A fleur de lis tummy tuck (fleur de lis surgery) is an advanced body contouring procedure designed to address significant excess skin in the abdominal area.
Unlike a traditional tummy tuck or extended tummy tuck, this technique removes skin laxity both horizontally and vertically, allowing for more comprehensive removal of excess skin and reshaping of the abdomen. It is typically recommended for patients with extensive skin laxity, often following significant weight loss or bariatric surgery.
By removing skin in two directions, the fleur de lis technique enables surgeons to improve contour across the upper and lower abdomen, creating a more balanced and defined shape. This approach is typically chosen when excess skin is present both vertically and horizontally and cannot be fully addressed using standard abdominoplasty techniques.
Why This Procedure Matters
A fleur de lis tummy tuck removes significant excess skin across the abdomen, which can have both functional and aesthetic benefits:
Completing a Major Weight-Loss Transformation
After significant weight loss, patients can be left with severe skin laxity across the abdomen, which can cause a range of aesthetic and physical concerns. A fleur de lis tummy tuck removes this skin laxity and can be a final step in addressing the structural impact of excess skin following weight loss.
Addressing Significant Abdominal Skin Laxity
In some cases, following weight loss, patients can be left with both horizontal and vertical skin laxity. Although a standard abdominoplasty primarily addresses horizontal laxity, a fleur de lis tummy tuck is designed to address both horizontal and vertical skin excess where required.
Restoring Proportion and Physical Comfort
A fleur de lis tummy tuck restores the bodyโs natural proportions with a flatter abdominal contour and a reduction in excess skin. This can help to reduce functional concerns, such as chafing caused by excess skin folds and improve the fit of clothing for the upper body.
In practice, this technique is recommended when the pattern of skin laxity cannot be fully corrected using a standard or extended tummy tuck alone.
How the Procedure Works
Vertical and Horizontal Skin Removal
During a fleur de lis tummy tuck, an incision is made across the bikini line and down the midline of the abdomen from the ribcage. The excess skin is then removed, and the remaining tissue is repositioned to improve contour before the incisions are closed with sutures.
This approach allows the surgeon to address excess skin in both vertical and horizontal directions, which cannot be fully corrected using standard abdominoplasty techniques alone.
Anaesthetic and Procedure Duration
A fleur de lis tummy tuck is completed under general anaesthetic, and typically takes around 3โ5 hours, depending on the complexity of the procedure.
Hospital Stay and Immediate Recovery
A fleur de lis tummy tuck is typically an overnight procedure, allowing your recovery to be monitored by our clinical team. In some cases, a longer stay may be recommended depending on the extent of surgery and your individual recovery needs.
Is This Procedure Right for You?
A fleur de lis tummy tuck is a specialised form of abdominoplasty and is typically recommended only when specific patterns of skin laxity are present.
Who Itโs Typically For
A fleur de lis tummy tuck is most suitable for patients who:
- Have lost a significant amount of weight, often resulting in both vertical and horizontal skin laxity across the abdomen
- Have significant vertical skin laxity across their abdomen
- Can maintain a stable weight before and after surgeryย
- Are in good overall physical and mental health
- Have realistic expectations about surgery
When Another Approach May Be More Suitable
Patients may be more suited to a standard tummy tuck or extended tummy tuck if vertical skin laxity is not present, or if the degree of excess skin is less extensive.
The most appropriate approach depends on how excess skin is distributed across the abdomen, which is assessed during your consultation.
Procedure Variants & Alternatives
There are several related procedures that may be considered depending on the distribution and severity of excess skin across the abdomen.
Fleur de Lis vs Traditional Tummy Tuck
A fleur de lis tummy tuck is typically recommended for patients with severe skin laxity and involves both a horizontal incision along the bikini line and a vertical incision down the midline of the abdomen.
A standard tummy tuck surgery (abdominoplasty), by comparison, uses a horizontal incision and is typically suitable for patients with more moderate skin laxity confined to the front of the abdomen.
Because the fleur de lis technique allows for greater skin removal, it can achieve more comprehensive contouring in appropriate patients, but this comes with the trade-off of a vertical scar and a more involved recovery.
Extended Tummy Tuck
An extended tummy tuck involves an incision along the bikini line that extends beyond the hips to address excess skin across the flanks. It is typically recommended when skin laxity is present horizontally across the abdomen and sides, but not vertically.
Lower Body Lift
A lower body lift requires a circumferential incision around the waist to remove excess skin across the abdomen, flanks, and lower back. It is usually recommended following significant weight loss that has left a lot of skin laxity around the entirety of the waistline.
Benefits of Fleur de Lis Surgery
A fleur de lis tummy tuck can provide several functional and aesthetic benefits:
- Improves abdominal contour through the removal of excess skin
- Reduces skin irritation and improves day-to-day comfort where excess skin causes friction or hygiene concerns
- Improves comfort in clothing by reducing bulk from excess skin
- Improves proportional balance across the abdomen following significant weight loss
Our APEX Recovery System for Faster Healing
Every procedure our surgeons perform comes with Creo Clinicโs APEX Recovery System โ a unique recovery protocol built and refined on years of specialised expertise.
This three-stage system combines pre-surgical optimisation, advanced anaesthetic techniques, and a post-operative strategy designed to eliminate the need for strong pain management.
These treatments are thoughtfully integrated into every step of your plan, ensuring your recovery is supported, refined, and medically guided. We donโt make any compromises when it comes to care โฆ and you shouldnโt either.
What to Expect: Before, During & After
Preparing for Surgery
In the lead-up to surgery, you will need to take several steps to prepare your body and home for recovery:
- Stop Smoking – Stop consuming nicotine products (including vaping, patches, etc) four weeks before surgery to reduce the risk of complications.
- BMI โ Maintain a stable weight, typically with a BMI under 30, to help reduce the risk of complications.
- Alcohol โ Reduce your alcohol consumption prior to your surgery, as this can delay your healing.
- Prepare your home for recovery โ Prepare your home for your return, and ensure you have support in place for looking after children and pets.
The Day of Surgery
Prior to the day of surgery, you will be given an arrival time to allow sufficient time to review any outstanding paperwork. You will then meet with our anaesthetist and be placed under general anaesthetic.
After surgery, you will wake up in a recovery room where you will be monitored by our clinical team. You can expect some swelling, bruising, and discomfort around the surgical area, and you will be provided with compression garments to help manage this. Pain relief will also be provided to support your comfort during recovery.
Most patients spend a night in the hospital to allow our team additional time to monitor your recovery and ensure your comfort immediately after surgery.
Initial Recovery
You can expect swelling, bruising, and a feeling of tightness across the abdomen and flanks in the early stages of recovery. You will be provided with compression garments to help manage swelling and support healing, which are typically worn for several weeks.
In the early stages, movement may feel restricted, particularly when standing fully upright, and you may be advised to limit certain activities to support wound healing. Your surgeon will provide guidance on posture, mobility, and activity levels during this period.
Most patients are able to return to daily activities and work within 2โ3 weeks, resume light exercise after around 3โ4 weeks, and should wait at least 6โ8 weeks before undertaking strenuous exercise to allow for proper healing and reduce the risk of complications.
When Final Results Become Visible
It can take up to 6-12 months for post-surgical swelling to fully subside, after which the final results of your fleur de lis tummy tuck will be visible. You can expect to see an improved abdominal contour, with excess skin removed and a more balanced overall shape.
This procedure results in both a horizontal and vertical scar, which will mature and soften over time as part of the normal healing process. Where appropriate, scar management treatments may be recommended as part of your aftercare plan.
Risks, Limitations & Considerations
As with any surgical procedure, a fleur de lis tummy tuck carries potential risks and limitations. Healing timelines, scar appearance, and final outcomes can vary between individuals.
Potential complications may include asymmetry, delayed wound healing, infection, fluid collection (seroma), and changes in skin sensation. These risks are discussed in detail during your consultation to ensure you have a clear understanding before proceeding with surgery.
This procedure also involves both a horizontal and vertical scar. While these scars typically soften and fade over time, they remain permanent and represent a necessary trade-off for the degree of skin removal achieved.
It is also important to understand that surgery is designed to improve contour rather than achieve perfection, and outcomes depend on factors such as skin quality, healing response, and adherence to post-operative guidance.
Cost of Fleur de Lis Surgery
The price of a fleur de lis tummy tuck in London typically starts from ยฃ14,900 at CREO Clinic. This reflects the increased surgical complexity and extended operating time compared to a standard tummy tuck.
What the Cost Typically Includes
As part of your surgical fee, you can expect:
- Unlimited consultations before surgery
- Use of CQC-registered surgical facilities
- Compression garments and consumables
- A structured aftercare package, including our APEX Recovery System
- Post-operative support and follow-up appointments
Financing Options
We also offer finance options through Chrysalis Finance, allowing you to spread the cost of your treatment, including interest-free plans for up to 12 months. Additionally, longer-term, interest-bearing finance options are also available.
Why Choose CREO Clinic
There are several things that CREO Clinic does differently to enhance your surgical experience:
Anatomical Surgical Specialisation
Firstly, we exclusively work with surgeons who are specialists in their chosen field. Dr Omar Tillo, our senior body contouring surgeon, exclusively performs procedures from the neck down and has extensive experience designing fleur de lis tummy tucks for his patients.
With his knowledge and expertise, you can trust that Dr Tillo has the specialist skills necessary to achieve exceptional results.
Surgeon-Led Treatment Planning
At CREO, we believe that decisions about your health and surgery should be consultation-led, rather than a sales-focused process. Unlike other clinics, we offer all of our patients unlimited consultations, and our clinicians will work with you to ensure that you have all the necessary information to make informed decisions about your care at all times.
Integrated Aftercare
At CREO, our aftercare package is designed to support patients throughout their recovery and help optimise surgical results. It includes essential recovery items such as compression garments, as well as advanced treatments like manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) massages and laser scar treatments to promote optimal healing.
As a result, patients benefit from a more supported recovery process and a carefully managed healing journey.
