Fleur-de-Lis Tummy Tuck (360) in Turkey
Fleur-de-lis tummy tuck in Turkey: vertical plus horizontal skin removal for the abdomen after massive weight loss, with 360-degree flank and back contouring; 3 hospital nights, 7 hotel nights. Scars, staging, recovery.
Anaesthesia
General anaesthesia
Operation time
3.5–5 hours
Hospital / hotel
3 nights / 7 nights
Stay in Turkey
10 nights (3 hospital + 7 hotel), drains out before you fly
Back to work
Desk work in 3 weeks; lifting and sport after 8 weeks
Package price
€2,760
What Fleur-de-Lis Tummy Tuck involves
After massive weight loss — typically 40 kg or more, often following bariatric surgery — the abdominal skin is loose in two directions: it hangs downward, and it is also too wide, folding at the sides and above the navel like a curtain. A standard tummy tuck removes the downward excess with a horizontal scar. The fleur-de-lis adds a vertical wedge of skin removal up the midline, so that the abdomen is tightened both vertically and horizontally. The resulting scar pattern resembles the heraldic lily that gives the operation its name.
It is a bigger operation than a standard tummy tuck and is chosen only when the horizontal excess is significant; the trade is a visible vertical scar for a far flatter, tighter abdomen than a horizontal-only tuck could achieve. Combined with liposuction or skin removal of the flanks and lower back — the "360" — it addresses the whole trunk, which is usually what a post-weight-loss patient needs.
What it is not: it is not a first-line tummy tuck for post-pregnancy laxity, where a horizontal-only operation avoids the vertical scar. And it is not the whole answer for a massive-weight-loss body: arms, thighs, breasts and buttocks are planned as further stages, spaced months apart for safety.
Scars: A low horizontal scar from hip to hip plus a vertical scar from the pubic area up the midline towards the ribs; a scar around the navel
Who it suits — and who it does not
Good candidates
- ✓Loose abdominal skin in both the vertical and horizontal directions after massive weight loss, with folds at the sides and above the navel
- ✓Weight stable for at least 6–12 months, ideally 12–18 months after bariatric surgery, with a BMI under about 32
- ✓Corrected nutrition — protein, iron and vitamin levels checked, because healing a long incision depends on them
- ✓Non-smokers, good general health, no uncontrolled diabetes
- ✓Willing to accept a vertical midline scar in exchange for a much better result
Usually advised against
- –Loose skin mainly in the vertical direction — a standard tummy tuck avoids the vertical scar
- –Weight still falling or unstable
- –Anaemia, low protein or vitamin deficiency after bariatric surgery until corrected
- –Smokers unwilling to stop; the junction of the vertical and horizontal scars has the poorest blood supply of any incision in body contouring
- –BMI above 35 or significant internal (visceral) fat — a firm, round abdomen will not flatten
Techniques and options
Fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty
A vertical ellipse of skin and fat is removed from the midline, from the pubic area to just below the ribs, in addition to the horizontal excess below the navel. The rectus muscles are repaired along the full length, the navel is brought out through a new opening, and the flaps are closed in layers to create an inverted-T with a long horizontal arm. The junction is closed with particular care.
360-degree contouring
Liposuction of the flanks and lower back — or, when the skin there hangs, a lower body lift with skin removal around the back — is added so the trunk is contoured all the way round. Which is appropriate is decided from your photos; skin removal at the back is planned as its own stage when needed.
Muscle repair
Muscle separation after massive weight loss is often wide; full-length plication with permanent sutures flattens the abdomen and restores core support. In some patients a hernia at the navel or midline is repaired at the same time.
Progressive tension sutures and drains
Internal quilting sutures close the space under the large flaps and reduce seroma; drains are still typically used for several days because of the size of the operation, and are removed at the clinic before you fly.
Staging with other procedures
Arms, breasts, thighs and buttocks are done in separate sessions several months apart. Combining too much in one operation raises clot and healing risks; the surgeon plans the safest order for you.
What happens on surgery day
- 1
Assessment before travel: photos standing, bending forward, from the sides and back; weight history and date of bariatric surgery; recent blood tests for haemoglobin, protein, iron, B12, vitamin D. Deficiencies are corrected before a date is set.
- 2
Admission the day before or morning of surgery. Blood tests, ECG, chest X-ray if indicated, anaesthetic review; compression stockings and an anti-clotting injection.
- 3
Markings standing up: the horizontal line placed to sit under underwear, the vertical ellipse drawn with the skin pulled inward to estimate how much can be removed safely, and the flank areas.
- 4
Under general anaesthesia, liposuction of the flanks and back, then the horizontal and vertical excisions, full-length muscle repair, hernia repair if present, navel repositioning, quilting sutures, drains and layered closure. The table is flexed to reduce tension.
- 5
Compression garment fitted in theatre. Three nights in hospital: walking with assistance from the first evening, pain relief through a drip then tablets, drain and wound care, anti-clotting injections.
- 6
Discharge to the hotel on day 3. Clinic visits for drain removal (days 5–8), wound checks and the fit-to-fly report.
Recovery timeline
Days 0–3 (hospital)
Tightness across and up the abdomen; pain controlled with intravenous then oral medication. Walk short distances, slightly bent, several times a day. Sleep with head and knees raised.
Days 4–10 (hotel)
Drains out, wound checks, garment day and night. Walking increases; standing straight becomes comfortable towards the end of the stay. Fit-to-fly report.
Weeks 2–4
Desk work from week 3. Swelling above the horizontal scar and along the vertical scar is normal. Numbness expected. No lifting.
Weeks 4–8
Garment continues; gentle walking and stretching. Scars red and slightly raised. Cleared for light exercise at week 6–8.
Months 3–6
Swelling resolves, contour clear, sensation returning. Scar care continues. Planning for the next stage if wanted.
Months 12–24
Scars mature and fade to pale lines. The vertical scar takes longest.
Results — and their limits
A flat, tight abdomen with a defined waist, in patients for whom no other operation could achieve this. Clothes fit, skin folds and the rashes beneath them are gone, and posture and mobility improve.
Scars are extensive and permanent: horizontal from hip to hip and vertical up the midline. They fade over 12–24 months and are hidden by clothing and one-piece swimwear; they are visible in a bikini. Patients who have lived with hanging skin almost always consider this a good trade.
The result is durable provided weight stays stable. A further pregnancy or significant weight change will stretch it.
Small revisions — dog ears at the scar ends, or a widened scar at the junction — are needed more often than after a standard tummy tuck and are done under local anaesthesia after a year if wanted.
When it is final: Swelling settles over 3–6 months; scars mature over 12–24 months
Risks and how they are managed
Every operation carries risk. These are the ones that matter for this procedure, and what is done to reduce, spot or treat each.
Wound-healing breakdown at the junction of the scars
The most important risk. Non-smoking, corrected nutrition, moderate tension, a flexed posture for the first week. Breakdown is managed with dressings and heals from the base, usually leaving a widened scar that can be revised.
Seroma
Quilting sutures, drains, compression garment, limited activity; drained with a needle if it forms.
Blood clots (DVT / pulmonary embolism)
Massive-weight-loss abdominoplasty carries meaningful clot risk. Compression stockings, anti-clotting injections during and after the stay as advised, early walking, no flight before the fit-to-fly check.
Skin loss along the flap edges
Related to smoking, tension and haematoma; conservative excision and careful closure.
Infection
Antibiotic cover, sterile dressings, daily inspection; more likely in diabetes, which must be controlled.
Numbness
Expected across the lower and central abdomen for months; most recovers.
Asymmetry, dog ears, navel irregularity
Careful markings and closure; minor revision after a year if needed.
Anaemia and slow healing from nutritional deficiency
Blood tests before travel; iron, protein and vitamins corrected first.
Package and cost
€2,760
One fixed price for the operation and a 10-night stay: 3 hospital nights and 7 hotel nights. No deposit surprises, no add-ons for anaesthesia or medication.
Included
- ✓Consultation with the operating plastic surgeon, staging plan for further body contouring
- ✓Pre-operative blood tests including nutritional markers, ECG and anaesthetic assessment
- ✓Fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty with full muscle repair, navel repositioning and liposuction of the flanks and lower back, under general anaesthesia in a hospital operating theatre
- ✓3 nights in hospital with nursing care, drains, medication and anti-clotting injections
- ✓7 nights in a 4- or 5-star hotel in Kuşadası
- ✓Private transfers between airport, hospital, clinic and hotel
- ✓Compression garment, dressings, drain removal, wound checks and fit-to-fly report
- ✓First silicone scar treatment and 12 months of remote photo follow-up
Not included
- –Flights and travel insurance that covers elective surgery abroad
- –Skin removal at the back (lower body lift) if needed, planned and quoted as its own stage
- –A second compression garment and scar treatment beyond the first supply
- –Later stages (arms, thighs, breasts) and any scar revision, quoted separately
How to compare this with a quote at home
Ask any clinic for the same list: surgeon and anaesthetist fees, hospital nights, tests, medication, garments or splints, follow-up visits. A cheaper headline price usually excludes several of these. Then add your flights and insurance to our price for a like-for-like comparison.
How to prepare
- 1.Send photos standing, bending forward, from the sides and back, your current weight, the date and type of any bariatric surgery, and recent blood tests.
- 2.Hold a stable weight for 6–12 months. Correct anaemia and low protein or vitamin levels first — this can take a few months and is worth it.
- 3.Stop smoking and all nicotine 4 weeks before and after; this operation has the least tolerance for smoking of any body contouring.
- 4.Stop aspirin, ibuprofen, fish oil, vitamin E and herbal supplements 14 days before; discuss the pill or HRT because of clot risk.
- 5.Bring the underwear style you want the horizontal scar hidden by, front-fastening tops, slip-on shoes and a small pillow for the seatbelt.
- 6.Arrange 10 nights in Turkey, 3 weeks off desk work, 8 weeks off heavy work, and help at home for the first 1–2 weeks.
Aftercare at home
- •Walk slightly bent for the first week, then straighten gradually. Sleep with head and knees raised for 2–3 weeks.
- •Compression garment day and night for 6–8 weeks.
- •Keep the incisions clean and dry as instructed; showers from day 4–5 once drains are out. No baths, pools or sea for 8 weeks.
- •No lifting over 5 kg for 8 weeks; walking daily from day 1; core exercise last, from month 3.
- •Silicone gel or tape on the scars from week 3 for 6–12 months; keep them out of the sun for 18 months.
- •Continue bariatric supplements and protein targets — healing a long incision needs them. Report calf pain, breathlessness, fever, spreading redness or a sudden swelling immediately.
- •Photos at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3, 6 and 12 months.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I need a vertical scar?
How visible are the scars?
How long after bariatric surgery should I wait?
What does "360" mean?
Can I have arms and thighs done at the same time?
How painful is recovery?
Will I lose weight?
What if the wound opens?
When can I fly home?
What is included in the price?
Often considered alongside
Free assessment
Send your details; a coordinator replies with a surgeon’s opinion and a written plan.