A fleur de lis tummy tuck (fleur de lis abdominoplasty) is an advanced form of abdominoplasty designed to remove excess skin from both the width and height of the abdomen. Unlike a standard tummy tuck, which uses a single horizontal incision across the lower abdomen, a fleur de lis tummy tuck combines a horizontal incision with a vertical incision running up the midline. Together, these incisions resemble the fleur de lis symbol, from which the procedure takes its name.
This dual-incision approach allows significantly more excess skin to be removed, making it particularly effective for patients with extensive skin laxity following major weight loss. In addition to removing redundant skin, the procedure can tighten the abdominal wall by repairing separated abdominal muscles (diastasis recti), improve waist definition and create a firmer, flatter and more proportionate abdominal contour. Where appropriate, the technique can also be extended to address excess skin around the flanks and sides of the torso, providing more comprehensive body contouring.
This procedure is most appropriate for patients who have achieved significant weight loss and maintained a stable weight for at least 6 to 12 months, and who have substantial excess skin across both the lower and central or upper abdomen that a standard tummy tuck cannot adequately address. Good candidates are in good general health, with nutritional optimisation particularly important for post-bariatric patients to support safe healing, and are non-smokers, or committed to stopping well in advance of and following surgery. Realistic expectations regarding the extent and visibility of scarring involved are essential, and patients should ideally have completed their family, as future pregnancies would affect results.
Mr Sadideen places strong emphasis on timing and preparation for this procedure. Nutritional status, weight stability and overall health are carefully reviewed during consultation, and surgery is only recommended when the conditions for safe, optimal healing are in place.
The fleur de lis technique combines a standard low horizontal incision across the lower abdomen with a vertical midline incision extending upward from the pubic area. The precise length of the vertical component is determined by how much skin needs to be removed from the central abdomen and is planned individually for each patient.
Excess skin is resected in both directions, the abdominal muscle wall is repaired where separation is present, and the remaining skin is closed in careful layers using fine suturing techniques designed to minimise tension and support the best possible scar outcome.
The resulting scar pattern is more extensive than that of a standard tummy tuck, and this is an important consideration that is discussed openly during consultation. However, for patients with significant abdominal skin excess, the improvement in contour, comfort and function far outweighs the additional scar burden for the vast majority. A comprehensive scar care protocol is provided as part of the aftercare plan to support long-term scar maturation and fading.
Mr Hazim Sadideen is a board-certified and FRCS-qualified consultant plastic surgeon specialising in aesthetic, reconstructive and regenerative plastic surgery. His approach is grounded in clinical evidence, meticulous surgical technique and personalised planning.
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Recovery from fleur de lis abdominoplasty is broadly similar to that of a standard tummy tuck but may be slightly longer given the extent of the procedure. Patients can generally expect a hospital stay of one to two nights, followed by moderate discomfort and abdominal tightness in the first two weeks, managed with prescribed medication. A slightly stooped posture in the early days resolves gradually as the repair settles. Most patients return to desk-based work at two to four weeks, wearing compression garments for six to eight weeks to support healing and contour, and avoiding strenuous exercise, heavy lifting and core-intensive activity for six weeks. Final results become visible at six to twelve months once swelling has fully resolved and scars have matured.
For post-bariatric patients, nutritional support during recovery is particularly important and will be discussed as part of the pre-operative planning process.
Fleur de lis abdominoplasty is a major surgical procedure and carries risks that are discussed openly and in full during consultation. These include scarring, scar widening or poor scar healing, particularly at the junction of the horizontal and vertical incisions; seroma, a fluid accumulation beneath the skin, which is more common following extensive skin removal; infection or wound healing complications; changes in skin sensation across the abdomen; asymmetry or contour irregularities; and deep vein thrombosis, the risk of which is minimised through careful patient selection, compression and early mobilisation.
For post-bariatric patients, nutritional deficiencies can impair wound healing and are assessed and addressed prior to surgery. Mr Sadideen’s thorough preoperative evaluation, meticulous technique and structured aftercare programme are all designed to minimise risk and support a safe, supported recovery.
Fleur de lis tummy tuck surgery is frequently performed as part of a broader body contouring plan following major weight loss. Liposuction may be combined to refine the flanks, back or other areas of localised fat alongside abdominal skin removal. For patients with significant skin excess extending around the torso, a circumferential lower body lift may be discussed as an alternative or staged approach. Ptosis and volume loss following major weight loss frequently affect the breasts, so breast uplift or augmentation may be considered alongside abdominal contouring, and where inner or outer thigh skin laxity accompanies abdominal excess, thigh lift surgery may be planned as a staged procedure.
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