Whether tightening, liposuction or the combination of both makes sense depends on how much skin is left over — and on whether the fat is under the skin at all.
Medically reviewed by Dr. med. Juliane C. Finke and Dr. med. Stephan Frantzen · Last reviewed:
Where the excess of skin is genuinely large, only a tummy tuck will do. Where skin and fat are both moderate, BodyTite can do both at once. Where the skin is still firm, liposuction on its own is enough.
A first indication only — the binding recommendation always follows examination in the consultation.
| Procedure | If … | What happens | What it takes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tummy tuck | … the abdominal wall hangs over after major weight loss. | skin and fat removed, abdominal muscles brought together | general anaesthetic, inpatient |
| BodyTite | … localised fat and mild to moderate skin laxity occur together. | radiofrequency-assisted fat reduction with tightening | 1–3 hours, day surgery |
| Liposuction | … fat on the abdomen and flanks is the problem and the skin is still firm. | targeted contouring without tightening | usually day surgery |
| Thigh, upper arm and buttock lift | … substantial skin is left over on the arms, legs or buttocks after weight loss. | surgical tightening, planned individually | to be discussed at the consultation |
The typical firm, forward-bulging male belly is frequently not made of subcutaneous fat at all. It is visceral fat, sitting between the organs behind the abdominal wall — and neither a cannula nor a tightening operation reaches it.
The test takes a moment and we do it at the first consultation: what you can take hold of between your fingers can be treated. What is firm and cannot be lifted away from the abdominal wall cannot.
Visceral fat responds to weight loss and exercise, and it matters for more than appearance — it is the metabolically relevant kind. Where that is the finding, we say so plainly rather than operating on the wrong thing.
Which procedure – or which combination – suits you is something we work out together. It always starts with the conversation, not the method.
Our consultation hours are open to you in three languages: German, English and Spanish. Especially with a procedure of this magnitude, it is important that every question really is asked and every answer understood.
Simply let us know when booking your appointment which language you would like to be advised in.
There is no flat price – the procedures differ too much in effort, technique, anaesthetic and duration. We tell you the binding price for your case at the end of the consultation, in writing and without hidden items.
Does health insurance pay? As a rule, no: purely aesthetic procedures are self-pay services. Statutory health insurers cover the costs only where there is a recognised medical indication; private insurers and benefit offices decide case by case. Whether there is any prospect of this in your case, we tell you openly.
Surgery is performed on an outpatient basis at our practice in Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg; inpatient procedures take place at the MEOCLINIC, Friedrichstraße 71, the private clinic in Quartier 206.
Board-certified plastic surgeon and
board-certified general surgeon
Board-certified plastic surgeon (plastic &
aesthetic surgery), Fellow of EBOPRAS
Board-certified plastic surgeon (plastic &
aesthetic surgery)
* employed physician
Dr. Juliane C. Finke and Dr. Stephan Frantzen are full members of the German Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (DGPRÄC) and the German Society of Senology (DGS). Dr. Finke is also a Fellow of EBOPRAS and passed the European board examination in 2010; Dr. Frantzen operates on a voluntary basis for INTERPLAST in South America. The jameda seals lead to the independent physician profiles with patient reviews of Dr. Finke and Dr. Frantzen.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Juliane C. Finke and Dr. Stephan Frantzen
Only if the fat sits under the skin. What you can take hold of between your fingers can be treated; what is firm and will not lift away from the abdominal wall is visceral fat, and no operation reaches that. We check it by feel at the first consultation and tell you plainly.
Your weight should be stable, ideally for six months or so. Substantial further loss after a tightening changes the result, and regaining can partly undo it.
The transverse scar of a classic abdominoplasty runs in the bikini line and is usually well hidden. After major weight loss an extended technique with an additional vertical scar is often necessary — an inverted T. That is more visible, and we discuss it openly before anything is planned.
Six weeks after a tummy tuck, and nothing heavier than ten kilograms in that time. After BodyTite or liposuction, a few days for light activity and four to six weeks before full training.
As a rule no. Where recurring inflammation in a skin fold after major weight loss is documented, a medical indication can exist and an application to a German statutory insurer is possible; the insurer decides.
Yes. A consultation slot reserved for male patients, where the subject can be raised without an audience.
Book an appointment in the men's clinic. We examine the finding, tell you which procedure fits — and say so if none of them does.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Juliane C. Finke, board-certified plastic surgeon (plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery), and Dr. Stephan Frantzen, board-certified plastic surgeon and board-certified general surgeon.
Last medically reviewed:
The content of this page is for general information and does not replace medical advice. A binding assessment is only possible after a personal examination.
