How Abdominal Liposuction Surgery Works and Ways to Boost Its Results

The COVID era is coming to an end. Everything has a beginning and an end, and COVID is no exception. The close of the pandemic era also marks the return to social life. Apart from the small number of people who kept exercising consistently and looking after their bodies even during the pandemic, most people whose activity levels dropped have inevitably developed abdominal obesity. Now we have reached a point where we must either defeat abdominal fat or learn to live wisely with it.

Of course, everyone knows that diet and exercise are the answer. But it is also common knowledge that overexertion can strain the knees and lower-back joints of people with abdominal obesity. Many well-known 'successful' diet programs cost tens of millions of won, which makes them hard to even consider. And if the fat lost through such programs comes back through rebound weight gain, the money and effort are wasted.

That is why many people turn to traditional liposuction. But while liposuction can remove the fat, the biggest concern is what to do with the remaining skin. Especially for people in middle age, joint problems make it difficult to lose fat in the first place, and even when fat is lost through exercise or diet, sagging skin that has already stretched has no real solution, which is a major worry. That is why abdominal plastic surgery combines liposuction with removing the excess skin at the same time.

The approach to abdominal plastic surgery depends first on where the fat is located. If most of the fat is visceral fat, surgery will not help much. If you pinch your belly and there is little soft tissue to grab, but your stomach still protrudes, visceral fat is likely. In this case, diet and exercise come first. Medication may also help.

If most abdominal fat is subcutaneous, abdominal plastic surgery can be helpful. The surgical method further depends on whether the fat is concentrated in the lower abdomen or spread across the entire abdomen. If there is a lot of fat across the whole belly and the skin sags, the sagging skin above the navel must be removed, which inevitably means moving the navel. A relocated navel differs from the original and does not look very natural. In other words, it leaves a visible surgical scar.

For this reason, a method is often used that keeps the navel in its original position whenever possible: liposuction above the navel, and liposuction plus skin removal below it. If skin elasticity is not too poor, liposuction alone can produce good results in the upper abdomen. Skin removal in the lower abdomen is performed so that the scar can be hidden within the underwear line. Compared with traditional abdominal plastic surgery, which requires moving the navel, this method offers faster recovery and fewer cases of skin necrosis.

Director Lee Seok-gi of Seorae Plastic Surgery advised, 'Abdominal plastic surgery can be considered a suitable procedure for middle-aged patients. However, you should also consider complications and the recovery time after surgery, and find the method that suits you aesthetically.'

Belly fat that has built up without management can feel like a lifelong unfinished task. Dieting can help, but if you find it hard to target only your abdomen, consider a consultation at Seorae Plastic Surgery, located in Seorae Village, to find out whether abdominal plastic surgery can address your concerns.

#AbdominalLiposuction

#SeoraePlasticSurgery

#AbdominalFatSurgery

Frequently Asked Questions

Is abdominal liposuction suitable for all cases of abdominal obesity?

No. Suitability depends on where the fat is located. If visceral fat makes up most of it, surgery offers little benefit and diet and exercise come first. If the main type is subcutaneous fat, abdominal plastic surgery may help.

Does the navel always have to be moved in abdominal plastic surgery?

No. Whenever possible, the navel is kept in its original position. Liposuction is performed above the navel, and liposuction with skin removal is performed below it. The article explains that a navel moved through traditional methods differs from the original and does not look very natural.

How long does recovery take after abdominal plastic surgery?

The article does not specify an exact recovery period. It does explain that, compared with traditional abdominal plastic surgery that moves the navel, the method that keeps the navel in place offers faster recovery and fewer cases of skin necrosis. The specialist also advised considering complications and post-surgery recovery time.

Why is liposuction performed together with skin removal?

Sagging skin left after fat removal is difficult to address through exercise or diet alone. For this reason, the article describes abdominal plastic surgery as removing excess skin at the same time as liposuction.

How can you tell whether abdominal fat is visceral fat?

If there is little soft tissue to pinch around the belly, yet the stomach looks protruding, visceral fat is suspected. In this case, the article states that diet and exercise come first, and medication may also help.

Where do scars from abdominal plastic surgery appear?

Skin removal in the lower abdomen is performed so that the scar can be hidden within the underwear line. By contrast, the traditional method of moving the navel may leave visible surgical marks, since the relocated navel differs from the original.