All You Need To Know About Abdominoplasty Surgery | Dr Rizk

After pregnancy or excessive weight loss, it is common for loose skin and fat to remain around the abdomen. This loose skin may not respond to diet and exercise.

Abdominoplasty surgery can remove loose skin following significant weight gain or loss, pregnancy, or loss of skin elasticity due to ageing. This procedure removes excess skin folds and some fat.

This month we share everything you need to know about abdominoplasty surgery, from whether a Abdominoplasty procedure is right for you to how you can best prepare for your procedure:

What is abdominoplasty surgery?

Abdominoplasty surgery aims to remove excess fat and skin from the lower stomach, hips and waist area. This procedure can also restore the integrity of the rectus abdominis, or core abdominal muscle, as well as weakened or separated muscles which have stretched during pregnancy.

Please note that there is a significant difference between an abdominoplasty and a liposuction procedure. Although a Abdominoplasty and liposuction may both form part of a larger procedure, the purpose of liposuction is to remove fat, and does not target loose skin or repair abdominal muscles. It is even possible that your skin may not retract well after liposuction, creating more excess skin and compounding the original issue.

Is abdominoplasty surgery right for me?

An abdominoplasty procedure may be suitable for both men and women, including people who have lost a substantial amount of weight and wish to remove the remaining loose skin, older patients with weakness in their abdominal muscles, and women with loose abdominal skin or muscle separation after pregnancy.

An abdominoplasty procedure may also be right for you if you are at your ideal weight and leading a healthy lifestyle, do not smoke, and have excess skin and fat on the abdomen that has not changed with diet and exercise. In some patients with abdominal muscle separation, repairing the muscles may help with core strength, back pain or bladder control; Dr Rizk can discuss whether this applies to you.

What happens during a abdominoplasty procedure?

Dr Rizk provides a personalised abdominoplasty service for each of his patients. Depending on your unique circumstances, Dr Rizk may recommend a standard abdominoplasty procedure, a mini-abdominoplasty or a reverse abdominoplasty.

During a standard abdominoplasty, the navel is relocated, the abdominal muscles may be repaired (from the breastbone to the pubic bone) and the skin is redraped downwards. This method allows for removal of the maximum amount of excess skin and fat from the abdomen, with the scar usually positioned low on the stomach below the underwear line. Standard abdominoplasty surgery may suit patients with excess skin across the abdomen following major weight loss or multiple pregnancies.

A mini-abdominoplasty focuses on removing excess skin below the navel, and may suit patients with excess skin in the lower abdomen without the need to strengthen weak abdominal muscles. This procedure usually involves a smaller incision and less muscle tightening, resulting in a smaller scar located above the pubic area, a shorter recovery period, and no relocation of the navel during surgery.

In cases of significant weight loss and excess skin in the upper abdomen, a reverse abdominoplasty can be performed where an incision is made under the breastbone and the skin pulled upwards rather than downwards.

What should I do to prepare for my procedure?

Before your Abdominoplasty procedure, your surgeon will give you preoperative instructions to follow. It is vital that you follow these instructions carefully to ensure the best outcome from your procedure.

It is advised to wait to schedule your abdominoplasty surgery until you have achieved or are close to achieving your ideal weight, and are in good health overall. Female patients should wait until they are finished having children, to prevent further stretching of their abdominal muscles during future pregnancies.

Please also be aware that a Abdominoplasty is not the solution for major weight problems, and you should only commit to the surgery if you have realistic expectations of the results which can be achieved.

Dr Rizk advocates the National Law and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) guidelines, which state that any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Possible risks of abdominoplasty include bleeding, haematoma, seroma, infection, wound-healing problems, scarring, anaesthetic risks, blood clots (DVT/PE), changes in sensation, contour irregularities, asymmetry and the need for revision surgery. Results vary between individuals. He recommends seeking a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner before scheduling your abdominoplasty procedure.

How long does it take to recover from a abdominoplasty?

The recovery period from an abdominoplasty procedure varies for every patient. On average, your hospital stay will be 2 – 4 days in duration, with full recovery taking up to 6 months in total.

It is usual to experience some pain and discomfort after your Abdominoplasty procedure. Your abdomen will be tender during the healing process, and swelling may not reduce for some weeks or months.

Please follow the instructions of your surgeon carefully regarding post-operative care. You will be provided with antibiotics to help with the healing process, and booked in for a follow up appointment at our Double Bay clinic as required.

Dr Joseph Rizk is a plastic and reconstructive surgeon (FRACS) who performs face, breast and body surgery. Based in Sydney, Dr Rizk trained in Australia, including time at UT Southwestern (Dallas, USA) and training in the Netherlands.

If you are considering abdominoplasty surgery, book a consultation with Dr Rizk.

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