Contact & assessment

If the change is recent, or the abdomen is tender

Do not wait for a routine appointment. A swelling that appeared over hours, a hard or one-sided lump, a bulge that is tender and does not reduce when you lie down, or a swelling with vomiting or severe pain needs medical assessment, and in some cases emergency care, rather than a cosmetic consultation. Say what you are feeling when you call, so that the right clinic sees you.

Arranging an ordinary assessment

Where the abdomen has been stable for a long time, appointments are made through the hospital outpatient line or through the appointment service described on the appointments page. Say when booking that the question is about abdominal fat or the abdominal wall, and if you are travelling from outside Chongqing, say so, because the assessment and any imaging can sometimes be arranged across fewer visits.

What to bring

Bring your weight now and what it was a year ago, any recent blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol or liver results, a list of your current medicines and allergies, and the names of any conditions you are being treated for. If you have been following a diet or a training programme, bring what it consisted of, because whether it was the right kind of work changes what the next step should be.

What happens at the consultation

Expect a measurement exercise rather than a presentation. A fold of tissue is taken between finger and thumb at several points, the waist is measured against height, the midline is felt at rest and with the head lifted, and the wall is checked for a defect. You should leave knowing which layer is producing the shape you object to, whether anything about it is a medical rather than a cosmetic question, and what the next rung would be.

Questions without booking

Questions about the content of this site, including any correction you believe should be made to it, are welcome through the hospital administration line. Clinical questions about your own abdomen are best answered in person, and we will say so rather than guess.