Abdominoplasty Revision in My 30s: A Positive Experience

I had a tummy tuck revision with Mr Bramhall, and the outcome has exceeded my expectations. I felt quite nervous beforehand; however, Mr Bramhall’s professional, empathetic, and warm demeanour made me feel comfortable right away.

Avril, his PA, along with the entire nursing team at Ross Hall, provided incredible support. They were always available and ensured that I felt comfortable throughout my journey. I had a few post-op worries, but the care I received, including Mr Bramhall’s check-up was exceptional.

I chose Mr Bramhall partly because of his role as an NHS consultant, which gave me extra reassurance. Furthermore, his previous work and expertise instilled confidence in the quality of care I would receive.

I cannot recommend Mr Bramhall highly enough to anyone considering this type of surgery—I only wish I had found him sooner! Thank you, Mr Bramhall, for helping me feel more confident and happier with my body than ever before.

Note: I initially had a tummy tuck with another surgeon and later sought Mr Bramhall for a revision. I’m so glad I did! :)

I’ve had a few messages asking for before and after pics, so I’m sharing them here for anyone interested. I’m 32, 5’3” and weigh 132 pounds. Hopefully, they help if you’re thinking about this surgery!

Wow, it's already been over a year since my revision abdominoplasty. I'm still so happy with the results, and the scar has faded really well.

Recovery-wise, it took around three to four weeks before I started to feel like myself again. I found this surgery tougher than the first one, maybe because I'm now in my early 30s, or just because I was basically cut in half this time!

Some practical bits that helped me:

• 6-inch toilet seat raiser: really helped make using the bathroom easier in those first weeks. Glamorous? No. Essential? Yes;

• High-waist disposable underwear (Fridamom postpartum ones): these were so comfortable in the first couple of weeks and didn’t rub against my incision;

• Wedge back support pillow: such a help for getting comfortable at night in the early weeks, with an extra pillow under the legs to stay in a semi-Fowler’s position

For scar care, I used:

• Dermatix Silicone Gel (get the larger 60g tube from Chemist 4 U (online), lasts ages and feels a bit like liquid gold for scars);

• La Roche Posay Cicaplast Gel B5 & Cicaplast Baume B5 Repairing Balm (from Boots).

Supplements I took included Vitamins A, C (great for collagen synthesis), E, and Zinc (enzymes co-factor, accelerates healing). I started taking these a couple of weeks after surgery, as they’re quite strict about what you can take beforehand. So, between those and all the meds they prescribe after, at one point I think I had more tablets lined up than actual meals.

The hospital also prescribed lactulose, which I was given twice a day while there. I didn’t take it once I got home and quickly realised why they gave it to me. Don’t make the same mistake!

Oh, and just a heads up, they’ll also give you a blood thinning injection before you leave the hospital. They don’t mention it until the last minute and basically stab you before you even get the chance to object. A truly unforgettable send off, still traumatised lol.

The first few weeks were tough, but so so worth it. Thought I'd share my one year post-op photos because when I research procedures, I don’t often see long-term updates, so thought this might be useful to someone :)