Abdominal dermolipectomy: the ideal solution to combat sagging skin on the abdomen

People who suffer from sagging of the abdominal tissues are candidates for a dermolipectomy, an operation that consists of removing that excess skin and correcting that muscle laxity. In particular, a man or woman who has lost weight very quickly… or who accumulates excess skin or fat on the abdomen and cannot correct it with diet or physical exercise. A woman who has had several pregnancies…

How do we perform the tummy tuck?

The procedure is always performed in an operating room, in a clinic or hospital, usually under general anesthesia (although sometimes, especially when we perform what we call a «mini tummy tuck», we can use local anesthesia complemented with sedation) and lasts about two and a half hours, although it is not unusual for it to take a little longer, given that it is often combined with other surgical procedures such as waist liposuction.

The theory is easy, the practice is not much more difficult. Those who visit us at the clinic usually ask about the specific post-operative conditions. Well, the usual thing is that, after the operation, the patient must wear a special girdle for some time, sometimes reinforced with a bandage.

What complications can we have with the tummy tuck?

As for possible complications, although it is impossible to rule them out (doing so would be irresponsible, in this and any other surgical procedure), we can state with complete confidence that they are extraordinarily rare, although the following can occur:

• Loss of vitality of the skin located above the pubis
• Appearance of seromas and/or hematomas requiring drainage.

Speaking of the questions we are asked… We are also used to being asked whether dermolipectomy and liposuction are the same thing, or whether both can be combined.

1. To the first, we respond by stressing that the problems solved by a dermolipectomy are not remedied by liposuction, because they are different procedures: in the first, the skin is cut and in the second, the fat is suctioned.
2. To the second, we answer by pointing out that in most cases it is advisable to combine abdominal dermolipectomy with waist liposuction, because by combining both we will achieve an optimal result.