Jo has three children, all born by caesarean section. Although the C-section scars healed well she was very aware that she had a visible overhang as a result of the scar.

Jo is not overweight and exercises regularly, but the overhang was clearly visible in her underwear. Jo didn’t mind this too much, but when wearing fitted dresses and trousers, she was very conscious and modified her dress to wear baggy tops and jumpers to try to hide the overhang.

Finally, when wearing a bikini there was no hiding the overhang, which was clearly visible over the top of her bikini bottoms.

Here’s what Jo had to say…

“I felt extremely self-conscious of the obvious overhang and it was having a significant impact on my ability to enjoy beach holidays and swimming with the children as I felt I had to constantly adjust my bikini to try to disguise it, which was impossible.

“I have completed my family and returned to my pre-pregnancy weight. My youngest child was three years old, so I knew that all the aftereffects of pregnancy, where your abdominal muscles become stretched and you lose your balanced core strength, were present. I had a personal trainer, who I had been working with weekly for at least two years, but no matter how many core exercises I did it was not possible to improve the overhang or the divarication in my rectus muscles (definitely no six-pack!).

“At my initial consultation with Anthony MacQuillan, I felt he was a good listener as I clearly established my desires and expectations. He gave a clear description of the surgery itself and a realistic explanation of what was achievable. I felt that his view of surgery was to enhance and work with your natural body form/shape which I liked.

“He was very considered, not only about the short-term effects of the surgery but also the long term. I requested additional liposuction as part of the tummy tuck but he explained that, in my case, this would lead to an unpleasant scar as there was insufficient fat tissue underneath.

“Whilst I underestimated how uncomfortable I would feel in the initial seven days after surgery, in actual fact, Anthony MacQuillan had given me a realistic explanation pre-operatively. I had just chosen to not believe him, so completely my own fault. Equally, having spent a lot of time reading blogs about recovery experiences, in comparison I recovered very quickly with only minimal pain relief after one week.

“I was back at work two and a half weeks after the surgery, however, would recommend a longer time off work.

“I am now four months post-surgery, my scar has healed well and my tummy always looks flat. I look way better in clothes and in a bikini. I still get a surprise when I look in the mirror and the overhang is not there. I have absolutely no regrets that I have had an abdominoplasty. I genuinely feel transformed and feel very grateful to Anthony MacQuillan.

“As an NHS Consultant Surgeon, I know just how important it is to choose the right surgeon, especially when you are considering cosmetic surgery. I carefully researched who I wished to perform the procedure, with a particular focus on patient experience, patient outcomes, (the before and after surgery) and the postoperative care and experience. I also spoke to lots of my anaesthetic colleagues and members of the theatre teams, who watch many plastic surgeons perform surgery and asked their opinions on who they thought I should choose. Anthony MacQuillan was recommended by them.

“I have been very impressed by his care and his surgical skill and have already recommended him to several colleagues and friends. If I felt I needed further plastic surgery, I would definitely approach Anthony MacQuillan again.”