Body Harmonization · Surgical

Tummy Tuck: seeking a firmer, more comfortable abdomen

You exercise and take care of yourself, but the skin on your abdomen does not go back into place. This often happens after pregnancy or significant weight loss, and it shows when you put on a swimsuit. A tummy tuck removes the surplus skin and tightens the abdomen. Dr. Thuel and Dr. Juan Ramón Poveda, Physician and Surgeon, Specialist in Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, listen to you and support you together. Their aim is for you to feel comfortable with your abdomen and with what you wear.

I want to know if it’s right for me

Medical consultation · US$100, VAT included. This amount is applied in full toward your treatment or procedure if you formalize it with your payment on the same day or within the following seven calendar days. It can be the full payment or a first payment of more than US$100. Booking it does not commit you to having surgery.

Every consultation is handled personally by Dr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda, so their availability is limited. We suggest booking in advance.

Dr. Irene ThuelPhysician and Surgeon, Expert in Aesthetic Medicine and Surgery · MED10355

Dr. Juan Ramón PovedaPhysician and Surgeon, Specialist in Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery · MED5800

Illustrative image of Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)

More than 17 yearsof practice in Aesthetic Medicine and Surgery

Trusted by colleaguesAmong those who trust her most are physicians and other health professionals

Patients who come backMany are referred by a family member, a friend, or someone who wishes them well

Two physicians in your surgeryDr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda: more than 40 years of combined experience

Duration: 2 to 4 hours
Recovery: Office work in 2 to 4 weeks
When it shows: Final at 3 to 6 months
How long it lasts: Long-lasting if you maintain a stable weight

Two physicians with you, from consultation to follow-up.

Dr. Irene Thuel · Physician and Surgeon, Expert in Aesthetic Medicine and Surgery · MED10355

The essentials before you decide

What a Tummy Tuck involves, step by step

General information so you arrive at your consultation with a clear idea. It may vary in your case; Dr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda will confirm it at your consultation.

It may be right for you if…

After pregnancy or weight loss, you were left with loose skin on your abdomen.
You exercise, but notice that your abdomen sticks out because the muscles have separated.
When you put on a swimsuit, loose skin or stretch marks below your belly button bother you.
You no longer plan more pregnancies and maintain a stable weight.
You want a firmer abdomen so you feel comfortable in what you wear.

What it is: Surgery that removes surplus skin and fat from the abdomen and, if needed, brings together muscles that have separated.
How it is done: A low incision is made from hip to hip, which is usually covered by underwear. The excess is removed, the muscles are tightened if they are separated, and the navel is repositioned.
Advantages: It removes excess skin, something liposculpture alone does not do. During the same surgery, separated abdominal muscles can be repaired.
Who performs it: Dr. Irene Thuel and Dr. Juan Ramón Poveda Xatruch, plastic surgeon, working as a team in the operating room.
Anesthesia and discomfort: It is usually performed under general anesthesia. The physicians will tell you which type applies in your case. During the first few days there is pain and tightness in the abdomen; it is usually managed with pain relievers and eases over the first few weeks.
Duration: In general, between 2 and 4 hours; longer if combined with liposculpture or another surgery.
Hospital stay: It is outpatient surgery: you go home the same day, after a few hours of observation and with a companion. If drains are placed, they are usually removed between a few days and 2 weeks later.
Recovery and care: A compression garment is generally worn for 6 to 8 weeks, and for the first few days you walk with your body slightly bent forward. Most patients return to the office in 2 to 4 weeks and to sports from about 8 weeks. Walk from the first day and avoid lifting weight or bending suddenly for about 6 weeks.
When it shows: The abdomen looks flatter from the start, but the swelling takes 3 to 6 months to go down. The scar matures over about 1 year.
How long the result lasts: In general, it is long-lasting if you maintain a stable weight. A pregnancy or weight gain can stretch the skin and muscles again.
Who should not have it: It is not recommended if you plan to lose a lot of weight or have more pregnancies, if you smoke, or if you have conditions such as diabetes or heart disease that are not under medical management. Both physicians review this at the consultation.
Follow-up visits: In general, during the first week, at one month, and between 3 and 6 months. Both physicians adjust the dates according to how you are healing.

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Skin, laxity, or muscle

What a tummy tuck corrects

Excess skin

Skin that hangs or folds and does not settle back with exercise.

Skin laxity

A flatter abdomen by tightening the remaining skin.

Abdominal wall

If both physicians recommend it, tightening abdominal muscles that have separated.

Timing matters too

When it is better to wait before abdominal surgery

If you are still losing weight, or if you plan more pregnancies, it is sometimes better to postpone it. And if what bothers you is localized fat without excess skin, liposculpture may suit you better. Dr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda will tell you so from the first appointment.

Consultation
We ask about your pregnancies, weight changes, and what bothers you when you get dressed.
Team consultation
Dr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda examine you together. They check how much surplus skin there is and whether your abdominal muscles have separated. Then they show you where the scar would be.
Tests and surgery
Before surgery, your health is checked with lab tests. Both physicians decide on the anesthesia and technique, and in the operating room Dr. Thuel is alongside Dr. Poveda.
Follow-up visits
At home, you follow the team’s instructions. At follow-up visits, the incision and how the scar is maturing are checked.

Abdominal recovery and risks

What a tummy tuck involves, beyond the change

It leaves a scar and carries risks, one of them uncommon but serious: blood clots. Dr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda explain each one to you.

What to expect

The abdomen is swollen and painful at first; there is also bruising and tender areas.
It is not for weight loss: it is best to come in at a stable weight.
The contour settles and the scar matures over time.
A later pregnancy can change the abdomen again.

Discomfort and risks

Bleeding, infection, scarring, asymmetries or anesthesia complications.
A scar on the lower abdomen and, depending on the case, around the belly button.
Fluid under the skin, healing problems, or changes in sensation.
Blood clots in the veins: uncommon, but serious.

With another surgery or without surgery

What is sometimes done along with the abdomen

Non-surgical Body Skin Tightening, if skin laxity is mild Stretch mark treatment Liposculpture of the waist and flanks Breast Lift or Breast Augmentation, if both physicians assess it

Is this surgery right for you? At the consultation, Dr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda review your case together and tell you frankly whether it suits you and what it involves. The consultation costs US$100, VAT included, which is applied in full toward your treatment or procedure if you formalize it with your payment on the same day or within the following seven calendar days. It can be the full payment or a first payment of more than US$100.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Our most frequently asked questions about tummy tucks

What is the difference between a tummy tuck and liposculpture?

A tummy tuck removes surplus skin and tightens the abdomen. Liposculpture reduces localized fat but does not remove skin; they are often combined.

What kind of scar does it leave?

A scar on the lower abdomen and, depending on the case, around the navel. Before you decide, Dr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda explain where it would be and how to care for it.

Am I a candidate if I want to have more children?

Talk it over with Dr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda. A pregnancy can change the abdomen again; that is why surgery is often recommended once you no longer plan to have more children.

Does it help with stretch marks?

Stretch marks on the skin that is removed go with it. Those in other areas remain, and there are non-surgical treatments for them.

What is the investment, and when can I return to my routine?

They depend on your case. We give you the full quote after your consultation, with no obligation; in general, the surgery takes 2 to 4 hours under general anesthesia. Patients usually return to office work in 2 to 4 weeks and to exercise from about 8 weeks. It may vary in your case; Dr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda will confirm it.

The consultation costs US$100, VAT included. If you decide to have a medical treatment or procedure, that amount is applied in full toward your treatment or procedure when you formalize it with your payment on the same day as the consultation or within the following seven calendar days. It can be the full payment or a first payment of more than US$100.

Who performs my surgery?

You are cared for by a team: Dr. Irene Thuel, Physician and Surgeon, Expert in Aesthetic Medicine and Surgery, and Dr. Juan Ramón Poveda Xatruch, MED5800. Both take part in the consultation, the plan, the operating room, and the follow-up visits, and Dr. Poveda performs the tummy tuck together with her.

To seek a firmer abdomen and feel at ease in your body

At the consultation, Dr. Thuel and Dr. Poveda examine your abdomen and show you where the scar would be. They tell you frankly whether surgery makes sense for you. It is the first step, and it does not commit you to having surgery.