Abdominoplasty, or abdominoplasty, is a reconstructive or aesthetic surgery of the abdomen. It helps to correct excess fat in the belly. What is the condition for an abdominoplasty? Is it painful? What risks?
“Thanks to the technical progress of recent years, abdominoplasty offers real aesthetic, functional and psychological benefits, and this, in particular, if the indications have been set by the plastic surgeon. The belly regains its harmony and is flattened. It is an operation of aesthetic and psychological reconstruction“says Dr. Catherine Bergeret-Galley, plastic surgeon. Abdominoplasty is a cosmetic surgery operation to remove excess fat to restore a flat stomach. What condition for an abdominoplasty? What are the risks ? And the post-operative results? Can we get pregnant afterwards? What is the price of the operation and can we get to reimburse ?
Definition: what is an abdominoplasty?
Abdominoplasty, also called abdominoplastyEast cosmetic surgery who serves to tone up a belly very damaged by excess fat. It also allows to restructure and strengthen the muscles in order to regain lost muscle function either after multiple pregnancies, A severe weight loss, A hormonal imbalance or excessive sedentary lifestyle. “This intervention can be performed on women or men who suffer from excess weight and fat. It is an operation that allows physical and psychological repair“says Dr. Catherine Bergeret-Galley.
What are the conditions for doing an abdominoplasty?
Abdominoplasty is indicated for aesthetic reasonsbut also functional. “All women who have significant excess skin below and above the navel are eligible for abdominoplasty. Some also suffer from inconveniences when the padding is too big, such as excessive perspiration and skin lesions related to the moisture in the folds..” Fat overload can be accompanied by sagging skin and/or abdominal apron (abdomen pendulum) partially or totally covering the pubic area. It can happen :
- after multiple pregnancies : women whose pelvis is narrow will tend to have a more damaged belly
- due to significant variations in weightespecially the formerly obese who have lost a lot of weight
- in connection with the natural skin aging
- following a umbilical hernia in the form of a prominence located at the level of the navel
- in case of diastasis of rectus abdominisspaced on the midline
But beware, Abdominoplasty is not intended to treat obesity.
The patient is seen in pre-operative and pre-operative consultations, to explain the different stages of the intervention and the post-operative consequences. A consultation with an anesthetist and sometimes a cardiologist makes it possible to check the state of health. An abdominoplasty takes place under General anaesthesia. The intervention lasts 1h to 2h. The duration of hospitalization varies between 1 and 2 days, depending on the importance of the act to be performed. The operation involves several steps:
► The patient is lying on the table, on her back. “We first practice a liposuction or liposuction to remove excess fat and lighten the abdominal flap to acquire additional elasticity of the skin and subcutaneous tissue“ develops the expert.
► “Then we proceed to a pubic incision and we takes off flush with the muscles of the abdominal wall in particular to treat the diastasis but on a limited area, i.e. the exaggerated gap between the rectus abdominis muscles“says Dr. Bergeret-Galley.
► “Finally, we remove the excess skin and cellulo-fatty tissue from the lower abdomen, located between the umbilicus and the pubic area.“continues our interlocutor. What is called the Dermolipectomy. We remodel the wall by putting possible points, drains if necessary and we close. We tighten completely to redraw the silhouette.
It is sometimes possible, if the patient’s morphology allows it, to perform a “umbilical transposition” where the navel (initially freed from the skin) is repositioned at the end of the procedure on the taut skin. The end result is better correction: more damaged skin is removed and the lifting effect (skin tightening) is better.
What are the risks of abdominoplasty?
All surgery involves risks: irregularity of the result, phlebitis, pulmonary embolism, infections, poor healing, malposition of the navel, hematomas, necroses (particularly in the case of smoking, poorly treated diabetes or overweight)… Preoperative check-ups and consultations with the anesthesiologist and the plastic surgeon make it possible to eliminate these risks as much as possible.
What are the post-operative consequences after an abdominoplasty?
Wearing a compression garment adapted to the morphology of the patient is prescribed. He should be worn about two to three weeks according to the patients. “We prescribe anticoagulants, drugs that thin the blood and we recommend wearing compression stockings or massaging pressotherapy boots“recalls the plastic surgeon. Initially, the scar is pale white then it begins to blush. Between 3 and 5 months, a phase of cicatricial hypertrophy is observed, then the scar calms down and flattens out. After an abdominoplasty, we often observe swelling of the skin above the scar corresponding to edema. This phenomenon is temporary and disappears after the healing of the lymphatic network in 6 to 8 weeks. Post-surgical monitoring is essential: “He is very important to come for consultation.”
The incision scar is in the lower belly area, most often pubic hair so that she is camouflaged by the jersey and the underwear. “It is above the pubis but it will be at a higher or lower level depending on the history (caesareans). Initially, the scar is pale white and then it turns red. Proper healing requires almost 2 years. Attention, it is not necessarily necessary to massage the scar, it will be on a case-by-case basis. In case of inconvenience, it is possible to treat it by laser” proposes Dr. Catherine Bergeret-Galley.
What pain after an abdominoplasty?
The first week is difficult because the belly pulls and women worry that the scar will crack. “The pain is similar but milder than that following a caesarean section. I reassure my patients by reminding them that we use 3 lines of sutures and it’s impossible for it to open. For 6-8 days I recommend getting up slowly” recommends the plastic surgeon.
Can you get pregnant after abdominoplasty?
Yes it is possible to get pregnant after an abdominoplasty even if it is advisable to perform the operation rather after pregnancy. “If the woman follows the surgeon’s recommendations and does not gain too much weight during pregnancyit will retain the benefits of the abdominoplasty performed before.”
Intra abdominal fat cannot be removed
What is the cost of an abdominoplasty and can we be reimbursed?
THE price of an abdominoplasty in France can vary depending on several factors such as the surgeon, the complexity of the intervention, the geographical location of the clinic, the hospitalization costs and the postoperative care included. In general, the cost of an abdominoplasty is between between 4,000 and 10,000 euros. However, it is important to note that these numbers are a general estimate. If the abdominoplasty is for purely aesthetic purposes, it cannot be reimbursed. Health Insurance only covers severe abdominoplasties : significant degradation of the abdominal wall such as the presence of an abdominal apron, presence of a severe diastasis (with hernia).
What are the contraindications to abdominoplasty?
► Women who don’t need it becausethey are thin.
► Women whosestate of health is failing.
► Women obese : “To have a pretty abdominoplasty with a stable result, Obesity needs to be controlled. On the other hand, if the patient has too much fat inside the abdomen, the result will not be satisfactory becauseintra-abdominal fat cannot be removed. To do this, the patient is first sent to a dietician or nutritionist. points out our expert.
Thanks to Dr. Catherine Bergeret-Galley, plastic surgeon, President of the French Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (SOFCEP) and General Secretary of the Syndicate of Plastic Surgeons.