Flat stomach
Abdominoplasty
Abdominoplasty or lipoabdominoplasty
The abdominoplasty is surgery to achieve a “flat stomach”.
The best candidates for this type of intervention are people with have an accumulation of fat on the abdomen together with flaccid skin that does not respond to diet or exercise. It is indicated for men as well as women, although it is particularly useful for women who, after one or various pregnancies, have stretched and striated skin and weakened stomach muscles.
Women who intend to become pregnant in the future must postpone this type of surgery as a new pregnancy could once again dilate the skin and the musculature.
It requires a blood test, electrocardiogram and thorax x-ray.
One or two days in hospital depending on each individual case.
The operation can be performed under general anaesthetic or epidural.
Abdominal lipectomy is a surgical intervention which consists in detaching and resecting the skin and the fat on the stomach through an incision in the suprapubic crease (above the pubis), which enables the scar to be perfectly camouflaged by underwear or swimwear. This operation also permits the repairing of the muscular wall for the purposes of achieving a flat stomach, and, in certain cases, a narrowing of the patient’s waist. The extent of the incision will depend on the flaccidity of the skin and the degree of the person’s obesity.
Currently, in the same surgical act, we tend to undertake a combination of liposuction and abdominoplasty (lipoabdominoplasty) which permits a better reshaping of the volume of fat without requiring large detachments of skin and, therefore, can be done more safely.
The duration is two or three hours depending on the individual case.
La paciente abandona la clínica con una faja de presión, que deberá llevar durante 1 mes después de la cirugía y con instrucciones médicas para el postoperatorio. Suele sentirse una especie de dolor tipo agujeta intensa durante 4-5 días y luego la mayoría de las pacientes comienzan a realizar sus actividades habituales excepto el deporte de salto y vibración como el aerobic y running.
Recomendamos el drenaje linfático manual desde la primera semana, para ir disminuyendo la inflamación y recuperar la elasticidad de la zona intervenida.
Frequently Asked Questions about Abdominoplasty
After the intervention, rest is recommended for one week and the use of a corset around the stomach for approximately one month. Returning to normal activities is from two weeks onwards and the patient can gradually begin to exercise after a month.
When removing the bandage, a post-operative oedema will appear which will gradually disappear. It is advisable for the patient to attend 2-3 manual lymphatic drainage treatments a week.
The stitches are removed after 14 days. In general, the definitive result will not be evident for 3-4 months. Sensitivity in the treated area will return gradually and will take 6 to 12 months to return fully. The residual scar after an abdominoplasty is in all cases camouflaged by underwear or swimwear.
As a general rule, after cosmetic surgery interventions it is advisable to abstain from getting sun on the scar for the first 6 months and avoid abdominal physical exercise or jumping for the first month.
In surgeries with extensive skin detachment, there are risks of skin necrosis and of seromas – accumulations of liquid between the skin and the abdominal wall – an anomalous scar, unattractive appearance of the navel and a change in the sensitivity of the skin which could persist permanently.
The tendency is to increasingly avoid these large detachments and more frequently use liposuction as a complement.
The type of the resulting scar will depend on many factors, but it is true to say that in those cases where the scar is very apparent it can be retouched with surgery or laser, or the patient may decide to get an artistic tattoo to cover it.
If you want to improve the look of your abdomen or if you have any request relating the techniques we apply, please do not hesitate to ask for an appointment or to contact us.
Remember we can serve you in Alicante or Denia.