An abdominal liposuction is a surgical procedure aimed at removing fatty cell build ups in the abdominal region. It is used to re-shape the body by permanently removing fat deposits from the abdomen. Although our weight can be controlled through exercise and diet, in some cases this is simply not possible as certain areas of the body can contain extremely stubborn fat which can only be removed through liposuction. Abdominal liposuction is one of the most popular forms of cosmetic surgery available today, among both men and women.

Before performing abdominal liposuction, surgeons must consider a number of factors. This includes the amount and location of abdominal fat to be removed, the patient’s history of weight gain and weight loss, history of pregnancy and the age and sex of the patient. These factors can greatly affect the outcome of the operation and in some extreme cases could lead to patients being disqualified for abdominal fat removal, as removing too much fat can be extremely detrimental to one’s health.

The abdomen is the area most commonly treated with liposuction for both men and women. In women, abdominal liposuction, or lipoplasty, can be an attractive choice after pregnancy or a C-section as the procedure helps to flatten the stomach area. Interestingly, female patients have softer and less fibrous fat than men, and therefore liposuction on a woman is easier to perform.

Abdominal fat occurs in two different levels: superficial and deep. Superficial abdominal fat is located just below the skin and above the abdominal muscles. The deep abdominal fat is located inside the abdominal cavity on the intestines.

Nowadays, newer techniques, such as tumescent liposuction and ultrasonic assisted liposuction, are less invasive and therefore minimise bruising and swelling as well as significantly improving recovery times in contrast to older techniques.

Abdominal liposuctions can be performed in conjunction with a tummy tuck, depending on the age and skin elasticity of the patient in hand.

The procedure begins with the surgeon making a small incision in the belly button or bikini area once the anaesthesia has taken effect. It is up for the surgeon and the patient to decide whether a local or general anaesthetic would be beneficial. A small, hollow tube, called a cannula is then introduced into the layer of fat beneath the skin, which then emulsifies the fat deposits and then vacuums them out. Once the fatty cells have been removed, the surgeon then sculpts the area around the abdomen, known as body contouring, in order to maximize results. Typically the procedure should last between one and two hours.

Depending on the technique employed by the surgeon and the amount of fat removed, you should be left with a recovery time of anywhere between two and four weeks, with patients often returning to work within ten and twenty days. However, strenuous exercise of heavy lifting should be avoided for at least 2 months.

By Clinic Compare