Fleur-de-Lis Abdominoplasty in Manchester
Extended tummy tuck with a vertical incision, for loose skin that gathers sideways as well as downwards after massive weight loss. Consultant plastic surgeons, CQC registered hospital in the city centre. From £11,500.
★★★★★ 5.0 from 275+ patient reviews
- Fleur-de-lis from £11,500 · standard abdominoplasty from £8,500
- Free consultation — £25 booking deposit, redeemable against your treatment
- Consultant plastic surgeons Mr Bilal Rafique and Mr Pouya Mafi
- Overnight stay included — we do not offer this as a day case
- Nutrition checked and corrected before surgery after bariatric weight loss
Prefer to talk? Call 0161 470 9280
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Fleur-de-Lis Abdominoplasty
Extended Tummy Tuck Surgery in Manchester
A standard tummy tuck tightens the abdomen in one direction only: up and down. For most people that is exactly right. After massive weight loss it often is not — because the skin has stretched sideways as well, and pulling it downwards leaves a flat front with an unchanged, boxy waist.
A fleur‑de‑lis abdominoplasty adds a vertical incision up the midline so the abdomen can be tightened in both directions. At Deansgate Hospital it is performed by consultant plastic surgeons Mr Bilal Rafique and Mr Pouya Mafi, from £11,500, in our CQC‑registered private hospital in central Manchester.
Extended Abdominoplasty
What is a fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty?
Treatment Overview
The fleur‑de‑lis is a variation on the standard abdominoplasty. It uses the same low horizontal incision from hip to hip, and adds a vertical incision running up the middle of the abdomen towards the breastbone. The two together form an inverted T — the shape the operation is named after.
That vertical limb is the entire point. It lets the surgeon take a wedge of skin out of the middle and pull the two sides towards each other, narrowing the waist. It takes around four hours, usually with an overnight stay, and the abdominal muscles are repaired at the same time where they have separated.
This operation is a trade, and it should be presented as one. You are exchanging a permanent vertical scar up the centre of your abdomen — visible in a bikini, visible to a partner — for a waist that a standard tummy tuck cannot give you. If your loose skin is mostly front‑to‑back rather than side‑to‑side, you should have the standard operation and keep the scar hidden below your underwear. A surgeon who offers you a fleur‑de‑lis without testing which of those you are has not examined you properly.
A Waist, Not Just a Flat Front
Fleur-de-Lis Abdominoplasty Manchester at Deansgate Hospital
Deansgate Hospital is a CQC‑registered private surgical hospital on Little Peter Street, M15, minutes from Deansgate‑Castlefield Metrolink and St Peter’s Square, with on‑site parking.
This is a four‑hour operation on patients who have often lost fifty kilograms or more, many after bariatric surgery. That combination — long anaesthetic, large wound, frequently depleted nutrition — is why it belongs in a hospital with an overnight bed, proper clot prevention, and a nursing team who can watch the wound rather than send you home to watch it yourself. We do not offer this as a day case.
You are cared for by the same consultant plastic surgeon throughout. Patients travel to us from across Greater Manchester — Salford, Trafford, Stockport, Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale and Wigan — and from Cheshire, Warrington, Liverpool, Preston and Leeds.
Do You Actually Need the Vertical Scar?
Standard, Fleur-de-Lis, Extended or Circumferential
There is a simple test, and it decides everything. Standing in front of a mirror, take the loose skin at your waist and gather it horizontally — pulling the two sides towards your midline. If nothing much gathers, a standard abdominoplasty will treat you and your scar stays below your underwear. If you can bring a wide handful together and the waist visibly narrows as you do, that is skin a horizontal‑only operation cannot remove, and the vertical limb is the only way to take it out.
1. Standard Abdominoplasty — from £8,500
One low horizontal incision, hidden by underwear. Removes the overhanging apron, repairs separated muscles and repositions the navel. The right operation for most patients, including many who have lost a great deal of weight. If the horizontal gather test is negative, this is what you should have.
2. Fleur-de-Lis Abdominoplasty — from £11,500
The horizontal incision plus a vertical midline limb. Tightens the abdomen in both directions and genuinely narrows the waist. Indicated where skin gathers widely from side to side, and particularly where there is already a vertical midline scar from previous open surgery — the new incision can be placed to excise that old scar rather than add a second one.
3. Lipoabdominoplasty — from £10,000
Abdominoplasty combined with liposuction of the waist and flanks. Where the problem at the sides is fat rather than surplus skin, this reshapes the waist without a vertical scar. It is worth ruling in or out before accepting a fleur‑de‑lis.
4. Lower Body Lift — quoted at consultation
Where loose skin continues round the hips onto the outer thighs and buttocks, the excision is carried the whole way around. A considerably larger operation, usually two nights, and the right answer only for genuinely circumferential laxity.
To find out which of these your abdomen actually needs, book a consultation in Manchester on 0161 470 9280 or enquire online.
Am I suitable for a fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty?
Ideal Candidate for Extended Abdominoplasty
This is the largest of the abdominal contouring operations and it is unforgiving of poor preparation. Your surgeon will look at:
- A stable weight for at least six months, ideally twelve, and twelve to eighteen months on from bariatric surgery.
- A BMI generally under 30, and no higher than 35 in any circumstance. Wound complications rise steeply above that, and the T‑junction is where they show up.
- Nutrition that has actually been checked. After a gastric bypass or sleeve, protein, iron, vitamin B12, folate, vitamin D and zinc are commonly low. We measure them and correct them before operating, because a four‑hour wound closure will not heal on depleted protein.
- Absolutely no smoking or vaping for at least six weeks before and after. Nicotine and the T‑junction are a bad combination — this is the one procedure where we will postpone rather than proceed.
- Horizontal laxity on examination, not just a wish for a smaller waist.
- No plans for pregnancy. The muscle repair will be undone.
- Acceptance of the vertical scar. If you are hesitant about it at consultation, you will be unhappy with it at six weeks.
Stable Weight
Results are best and most durable at a stable weight you can maintain. Your consultant will advise on timing if you are still losing weight.
Realistic Expectations
Brachioplasty trades a scar along the inner arm for a firm contour. Scars fade over 12–18 months and are positioned as discreetly as possible.
What Can a Fleur-de-Lis Address?
Shape in both directions
A fleur‑de‑lis removes the overhanging abdominal apron, takes out the skin that gathers sideways at the waist, repairs separated abdominal muscles, repositions the navel, and can excise an existing vertical scar from previous surgery in the process. It is the only abdominal operation that meaningfully narrows the waist by removing skin rather than fat.
Fleur-de-Lis Abdominoplasty Cost Manchester
From £11,500
Prices for abdominal contouring in Manchester start from:
- Standard abdominoplasty — from £8,500
- Lipoabdominoplasty — from £10,000
- Fleur‑de‑lis abdominoplasty — from £11,500
- Fleur‑de‑lis with 360° liposuction — quoted at consultation
- Lower body lift — quoted at consultation
The price includes your surgeon’s fee, the anaesthetist, theatre, your overnight stay, compression garments, drains and all follow‑up appointments. Where a second procedure is performed in the same anaesthetic it is charged at half price, which is why arm lifts and breast surgery are so often combined with this one. You will leave your consultation with a fixed written quote. Finance options are available.
Your Fleur-de-Lis Journey
Extended Abdominoplasty Step by Step
Start by booking a consultation with Mr Bilal Rafique or Mr Pouya Mafi at Deansgate Hospital in central Manchester.
The Horizontal Gather Test Standing, your surgeon gathers your abdominal skin sideways towards the midline. Whether the waist narrows when they do decides between a standard abdominoplasty and a fleur‑de‑lis. Nothing else decides it.
Old Scars and Muscle Check They will look for an existing vertical scar that could be excised in the process, and check for separation of the abdominal muscles.
Where the Scar Will Go Both limbs are drawn on you, and you are told plainly that the vertical one will be visible in swimwear for life.
Your Plan and Quote A written plan, a fixed price, and an honest answer about whether you need this operation or the smaller one.
Nutritional Workup After bariatric surgery we check protein, iron, vitamin B12, folate, vitamin D and zinc, and correct deficiencies before booking. This step is skipped elsewhere more often than it should be, and it is the difference between a wound that heals and one that does not.
Preparation Stop smoking and vaping at least six weeks beforehand — we will postpone rather than operate through it. You will be measured for compression garments, given clot‑prevention advice, and asked to arrange two weeks of help at home.
Admission You are admitted the morning of surgery and seen by your surgeon and anaesthetist. Both incisions are marked with you standing, because the midline shifts completely when you lie down.
The Operation General anaesthetic, around four hours. The horizontal incision removes the lower apron; the vertical wedge is then tailored so the two sides meet without excess tension at the T‑junction. Separated muscles are repaired, the navel is repositioned, drains are placed and compression is fitted before you wake.
Overnight Stay You stay at least one night. You are helped up the same evening — early walking is the main defence against blood clots after an operation of this length — and you will be nursed slightly bent at the hips for the first day or two to take tension off the closure.
Watching the T-Junction The point where the two scars meet is checked at every observation round. Catching a problem there on day one is a dressing change; catching it on day ten is a wound that takes months.
Going Home Usually after one or two nights, in your compression garment, with medication, written aftercare and a direct number for our nursing team. Drains come out when the drainage settles, typically within the first week.
Follow-Up Wound review within the first week and again at two weeks, then six weeks, three months and a year. Silicone tape or gel starts once both limbs of the scar are fully closed.
First Two Weeks Rest, short regular walks, no lifting, sleeping slightly bent. Expect tightness, swelling and numbness across the lower abdomen. Compression day and night.
Two to Six Weeks Desk‑based work at three weeks, manual work at six. Driving once you can perform an emergency stop without pulling on the wounds, usually three to four weeks.
Six Weeks Onwards Exercise resumes at six to eight weeks, core work later. Swelling settles over three to six months and both scars fade and flatten over twelve to eighteen months with silicone and sun protection.
Fleur-de-Lis Abdominoplasty
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a fleur-de-lis or a standard tummy tuck?
Gather your loose abdominal skin sideways towards your midline while standing. If the waist visibly narrows and you can bring a wide handful together, that skin can only be removed with a vertical incision and you need a fleur‑de‑lis. If little gathers, a standard abdominoplasty will treat you and your scar stays hidden below your underwear. Most people who have lost a lot of weight but not an enormous amount fall into the second group.
How visible is the vertical scar?
Visible. It runs up the centre of your abdomen from the horizontal scar towards the breastbone and it will be seen in a bikini and by a partner. It is red and firm for the first three months, then fades and flattens over twelve to eighteen months, and silicone, massage and sun protection all measurably improve it. Nobody can hide this scar and you should be suspicious of anyone who implies otherwise. The question is whether the waist is worth it to you.
What is the T-junction and why does it matter?
It is the point where the vertical scar meets the horizontal one. Three separate flaps of skin meet there, so it is simultaneously the highest‑tension point of the whole closure and the place where the blood supply arriving from each flap is at its most marginal. That is why it is the commonest site of delayed healing, wound separation and, occasionally, skin loss. It is managed by not over‑resecting, by closing in layers so the tension sits in the deep tissue rather than the skin, by insisting on nicotine abstinence, and by correcting nutrition first.
I already have a scar up my tummy from previous surgery.
Then you may be an unusually good candidate. The vertical limb of a fleur‑de‑lis can be planned to excise an existing midline scar rather than sit alongside it, so you finish with one scar rather than two — and often a better one, since the old scar is usually stretched. Bring details of the original operation to your consultation.
How long does it take and will I stay overnight?
Around four hours under general anaesthetic, and yes — at least one night, sometimes two. We do not offer this as a day case. The length of the operation and the size of the wound make overnight observation and proper clot prevention the safe choice.
How long will I need off work?
About three weeks for desk‑based work and six weeks for anything physical. Driving at three to four weeks. Plan for two weeks of real help at home — you will be walking slightly bent at first and unable to lift.
Does it repair separated abdominal muscles?
Yes. Muscle separation (rectus diastasis) is repaired with internal sutures at the same operation, and the vertical access actually makes the upper part of that repair easier than through a horizontal incision alone.
Can it be combined with other surgery?
Frequently, and the second procedure in the same anaesthetic is charged at half price. Arm lift and breast surgery are the usual partners after massive weight loss. But this is already a four‑hour operation, and total anaesthetic time is itself a risk factor for clots and wound problems, so your surgeon may well advise staging rather than combining. That advice is worth taking.
What are the risks?
Bleeding, infection, seroma, and above all delayed healing or separation at the T‑junction. Also numbness across the lower abdomen, which is normal and usually improves; asymmetry; widened scars; blood clots in the legs or lungs, which is why an overnight stay and early mobilisation matter; and, rarely, loss of skin at the T‑junction requiring further surgery. Smoking, a high BMI and uncorrected nutritional deficiency raise all of them substantially.
Will it get rid of my stretch marks?
Those on the skin that is removed go with it, and a fleur‑de‑lis removes more skin than any other abdominoplasty, so it takes more of them. Stretch marks on skin that stays will remain.
How much does a fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty cost in Manchester?
From £11,500 here, including surgeon, anaesthetist, theatre, your overnight stay, garments, drains and all follow‑up. A standard abdominoplasty is from £8,500 and a lipoabdominoplasty from £10,000 — which is another reason to be certain you need the vertical limb before paying for it. Finance options are available.
Who will be doing my surgery?
Your surgery is performed by Mr Bilal Rafique or Mr Pouya Mafi, consultant plastic surgeons on the GMC Specialist Register. The surgeon who assesses you operates on you and reviews you at every follow‑up.
Thinking about a fleur-de-lis?
Fleur-de-Lis Abdominoplasty Manchester
After very large weight loss, a standard tummy tuck can leave people quietly disappointed — flat at the front, but still shapeless through the waist, and unable to say why. The fleur‑de‑lis is the answer to that specific problem, and only that problem. It asks for a scar most operations avoid, and in return it does something no other abdominoplasty can.
Before committing, ask your surgeon to do the horizontal gather test in front of you and explain what they find. Ask to see fleur‑de‑lis scars at twelve months, not only flat abdomens. Ask what they do about the T‑junction and whether your nutrition will be checked first. To discuss fleur‑de‑lis abdominoplasty in Manchester, call 0161 470 9280 or book a consultation at Deansgate Hospital.