Combining Tummy Tuck and Hernia Repair Surgery

Many people who come for a tummy tuck have a small hernia at the belly button, often without realising it. Others know they have one and want to know whether it can be fixed at the same time, or whether it rules out a tummy tuck altogether. This guide explains how the two operations fit together, which hernias can be repaired during a tummy tuck, what the evidence says about safety, what happens if you have already had a hernia repair with mesh, and what recovery involves.

For a fuller explanation of the hernia itself, including causes and symptoms, see our guide to umbilical hernia repair. If your main concern is separated stomach muscles rather than a hernia, our guide to tummy tuck with muscle repair is the better starting point.

Can I Have a Tummy Tuck If I Have a Hernia?

Usually, yes. A hernia does not rule out a tummy tuck. What matters is the type, size and position of the hernia, whether it has been repaired before, and your general health. Your surgeon examines your abdomen at consultation and, where the hernia is large or the picture is unclear, may arrange an ultrasound or CT scan first. Scans are arranged off site rather than at our Baker Street clinic.

There are three broad situations:

• A small umbilical or midline hernia, the most common finding, which can usually be repaired at the start of the tummy tuck.
• A large, recurrent or complex hernia, or one with significant symptoms, which usually needs assessment by a general surgeon and sometimes a staged plan, with the hernia treated first and the tummy tuck later.
• A groin (inguinal or femoral) hernia, which lies outside the area a tummy tuck exposes and is treated separately.

What Is a Hernia?

A hernia happens when part of the contents of the abdomen, usually fat or a loop of bowel, pushes through a weak spot in the abdominal wall. The weak spot may be a natural opening, such as the belly button, or an old surgical scar. The main types relevant to a tummy tuck are:

• Umbilical hernia: at or just around the belly button, often after pregnancy.
• Epigastric hernia: in the midline between the belly button and the breastbone.
• Incisional hernia: through the scar of previous abdominal surgery, including a C-section or keyhole surgery.
• Ventral hernia: a general term for any hernia in the front of the abdominal wall, including the three above.

What are the warning signs of a hernia?

The usual signs are a soft lump that appears when you stand, cough or strain and goes down when you lie flat, and an ache or dragging feeling around it. The NHS ↗ advises going to A&E if a hernia causes sudden severe pain, you are being sick, you have trouble pooing or passing wind, or the lump becomes firm or tender or cannot be pushed back in. These can mean the hernia is trapped or its blood supply is cut off, which needs emergency surgery and is not something to wait for a planned tummy tuck to fix.

Is There a Connection Between Diastasis Recti and an Umbilical Hernia?

Yes. Both come from the same thing: a stretched, weakened abdominal wall, usually after pregnancy. Diastasis recti is a widening of the band between the six-pack muscles; an umbilical hernia is an actual hole at the belly button. They are a common pairing, and an umbilical hernia is a frequent finding in postpartum patients having a tummy tuck with muscle separation^[4]. In a large multicentre study, having an umbilical hernia was also one of the factors linked to back pain before a tummy tuck^[6].

This is why the two are often treated together: during a tummy tuck the surgeon can close the hernia and then tighten the separated muscles over it, strengthening the whole midline.

How Is a Hernia Repaired During a Tummy Tuck?

At Centre for Surgery, small umbilical and midline hernias found before or during a tummy tuck can be repaired at the same operation by your plastic surgeon. The operation is performed under TIVA (total intravenous anaesthesia), given by a consultant anaesthetist; our guide to anaesthesia for cosmetic surgery explains how it works. The main steps are:

1. The tummy tuck incision is made low across the bikini line, and the skin and fat are lifted off the abdominal wall, exposing the hernia.
2. The hernia is reduced: the fat or tissue pushing through is returned to the abdomen.
3. The defect is closed, usually with strong stitches. For larger defects a surgeon may reinforce the repair with mesh.
4. The muscles are tightened where they have separated, adding a second layer of support over the repair.
5. The skin is removed and the belly button reset, taking care to protect its blood supply, before the incision is closed.

Laparoscopic (keyhole) hernia repair is not offered at Centre for Surgery. Larger or complex hernias are best assessed by a general surgeon, and your surgeon will advise if a referral or a staged approach is safer.

Is It Safe to Combine a Tummy Tuck and Hernia Repair?

For small hernias in suitable patients, the evidence is reassuring. In a 2025 comparative study in Aesthetic Surgery Journal ↗^[1], 68 of 106 tummy tuck patients had a small umbilical or ventral hernia repaired with stitches (no mesh) at the same time. Over an average of 18 months, the hernia came back in one patient (1.4%), and there was no difference in wound complications, cosmetic complications, readmission or reoperation compared with tummy tuck alone.

A 2023 US national database study in JPRAS ↗^[2] matched 481 patients having body contouring with hernia repair against 481 having body contouring alone and found no significant difference in wound breakdown, blood clots or return to theatre, although the combined operations took longer and led to a slightly longer hospital stay.

The picture is different in higher-risk groups. An older 2014 analysis of 4,925 patients in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery ↗^[3], many after major weight loss, found complications in 18.3% of combined operations compared with 9.8% of body contouring alone, with smoking, high BMI, high blood pressure and steroid use increasing the risk. A small 2026 series of more complex ventral hernias, half repaired with mesh, reported seroma in 10% and no recurrences at about two years^[5].

The practical message is that combining the operations works well for small hernias in healthy, non-smoking patients at a stable weight, while large or complex hernias need careful selection and planning.

Benefits of Repairing a Hernia During a Tummy Tuck

• One operation, one anaesthetic and one recovery instead of two.
• A better-looking belly button: a hernia stretches and distorts the navel, and repairing it while the belly button is reset during the tummy tuck gives a neater shape.
• A stronger midline: the hernia repair and muscle tightening support each other.
• No separate hernia scar, as the repair is done through the tummy tuck incision.
• Treating a symptomatic hernia that causes discomfort, a visible bulge or a dragging feeling.

Tummy Tuck After Hernia Repair With Mesh

If you have already had a hernia repaired, especially with mesh, a tummy tuck is often still possible, but planning matters. Your surgeon needs to know when the repair was done, whether mesh was used, where it sits in the abdominal wall, and whether there have been any problems since. Bring any operation notes or letters you have. Mesh placed on top of the muscle can affect how the skin is lifted, and a recent repair needs time to heal fully before further surgery on the area. The same applies if you have had keyhole surgery or a C-section; see tummy tuck after a C-section.

Can You Get a Hernia After a Tummy Tuck?

It is uncommon, but possible. A tummy tuck does not open the muscle wall itself, and muscle repair strengthens the midline. A hernia can still develop later, or come back after a repair, particularly with significant weight gain, a further pregnancy, chronic coughing or heavy straining. A new lump that appears when you strain should be checked by your surgeon or GP.

Tummy Tuck and Hernia Repair Recovery

Recovery broadly follows the normal tummy tuck timeline, as the hernia repair is a small addition to the operation:

• Weeks 1–2: walking little and often from the first day, slightly bent at the waist at first; most people stand fully upright within one to two weeks.
• Weeks 2–3: back to desk work for most people.
• Weeks 6–8: back to most normal activities and light exercise; compression garment usually worn for six weeks.
• Around 3 months: core exercise, heavy lifting and high-impact sport, built up gradually to protect both repairs.

Your surgeon will advise whether you can go home the same day or should stay overnight, depending on the size of the repair. Our full tummy tuck recovery guide covers each stage, and our article on torn internal stitches after a tummy tuck explains the warning signs to look out for.

Risks of a Combined Tummy Tuck and Hernia Repair

The risks are those of a tummy tuck, including seroma, bleeding, infection, wound healing problems, numbness and scarring, plus a small risk of the hernia coming back. Adding a hernia repair lengthens the operation a little. Belly button problems, such as poor healing, are a particular consideration when the hernia sits right under the navel. Walking early reduces the risk of a blood clot after surgery. Smoking increases complications, and we recommend stopping four weeks before and four weeks after surgery. Our guide to tummy tuck risks covers each in detail.

Tummy Tuck With Hernia Repair Before and After

See more results in our tummy tuck before and after photos.

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1. Messa CA, Davis HD, Habarth-Morales TE, et al. Abdominoplasty with umbilical hernia repair: a long-term comparative analysis of clinical outcomes. Aesthet Surg J. 2025;45(3):NP71-NP78. doi:10.1093/asj/sjae230 ↗
2. Akiska YM, Schwartz R, Ozavci IE, Ranganath B. Concurrent abdominal body contouring and hernia repair are safe choices: an analysis of the 2015-2020 ACS-NSQIP database. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2023;81:53-59. doi:10.1016/j.bjps.2023.01.009 ↗
3. Koolen PGL, Ibrahim AMS, Kim K, et al. Patient selection optimization following combined abdominal procedures: analysis of 4925 patients undergoing panniculectomy/abdominoplasty with or without concurrent hernia repair. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2014;134(4):539e-550e. doi:10.1097/PRS.0000000000000519 ↗
4. van Schalkwyk CP, Dusseldorp JR, Liang DG, et al. Concomitant abdominoplasty and laparoscopic umbilical hernia repair. Aesthet Surg J. 2018;38(12):NP196-NP204. doi:10.1093/asj/sjy100 ↗
5. Alaniz L, Prabhakar N, Evans GRD. Combining abdominal hernia repair with abdominoplasty: is it safe? Aesthet Surg J Open Forum. 2026;8:ojag069. doi:10.1093/asjof/ojag069 ↗
6. Taylor DA, Merten SL, Sandercoe GD, et al. Abdominoplasty improves low back pain and urinary incontinence. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2018;141(3):637-645. doi:10.1097/PRS.0000000000004100 ↗

Talk to a Surgeon About a Tummy Tuck and Hernia Repair

If you have a hernia and are considering a tummy tuck, you can book a consultation at our Baker Street clinic by calling 020 7993 4849 or using the form below. Your surgeon will examine your abdomen, explain whether the hernia can be repaired in the same operation, and arrange any scans needed first.