Abdominoplasty
Abdominoplasty is the surgery that patients resort to in order to remove excess fat and skin, thus reducing sagging and, depending on where they are located, also stretch marks. It is a surgery performed on the abdominal walls with which both a functional and aesthetic benefit is obtained in the body. The body can be affected by significant weight gains and losses due to various causes such as pregnancy or diet… This causes the skin to stretch and the muscles of the abdominal wall to become separated (muscle diastasis).
This can lead to unwanted accumulations of fat in areas that are resistant to diet or exercise, excess and sagging skin on the abdomen, and muscle weakness.
Our goal with abdominoplasty is to flatten and strengthen the abdomen. It is a procedure that not only seeks to improve the aesthetic appearance of the abdomen, providing a flatter and more toned contour, increasing the patient’s confidence and self-esteem, but also improves the functional activity of the abdominal muscles, thus improving intestinal, spinal and urinary functionality.
What three aspects are treated in an abdominoplasty?
- Skin
It is usually flaccid, drooping, of poor quality and often with stretch marks.
- Fat
Fat deposits tend to be concentrated in stubborn areas such as the saddlebags, the abdomen (especially the lower abdomen) and the back. This is what we call “flotador” or “michelín”.
- Internal abdominal wall muscles
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Scar after 2 years of a abdominoplastia
"This is what a tummy tuck scar (submammary fold) looks like at 2 years.
Yes! There really is a scar this thin and it hides very well with underwear when postoperative indications are followed well and there are no complications."
Rectus abdominis diastases
This is a separation of the rectus abdominis muscles that occurs as a result of stretching injury after multiple pregnancies or significant weight gain and loss. These rectus muscles, which extend from the sternum to the pubis, are joined by a thick band of connective tissue called the linea alba. During pregnancy, hormonal changes and the growth of the uterus can cause a weakening of this band, resulting in separation of the rectus muscles.
Diastasis recti can cause a bulge in the abdomen, especially when performing certain movements such as getting out of bed or sitting. In addition to being more common during pregnancy, it can also occur in people who have experienced rapid weight loss or who have performed abdominal exercises incorrectly and excessively.
Symptoms of diastasis recti may include weakness in the abdominal area, lower back pain, posture problems, and a bloated or swollen stomach appearance.
Treatment may include specific exercises to strengthen the abdominal muscles and reduce the separation. In some cases, especially when the separation is significant and persistent, abdominal surgery may be recommended. abdominoplasty to correct diastasis and restore firmness and muscle tone in the abdomen.
Many of our patients come to our clinic saying that people ask them if they are pregnant. Treating this anatomical area is the “jewel in the crown” of abdominoplasty, as it allows us to solve the problem of the “bulging abdomen”.
- It is not only an aesthetic problem but also a functional one.
- It is related to back pain, poor stabilization of the body’s center of gravity, pelvic floor dysfunction, a feeling of intestinal heaviness and is even associated with the presence of abdominal hernias.
“After repairing the abdominal wall, most patients report that their back pain has improved or even disappeared. This is because the patient’s centre of gravity has been focused closer to the spine and so the spine is relieved of so much weight,” explains Dr. Marc illa.
Keeping in the right weight range has great health benefits: it reduces cardiovascular risk (acute heart attack, cardiac angina, stroke, etc.), improves circulation in the legs, reduces the risk of osteoarthritis, improves respiratory capacity, reduces the risk of cancer or type 2 diabetes, improves mood and social relations, etc.
And in plastic surgery, it has been scientifically proven that it greatly reduces the risk of postoperative complications.
For all these reasons, it is very interesting to lose weight and a specific treatment should be carried out for each person because each body can respond differently to different treatments, techniques or diets.
Remember to ALWAYS follow the advice of a medical professional and a specialized nutrition team that will provide you with the best options to treat overweight or obesity.
The INTEGRAL treatment of the silhouette
When we admire the beauty of a painting, a sculpture, music, or the human body itself, we do not look at each of its individual components, but rather we observe it in an integral way, as a whole.
When planning a surgical intervention it is important to take this aspect into account. But how do we apply it in a body contouring surgery?
Patients come to the consultation with the initial idea of wanting to improve the appearance of their abdomen but end up wanting to improve their overall body shape. Therefore, it is always advisable to perform a comprehensive treatment by anatomical areas, not by individual components.
Therefore, in many cases, it is necessary to associate treatments applied to the flanks and even the back, such as liposuction, to achieve the desired result.
We can state without complexes that we have the latest generation methods in terms of body surgery, this makes us different from the rest of body surgery surgeons and also makes us excellent in this type of surgery. The secret is to resort to a combination of techniques and technologies of last generation. This allows us to approach the intervention taking into account the silhouette of the patient as a whole and not isolated areas.
If you are looking for a clinic to undergo surgery to modify your body contour, you have found us. What makes us different is that we never carry out an intervention that is reduced to removing fat from a specific area, nothing more. The more areas are treated, the more natural the result.
“If liposuction is only performed below the navel, as the only area treated, it will be discordant with the rest of the belly. That is why we always treat complete anatomical areas.”
Dr. Marc Illa says.
Do you need information about abdominoplasty?
Frequently Asked Questions
The answer is: IT DEPENDS on each case
- When to decide “NOT to wait to be a mother”: This is the preferred option for patients who do not feel comfortable or identified with the shape and irregularities of their body at the present time. For many patients, for example at 20 years of age, it is not worth spending another 10-15 years (until the age at which they want to be mothers) with a body that they do not feel comfortable with. It is true that the body changes over the years, with sudden weight changes or pregnancies. For this reason, many patients decide not to wait and to intervene on their body at the moment when they do not feel comfortable with it.
- When to decide to “Waiting to be a mother”: This option is recommended for women who only want to undergo surgery once. In this case, it is best to wait until you have had all the children you want before undergoing body surgery. The price to pay will be spending several more years accepting the shape and irregularities present in the body that you are not completely comfortable with.
This type of surgery involves remodelling the fat and, usually, the skin of the body. For this reason, it is common to have alterations in sensitivity that usually last at least for the first 6 months, then they usually recover within 12-18 months.
Good candidates for body surgery may include people who:
- They have specific areas of localized fat that do not respond to diet and exercise.
- They have experienced significant weight loss and have excess sagging skin.
- They have areas of sagging or loose skin due to aging, pregnancy, or loss of skin elasticity.
- They have realistic expectations about the results of the procedure and are motivated to maintain a healthy lifestyle after surgery.
- They are close to their ideal weight and have a stable body mass index (BMI) within a healthy range.
- Do not smoke or are willing to quit smoking before and after surgery, as smoking can negatively affect the healing process.
Recovery can vary, but generally takes two to four weeks. During this time, it is important to follow your plastic surgeon's instructions, avoid strenuous activities, and wear compression garments as needed.
Yes, there will likely be scarring, but an experienced plastic surgeon will do his or her best to place the incisions so that they are as inconspicuous as possible. Over time, scars tend to fade, but genetics and skin care can also influence their final appearance.
As with any surgical procedure, there are potential risks, such as infection, bleeding, adverse reactions to anesthesia, and scarring problems. It is important to discuss these risks with your plastic surgeon prior to surgery.
As with any surgical procedure, there are potential risks, such as infection, bleeding, adverse reactions to anesthesia, and scarring problems. It is important to discuss these risks with your plastic surgeon prior to surgery.
While a tummy tuck can provide long-lasting results, aging, weight changes, and other factors can affect the appearance of the abdomen over time. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle with diet and exercise can help maintain long-term results.
Yes, abdominoplasty can correct diastasis recti abdominis muscles, which is a separation of these muscles that often occurs during pregnancy. The surgeon may suture these muscles during abdominoplasty to restore abdominal firmness and tone.
Because it is made up of 3 factors:
- Abdominal wall repair
- Liposuction to slim the torso
- Removal and tightening of excess skin
Repairing the abdominal wall is the most important factor both aesthetically and functionally. The abdomen can be affected after pregnancies or weight gain or loss in a short period of time. In this intervention, we repair.
- Diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles: the exact amount of separation is marked in the operating room and meticulously repaired with specific stitches. The patient's waist is narrowed and the bulge is reduced.
- Intra-abdominal hernias: in the navel area, in the groin... They are repaired by a surgical team specializing in this type of pathology using the body's own tissues or with a reconstructive mesh.
Postoperative
The first postoperative hours The patient is then taken to the hospital's recovery area, where all vital signs are closely monitored. When the patient has fully recovered from the anaesthetic, the pain and dizziness are under control and she is therefore in optimal condition, she is taken to her room with her family and friends. This is where recovery begins in preparation for returning home.
In your room on the ward, the nursing staff will diligently ensure that the patient is comfortable and with minimal discomfort, using the medication prescribed by our anesthesiology team when necessary. The nursing team will help the patient tolerate the intake of liquids and solids, and walking, thus ensuring a safe return home.
The next day we will come to the hospital to check that the patient is in good general condition and that there are no complications of any kind in the areas that were operated on. We will consider the possibility of removing the drains and bandages. If everything is in good condition, we will proceed to deliver the discharge report, which details all the postoperative instructions that the patient must follow and the prescriptions that she will need to give to the pharmacy in order to receive the medication that we recommend.
In the first week after surgery, pain and dizziness are rare, but there are specific times when they can occur and you have to be prepared.
We have to consider them our allies, since they remove the liquid that causes a lot of inflammation if it stays inside and can even increase the risk of complications. They are a nuisance, but there is nothing worse than that. In many of our interventions we leave them, at least until discharge from the hospital. We always leave them longer in abdominal and back surgery than in breast surgery.
It depends on whether we have to touch the abdominal muscles (which we do in 90% of cases). If so, the pain appears when we make movements when getting up or stretching in bed during the first 7-10 days.
During the first 3 months we will have swelling in the abdomen and surrounding areas. From then on we have fairly stable results. Although the result of cosmetic surgery should not be considered definitive until a year has passed from the day of the intervention.
To perform the surgery, we separate the skin from the deep layers of the abdomen and separate the nerves from the skin, which is why the central area of the abdomen is usually numb for the first few months. Sensitivity usually returns progressively between 6-18 months after the operation.
You can perform computer work 7-10 days after the procedure. Driving or doing a lot of exercise usually takes 3 weeks.
We recommend spending the first 5-7 days at home. After that, we allow going out for a coffee or visiting family or friends. Driving or long walks from 3 weeks onwards. Sports such as going to the gym or running from 4 weeks onwards. Intense sports such as climbing, swimming or triathlon from 6 weeks onwards.
Most stitches are subcutaneous or intradermal, that is, they are under the skin, they go inside. We do not normally leave external stitches (only those at the ends of the intradermal suture). If there is a need to leave an external stitch, we normally remove it after 7-15 days.
For 1 month
After liposuction or abdominoplasty, the superficial tissues (skin and fat) are separated from the deep tissues (muscle and fascia). Due to the movement during the postoperative period, these two layers of tissue rub against each other, making healing difficult or causing inadequate healing. To avoid this, we always recommend performing a liposuction.
- Rest for 7-10 days to reduce the amount of tissue friction.
- Orthopedic compression girdle adjusted to the size of each patient for 30-45 days.
The girdle compresses the tissues, preventing friction and movement, facilitating healing in the area of interest. It also reduces edema (inflammation) and postoperative pain, greatly improving patient comfort.
Initially, a few hours of recovery are always needed to remove the anesthesia from our body and reactivate all the functions that have been reduced by the anesthesia and the surgery itself. In combined or long interventions lasting more than 3 hours, such as abdominoplasty or liposuction, it is necessary.
