Mini abdominoplasty – tummy tuck, full abdominoplasty – tummy tuck, panniculectomy – excision of fat and skin only – and liposuction and liposculpture each have a specific set of indications, deformities addressed and possible improvements.
The main determinants influencing the optimal choice of procedure are skin elasticity, excess of fat and laxity of the musculofascial components of the abdominal wall.
Typical situations arising from a combination of these factors are clients in their forties after multiple pregnancies or young women without previous pregnancies with diet and exercise resistant, often familial fat deposits.
In the former situation the skin has lost elasticity, often evidenced by widespread presence of striae, excess fat and skin are present throughout the abdominal wall and the muscles of the abdominal wall have become lax after having been distended multiple times in the course of pregnancies. In this instance a full abdominoplasty with tightening of the muscles, removal of excess fat and skin in the lower abdomen often combined with liposculpture has the prospect of achieving most improvement of the problem areas.
In the second scenario the abdominal wall muscles are firm, the skin is elastic and will retract when fat is removed and the fat pockets are localized. Liposuction and liposculpture alone usually result in significant improvement.
The following presentation details the candidate selection for mini abdominoplasty, full abdomnioplasty and liposuction and liposculpture giving a series of before and after pictures to illustrate the degree of improvement possible with each procedure.