Liposuction of the Abdomen
The abdomen is the area most frequently treated by liposuction and is often a patient's highest priority. Performed by a skilled liposuction surgeon on a good candidate, tumescent liposuction of the abdomen can produce a smooth, natural result with excellent skin retraction. The shrinking of the skin following tumescent liposuction, known as skin retraction, has practically eliminated the need for abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, since its invention by Dr. Jeffrey Klein in 1985.
It is important to realize that liposuction is not a cure nor an appropriate treatment for obesity. Although someone with abdominal obesity may think that liposuction could lead to a permanently flat belly, some patients have visceral fat, which is fat around the internal organs that cannot be treated by any cosmetic procedure. Therefore, not all patients are good candidates for abdominal liposuction. A consultation in person is the only way to determine whether abdominal liposuction would produce a significant difference in the size of a patient's abdomen. A consultation is also important for determining if a patient has an umbilical hernia, or an 'outy' belly button, which is a contraindication for abdominal liposuction.
An ideal candidate for liposuction has been at a normal, stable body weight for at least 2 years and is physically fit and healthy. Other people, including some who are obese, can be reasonable candidates for the procedure as long as they are not likely to increase their body weight further and as long as their expectations are in line with what liposuction can be reasonably expected to achieve.
