Fleur De Lis Abdominoplasty in Melbourne, Victoria by Dr Carmen

Dr Carmen Munteanu is a caring and experienced female specialist plastic surgeon who performs fleur de lis surgery for post weightloss patients with lots of excess skin.

Guide Excess Skin Reduction
Guide Excess Skin Reduction

Download Dr Carmen’s Guide to
Excess Skin Reduction

What is a Fleur De Lis Surgery?

Fleur de Lis Surgery or FDL is medically known as vertical abdominoplasty or corset lipectomy and is especially for patients who have lost a large amount of weight and now have loose stretched skin.

The FDL surgery is a more complex and extensive surgical procedure than a tummy tuck-abdominoplasty as it removes excess skin and helps to achieve a tighter appearance in the whole abdominal and mid belly area – especially above the belly button.

Fleur de Lis Surgery is used in cases where it is necessary to remove excess skin in both the vertical and horizontal directions, while standard abdominoplasty only removes excess skin in the horizontal direction.

For this reason, this procedure is called “Fleur de Lis” because it vividly describes the three leaf or three lobes shaped area that the specialist surgeon operates on – between the chest and hips.

This procedure is particularly suitable for patients when the amount of sagging skin creates a problem not only on the lower abdomen but also on the upper belly and sides area.

This Vertical abdominoplasty is used when patients want to achieve better and more pronounced contours of their abdomen and tighter and better skin.

Am I A Good Candidate For FDL Abdominoplasty Surgery?

Candidates for FDL or vertical abdominoplasty are people with loose tissue, especially after multiple pregnancies, significant massive weight loss due to gastric sleeve or gastric bypass, but also all those who suffer from sagging upper stomach skin due to age or other abdominal surgeries.

If you suffer from a lot of excess belly skin, consider vertical abdominoplasty as a solution that has much more visible and noticeable results than various non-invasive procedures and exercises that cannot achieve the desired look.

In order for Dr Carmen be able to state with certainty that you are the right candidate for Fleur de Lis Surgery, it is necessary to have a detailed consultation during which your general health will be checked to assess risks of possible complications and side effects.

Overall, you might make a good candidate for Fleur de Lis surgery if:

  • Excess skin is present on the lower abdomen, but on the upper area and sides as well
  • You are in good general health and do not suffer from serious illnesses or medical conditions
  • You have achieved a stable weight and have a suitable BMI
  • Do not use medications that could jeopardise the procedure and recovery
  • You have realistic expectations of surgery
  • You are a mentally stable person
  • You are not a smoker, or you are a smoker who is willing to quit smoking well before surgery
  • You understand all the possible potential risks and complications of vertical abdominoplasty

Benefits Of Fleur De Lis Surgery

Vertical abdominoplasty, or Fleur de Lis Surgery, can improve contours of your abdomen and body and achieves a tighter overall appearance.

Fleur de Lis surgery improves the waistline and tightens the skin in two directions, which makes the results dramatic.

Fleur De Lis Abdominoplasty Surgery Before And After Photos

These photographs represent results our FDL patients get. Results depend on individual patient circumstances and can vary significantly.

You can see the Vertical Scar down the patients midline. This will fade over time.

Visit the clinic to see the real patient photo gallery of Before and After Fleur de Lis surgery

The Fleur De Lis Surgical Procedure

Vertical abdominoplasty is a complex surgical procedure. It is important to understand that due to the very nature of the procedure that removes excess skin in the vertical and horizontal area of the abdomen, the Fleur de Lis procedure creates an additional, vertical scar that extends along the vertical line of the abdomen.

In addition to vertical abdominoplasty, Dr Carmen will create a vertical incision around the midline of the abdomen, along with a horizontal approach, typical of classic abdominoplasty.

Thanks to this technique, it is possible to remove significant amounts of tissue located along the central zone of the anterior abdominal wall.

With the skill and experience of our specialist plastic surgeon Dr Carmen, careful surgical incision can help the scar fade over time and gradually loses visibility.

After this operation is performed and excess skin is removed, Dr Carmen will close the incision site with sutures, and you will begin the healing and recovery process.

All surgery has risks – for detailed information about the risks and potential complications of fleur de lis abdominoplasty surgery please visit the risks of surgery page.

Recovery After FDL

Recovery mainly depends on the complexity and extent of the procedure itself. Like any other invasive surgery, vertical abdominoplasty is also very individual, and therefore recovery is different for each patient.

You can expect moderate pain that is relieved by using painkillers prescribed by Dr Carmen. Also, redness, bruising, and swelling are normal side effects after this procedure, but you can alleviate them by strictly following instructions and wearing a compression garment for the first few days.

If you require a more extensive procedure, it is possible that you will stay for some time under observation in the hospital to prevent unwanted complications, it varies for each person.

Under normal circumstances, you will be discharged to home care after a few days, so that you can begin the home healing process.

It will take longer to fully recover. Full recovery depends largely on the extensiveness of the procedure, and the ability of your body to speed up the healing process.

The most important thing is avoid smoking – which means no nicotine in any form. Smoking reduces vital blood supply to the wound areas that are healing.

It is critical to completely rest and recover in order to let the internal wound heal properly before the dissolvable internal sutures lose their effectiveness.

After 2-3 weeks, you will be able to perform easier tasks, and during that period you can expect to return to work or school.

Avoid sports activities and strenuous efforts for at least 6 weeks after surgery.

Your Fleur De Lis Patient Journey

Pre Op

During the first consultation, Dr Carmen will talk to you in detail about your wishes and expectations from FDL surgery. You will be informed about all potential risks and complications that may arise during the surgical procedure and recovery. Also, you will undergo detailed medical examinations to determine with certainty that you are a good candidate for vertical abdominoplasty.

Operation

The appropriate anesthesia will be applied, after which the specialist plastic surgeon will begin the process of removing excess tissue and skin. The incision site will be closed with sutures, and from that moment the recovery and healing process begins.

Post Op

Dr Carmen and her team will instruct you with a recovery plan. Following this recovery plan will provide you with a quick and painless recovery while ensuring optimal results.

How much is Fleur De Lis Surgery in Melbourne? – Cost and Prices

Every patient is different, therefore the prices vary. You will be given a price quote after your first consultation.

Your Fleur De Lis Surgery quote will include your surgeon’s fee, anaesthetist’s fee, perhaps a surgical assistant fee, and the hospital fees.

If you want to get more information about costs, payment methods, and options, you can visit our price guide.

Further Reading – Medical References

FAQs about FDL