Stomach Liposuction


What is Abdominal Liposuction?

The abdomen is the area most treated by liposuction. Sometimes, no matter how much you exercise and maintain a healthy diet, you just can’t budge the extra weight from your midsection. Liposuction removes the fat cells and gives you a more pleasing contoured shape. Stomach liposuction is not to be confused with a ‘tummy tuck’, which is the procedure to minimise the appearance of a saggy, overhanging stomach. Stomach liposuction only targets the fat in the abdomen, reducing the shape of the stomach.

What are the different procedures that can be used for Abdominal Liposuction?

There are different methods of liposuction which all give similar results. The most popular in use today is tumescent liposuction, which uses a solution to make the fat cells more turgid and therefore easier to identify and remove. It is typically performed under local anaesthetic, which is also thought of as much safer and reduces any side effects which may come from general anaesthesia. Small incisions are made in the skin through which a small tube called a cannula is inserted, disturbing the fat cells and facilitating their removal via suction.

Another popular method is liposelection. This uses ultrasonic waves to target the fat cells without affecting the surrounding tissue. The cellular structure is dissolved, and the fatty tissue is either suctioned out through small incisions or reabsorbed into the body to be expelled naturally.

Both procedures use local anaesthetic and can take a maximum of 3 hours, meaning that they can be treated as day cases and patients are rarely kept in overnight.

Is it for you?

A simple test to see if you have excess weight around your midriff is to bend over from your waist and see if you can grab a handful of your tummy. Some people have a genetic predisposition to store fat around their waist, and therefore liposuction may be the ideal solution. Abdominal fat can either be subcutaneous (under the skin) or intra-abdominal. If it is the latter, it means that the fat is within the abdomen and not just below the surface of the skin, and is therefore not able to be treated with liposuction.

Recovery

Most patients are able to go back to work within 3-5 days of the surgery, although they should take it easy and avoid strenuous exercise for a while. A support garment must be worn for at least the first week and then for several more weeks in the evenings. Painkillers may be necessary at first as the abdomen will be swollen and tender, and bruising will appear but fade with time. Antibiotics may also be prescribed to reduce the risk of infection. It can take up to 6 months to appreciate the full extent of the stomach liposuction, but the results will be permanent provided a healthy lifestyle is maintained.