Female Abdomen Liposuction

The abdomen is a problem area for many women, particularly after childbirth. Unwanted accumulations of fat can make clothes difficult to fit. It may be impossible to buy clothes "off the rack".

Liposuction to the abdomen is often extremely helpful in these situations, and skin laxity is rarely a problem after the procedure. In fact, it is possible to remove quite large overhangs of skin without the need to resort to a "tummy tuck" (where the skin is cut and an ugly scar remains). Tummy liposuction performed under "tumescent anaesthetic" is called liposculpture.  The tummy can be sculptured much better because you are awake during the procedure and can be moved around to achieve 3D body contouring. I commonly include the hips when I perform tummy liposuction.

Usually the upper and lower sections of the abdomen are treated at the same time. This helps get rid of the midriff area just below the rib cage which bulges when sitting. Any size of abdomen can be treated with liposuction, small abdomens can be flattened for a "washboard stomach" and pot bellies removed. This case is a woman in her thirties after two pregnancies.

Often liposculpture of the abdomen can be combined with treatment of the hips and waist and the size of the whole torso is reduced, creating a narrow waist, getting rid of that square, matronly look and giving the whole central section a real rejuvenation.

Even if the skin and tissue appears loose with extra skin in folds over the abdomen, liposculpture can vastly reduce the excess skin with no cuts and thus minimum disruption to a busy schedule. In these examples, there has been a vast reduction in the bulk of the "spare tyre" of the abdomen. 

Whether a lot or a little needs to be removed, a dramatic aesthetic improvement can be achieved. In this example of a 64 year old woman the after shot was taken the next day. You can see that the skin has followed the new shape without any looseness.

In the following before and after photos of tummy liposuction this young mother struggled with "baby fat".  She had tried diet and exercise with little improvement so was relieved that liposuction was able to easily take her tummy away. 

Common questions about abdominal liposuction.

• Who is a candidiate for liposuction to the abdomen?
  Anyone with excess abdominal fat can benefit from this procedure. The amount of fat that can be removed depends on the volume present to start with, but a general approximation would be about 70% of the volume present. So regardless of your size the end result will be much smaller.
• Is anyone not a good candidate for abdominal liposuction?
  People with hernias over the areas to be treated will need to have these repaired before the procedure. Some people (mostly men) have a large proportion of the abdominal fat within the abdomen itself ( behind the muscles) and not in front. They are less suitable for liposuction, but still may benefit to some extent.
• Is it permanent?
  Yes, the reduction in the abdomen is permanent, provided that your weight remains stable with no more than a weight gain of a few kilos after the procedure.
• Are there any scars or changes to sensation?
  The small access holes are 1-2mm wide. There are usually 4-5 for treatment of the abdomen, but they can be hidden at the lower margin of the abdomen and in the tummy button. They are not sutured after the procedure and essentially are invisible after a couple of weeks.
• What support garments are required?
  A special lycra compressive garment is used for 3-6 days or so after the procedure.
  How long does the procedure take?
  Most abdominal liposuction procedures take from between 2 to 3 hours to complete but you will need to be at Palm Clinic for around 5 hours on the day of liposuction.
• How much time will I need off?
  In general you should plan on taking 1-2 days off work or slightly longer if your work is active. It would be about 2-3 weeks before normal gym activities or jogging should be restarted.
• And the cost?
  The cost of this procedure varies according to the areas that require treatment and whether the area is treated alone or in conjunction with other areas. (This is most common.) For an accurate costing via email, please click the Make an Appointment button or make an appointment by phoning Palm Clinic on (09) 522 8128.