Clayton , NC Woman Achieves Flat Tummy with Abdominoplasty*

This 36-year-old mother of 2 children had a C section and developed loose skin and excess fat in her abdomen. She originally hoped that liposuction could help her but Dr. Lyle counseled her that she would still have loose skin and might in fact look worse. A plan to perform a full abdominoplasty with some liposuction to flanks was developed with a resulting nice flat tummy. When patients have stretch marks and loose skin, liposuction alone frequently results in even looser skin and worsening of the stretch marks. Ideal results with liposuction occur in patients with good skin tone which allows the skin to retract without excessive folds or irregularities. Liposuction can be added to abdominoplasty but must be done so in a somewhat more conservative fashion to avoid interrupting blood flow to the abdominal closure. Newer techniques and concepts have allowed Lipo-abdominoplasty to become much more popular.