change. Repairing them gives the flat profile most patients hope for.
What a tummy tuck will not do
- It is not a weight-loss operation. It works best close to your ideal, stable weight.
- It cannot remove the fat inside the abdomen, around the organs. A firm, rounded abdomen from internal fat stays.
- It does not stop time. The skin and muscle repair are permanent, but significant weight gain or a further pregnancy will change the result.
Fat with reasonably tight skin? Then you may not need a tummy tuck
VASER or MicroAire liposuction removes fat through small incisions, without a long scar, when the skin is still firm.
Where skin quality is borderline, Renuvion or Endolift can help the skin contract after liposuction.
The honest boundary: no device can take up a hanging fold of skin or close a muscle separation. That takes surgery. Liposuction in Turkey
Muscle repair: when it is needed
Pregnancy and large weight changes can stretch the two vertical abdominal muscles apart. Skin removal alone cannot fix this; the gap is closed with sutures, like an internal corset. But repairing muscles that do not need it only adds pain and recovery time.
When I repair the muscles
After pregnancy or large weight changes, most patients have a separation that needs closing. I assess it by examination and, where the picture is unclear, by imaging. The repair is done with permanent sutures.
When I choose differently
A young patient who has not been pregnant, or a man, usually does not need a repair. In a younger patient who may still become pregnant, I use absorbable sutures: they hold while the tissue heals and then let the abdominal wall stretch naturally.
Is muscle repair always part of a tummy tuck?
No. It is a decision I make for each patient, at the examination, and I explain it to you before surgery. A clinic that includes it by default, or leaves it out by default, is not assessing your abdomen.
It is usually the muscle repair, not the skin removal, that gives the flat profile most patients are hoping for. That is why I decide it case by case, never by default.
Which tummy tuck fits your body
Mini tummy tuck
For loose skin limited to below the navel, with little or no muscle separation. The navel is not moved and recovery is quicker. I offer it only when the excess really is confined to the lower abdomen.
Full tummy tuck
For the typical abdomen after pregnancy. Skin from the navel down to the pubic area is removed, the navel is repositioned and the muscles are repaired where needed.
Extended tummy tuck
For looseness that continues around the flanks towards the back, usually after moderate to large weight loss. The scar is longer, a trade I discuss openly.
Fleur-de-Lys
Adds a vertical scar in the midline, for massive weight loss where the skin hangs in every direction. The vertical scar is a real cost, so I recommend it only when the upper abdomen would otherwise stay loose.
Reverse tummy tuck
Removes loose skin of the upper abdomen through an incision in the fold under the breasts. It is often combined with breast surgery.
360 tummy tuck
A tummy tuck combined with liposuction all around the waist and lower back, so the waist is shaped from every angle, not only from the front.
Often planned in the same operation
- Liposuction of the waist, flanks and back, often with VASER
- Breast lift, augmentation, reduction or an implant with a lift
- Fat transfer to the buttocks (BBL) or to the breasts
- Arm or thigh lift after major weight loss, within the safety limits below
Combinations are planned in advance, as one operation and one recovery. That is a consultation decision, not a menu choice.
Mommy makeover: one plan, one recovery
A mommy makeover is not a single procedure and should never be sold as a fixed package. It is a personal combination of operations, done in one session, for the changes pregnancy left behind.
Abdomen
A tummy tuck with muscle repair. In my practice it is the core of nearly every mommy makeover.
Waist and back
VASER liposuction of the waist, flanks and back, sometimes with Renuvion where the skin needs help to tighten.
Breasts
A lift, an augmentation, a reduction or an implant with a lift. Fat transfer to the breasts or buttocks is added only when it suits your body.
The safety rules I combine operations by
- At most three major lifts go into one session. A tummy tuck, a breast lift or reduction, an arm, thigh or buttock lift each count as one.
- A facelift is never combined with body surgery, and a rhinoplasty is not done on the same day as a tummy tuck.
- Combined surgery needs stable weight, good general health and normal tests. If operating time or tissue quality calls for it, we stage the surgery.
- After major weight loss, a good result may take two or even three sessions.
When is the right time?
At least six months to a year after giving birth, and at least six months after breastfeeding has stopped. Your weight should be close to your ideal and stable. Another pregnancy is not a medical barrier, but if you are planning one soon, I strongly advise waiting.
Results from my practice
These are my own patients. Each photo is labelled with exactly what was done, nothing more.
Before, with markings
After, front
After, obliqueMommy makeover
Full tummy tuck with muscle repair, VASER liposuction of the waist, flanks and back, Renuvion at the flanks, and a breast lift with fat transfer, planned as one operation. The full case study, with the decisions behind each step: Read the full case study
Abdominoplasty, breast lift with implants, liposuction and BBL
Before (left) and after (right).
Liposuction, abdominoplasty and BBL
Before (left) and after (right).
Fleur-de-Lys abdominoplasty, breast lift with implants, BBL and liposuction
Before (left) and after (right).
She came from Manchester for a mommy makeover: a breast lift with implants, a tummy tuck with muscle repair and liposuction.
More results: Before and after gallery
Are you a good candidate?
The best candidates are close to their ideal weight, with loose skin, stretched muscles or both that exercise can no longer change. Age matters less than general health.
Most of my tummy tuck patients fall into three groups
After pregnancy
Loose skin below the navel, a muscle separation and often breast changes as well. This is where a full tummy tuck, or a mommy makeover, usually fits.
After weight loss
Skin that hangs over the lower abdomen and often around the flanks. An extended or Fleur-de-Lys tummy tuck, sometimes in more than one session.
Men and patients without pregnancy
Loose skin with stubborn fat, usually without a muscle separation. Often a tummy tuck with liposuction, and no muscle repair.
When I will say no, or not yet
- Your problem is fat with reasonably tight skin. A tummy tuck is the wrong tool; liposuction is the answer, and I will tell you so.
- Your weight is still changing. I usually want it stable for four to six months, including after weight-loss medication, because weight that returns will stretch a tummy tuck.
- You gave birth less than six months to a year ago, or stopped breastfeeding less than six months ago.
- You smoke or use nicotine and cannot stop before surgery. Not smoking is one of the most important things you can do to protect your healing.
The operation
I do not perform aggressive liposuction of the abdominal skin itself. Thinning it to chase a slimmer result is how healing problems and skin loss happen.
The scar and the navel
The incision sits low, so the scar is covered by underwear or a swimsuit. The skin is closed in layers, and in a full tummy tuck the navel is reshaped through a small incision around it.
Drains are removed in Istanbul based on how much fluid they collect. They are never left for you to manage at home.
Your week in Istanbul
Plan about seven days in Istanbul, even for a larger combined operation.
- Day 0
Surgery
Your operation under general anaesthesia. You walk within hours of surgery, slightly bent forward. That is normal and protects the repair.
- Days 1 to 2
Two nights in hospital
Drains, your compression garment and close observation. Larger and combined operations also get blood-thinning prophylaxis.
- From day 2
Hotel
You move to your hotel with daily contact from my team. Drains come out around day three, and lymphatic massage starts, usually every other day.
- Day 6
Final check
Dressings and a final examination before you leave. Most patients fly home on day six or seven.
After you fly home
- Around 2 weeks
Your first shower around day ten, once the drains have been out for several days. You can sleep flat again, and most patients return to desk work around day fourteen.
- Around 3 to 4 weeks
Driving around week three. Scar care starts, with silicone gel or sheets and sun protection. A bath, pool or the sea from around week four.
- 6 to 8 weeks
Wear the compression garment for at least six weeks, many patients until eight. Light cardio from around week six; abdominal training and heavy lifting from around week eight.
- 3 to 12 months
Most of the swelling has settled by three to four months. The scar looks its worst around weeks four to eight and keeps maturing for twelve to eighteen months.
Normal in the early weeks
- Swelling of the lower abdomen that increases through the day
- Numbness of the lower abdominal skin, which improves over months
- Tightness, and walking slightly bent forward in the first weeks
- Constipation early on: drink plenty of water and eat fibre
Contact my team straight away if you notice
- Breathlessness or chest pain
- A painful or swollen calf
- Fever, or swelling that increases quickly
- Heavy bleeding, or a wound that opens
Risks and honest limits
Every operation has risks. In a tummy tuck, the ones that matter are seroma, wound healing problems, infection and, rarely, blood clots. Not smoking and walking early reduce all of them substantially.
Seroma
Fluid collecting under the skin after the drains are out. Compression, early walking and drains that stay until the output is low all reduce it.
Wound healing
Most likely where the scar is under the most tension. Smoking and an over-thinned skin flap make it more likely, which is why I protect the flap’s blood supply.
Blood clots
Rare, but serious. Early walking and compression protect every patient; larger and combined operations also get blood-thinning prophylaxis and closer observation.
Scar and sensation
The scar is permanent, placed as low as possible. Numbness of the lower abdominal skin is expected and improves over months.
Two honest limits
The skin and muscle repair are permanent, but a tummy tuck does not protect you from the future. Significant weight gain or a further pregnancy will change the result.
Most of the problems I see after surgery are preventable ones: massage that was skipped, or compression given up too early. Your part of the recovery matters as much as mine.
How to read before and after photos
Almost every abdomen looks flat in a photo taken at the right angle, in the right light, holding the breath. A fair comparison shows you the whole picture.
What to look for
- The same posture, distance and light in both photos. A slight turn or a held breath changes the waist.
- The scar: how low it sits and how far it runs, not only how flat the front looks.
- The navel: a natural shape and position matter as much as a flat abdomen.
- Time stamps. A result one week after surgery is still swollen and held by compression. Ask to see six and twelve months.
I apply the same rule to my own patients: I judge the abdomen at six months and the scar at twelve. Before that, swelling and scar colour are still changing.
Questions to ask any surgeon
The surgeon matters more than the technique, and the structure around the surgery matters as much as the surgery itself.
- Are you certified in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery, and which societies are you a member of?
- Which type of tummy tuck do you recommend for me, and where exactly will the scar be?
- Do I have a muscle separation, and how did you assess it?
- If you combine operations, what is the total operating time, and why is it safe for me?
- How long will I stay in hospital, and who removes the drains?
- How are blood clots prevented during and after surgery?
- Who checks me in Istanbul after surgery, and who do I contact once I am home?
- What exactly is included in the price?
Red flags
- A price before anyone has seen your photographs
- A fixed mommy makeover package, the same for everyone
- Drains left in for you to manage at home
- A flight home within a few days of a large combined operation
Cost and how to get a quote
I do not publish a single price, because there is no single tummy tuck. Surgery in Istanbul costs substantially less than in the United Kingdom, Germany or the wider EU, because local operating costs are lower.
What shapes your quote
- The type of tummy tuck, and whether the muscles are repaired
- Added liposuction, VASER or Renuvion
- Whether it is a combined session, such as a mommy makeover
- The length of your hospital stay
How to get your quote
Send your photographs
Front, side and back views of your abdomen, standing relaxed. That is enough for a first opinion.
Video call
We talk through what you want, what your body needs, and your questions.
Written quote
Your plan and your quote in writing. It includes the hospital, anaesthesia, follow-up in Istanbul and post-operative contact.
About Dr. Aydınol
I completed my specialist training in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery at Dicle University (2012 to 2017) and have run my own practice in Istanbul since 2020. My work covers facial rejuvenation, rhinoplasty, breast surgery and body contouring, always with the same rule: the right procedure at the right time, or an honest no.
Patients from Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, the Middle East and many other countries travel to Istanbul for surgery with me. My team and I plan the whole trip around the operation.
- 10,000+ procedures
- ISAPS member
- Turkish Society of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons
- Rhinoplasty Society of Europe
- Health Tourism Authorization, Turkish Ministry of Health
Your next step
Send a few photographs on WhatsApp. Tell me what bothers you most, and I will tell you honestly what I would recommend.
- +90 544 772 07 72
- info@mustafaaydinol.com
- Clinic
- Yeşilçimen Sokak No:12, Polat Tower Residence K:2 D:20, Fulya, Şişli, Istanbul
Keep a copy
Download the PDF to read offline or share it with someone who is coming with you.
Plan your trip
- Recovery plannerWhen you can fly home, work and exercise
- Surgery readiness checkWhat to settle before surgery
- When should I stopWhich medicines to stop, and when
- Combination plannerWhat can be done in one session
This guide is general information and does not replace a personal medical consultation. Your plan, the operation and your recovery depend on your own examination.
