Abdominoplasty is not a treatment for overweight or obese individuals. Abdominoplasty treats primarily loose skin and, secondarily, the localized fat in the lower abdomen.
Ideal candidates are individuals of average body weight, with localized fat deposition in the lower abdomen, sagging skin, and loose abdominal muscles. Many women exhibit these characteristics during postpartum. It is also seen after weight loss in both sexes.
Specifically, the sagging of the abdomen after pregnancy is corrected with a standard or mini abdominoplasty, depending on the severity of the problem.
In mini abdominoplasty, a short incision removes local fat and a certain amount of skin from the lower abdomen. This procedure lasts approximately 1 to 2 hours, depending on the extent of the issue.
In a standard abdominoplasty, a somewhat larger horizontal incision is made low in the abdomen, above the pubic area. Still, it is not visible when wearing a bikini or underwear, as it is completely covered. During this procedure, excess skin is removed from the belly button and below it—while at the same time eliminating stretch marks or scars that have been present in that area. The remaining skin above the navel is stitched together with the skin at the pubic line. In addition, a standard abdominoplasty also includes tightening internal abdominal muscles and plastic surgery on the belly button to create an aesthetically pleasing result. For best results and depending on the individual case, abdominoplasty can be combined with liposuction to remove fat from the sides of the abdomen.
It is recommended that women interested in correcting the imperfection in their abdomen and breasts caused by pregnancy to have excluded the possibility of ever getting pregnant again. This is because the same problem could recur during a new pregnancy and require her to have plastic surgery again.
Standard pre-operative procedures include blood tests, a chest X-ray, an electrocardiogram, and a cardiac examination. The patient should inform the doctor about any medication that they are on. The doctor may suggest discontinuing certain medications (e.g., aspirin, anticoagulants, contraceptives) before surgery to reduce the risk of complications.