The abdomen is one of the parts or areas of the body where fat accumulates most easily. Pregnancies, which are usually followed by a process of distension of the abdominal musculature, weight variations and even hormonal disorders, contribute to the formation of an abdomen with deformities, that is to say, an unaesthetic abdomen.
The abdominal wall is mainly made up of three elements: the skin, the subcutaneous cellular tissue with underlying fat and the muscular layer. If any of these three elements is affected, it will imply a deformity in the abdomen, which depending on each specific case will receive a more or less complex treatment.
Before abdominoplasty: the preoperative period
Before starting the abdominoplasty is necessary, as in all surgical interventions, to carry out a medical examination to rule out any abnormality that may affect the operation and the health of the patient.
In the case of being a smoker, the patient should stop smoking at least a couple of weeks before the intervention and avoid it for at least two weeks after surgery, as smoking can adversely affect the healing process of the wound.
The abdominoplasty process
An abdominal lipectomy is an intervention that mainly consists of detaching and resecting both the skin and fat of the abdomen thanks to an incision in the suprapubic fold, a fact that allows the incision to be easily hidden.
With this operation, the muscular wall can be repaired, achieving a flat abdomen and, in some cases, the narrowing of the patient’s waist.
The duration of the intervention varies between two and three hours, depending on the complexity of each case. Once this surgery is completed, the patient will wear a drain one or two days, and the stitches will be removed after two weeks.
After abdominoplasty: a simple postoperative period
Once the operation is performed, it is recommended to rest for a week and wear a girdle around the treated area for at least a month. After two weeks, you can resume normal activities, and after a month you can resume the practice of physical exercise.
Little by little, the sensitivity of the operated area is recovered, and it will take between six and twelve months to be completely restored. The residual scar after abdominoplasty can be camouflaged with underwear.
During the first days it is recommended to avoid contact of the scar with water. At the same time, a reasonable dietary control should be maintained and weight gain should be avoided so as not to alter the results of the intervention.
As a general rule, after surgery it is recommended to avoid direct contact with the sun (sunbathing) and exercise for a few months. The patient will be able to travel as soon as he/she leaves the clinic, but should be aware that he/she will have to return to the clinic shortly afterwards for follow-up care.
This aftercare is crucial to achieve the expected result.