Abdominoplasty Principles and Key Points

Pregnancy and childbirth bring immense joy with the arrival of new life into a family, but they also bring new concerns for women, particularly with postpartum body changes. Despite continuous efforts in exercise and weight management to regain their pre-pregnancy figure, many women do not achieve satisfactory results. 

According to a study, 45% of mothers experienced an increase in BMI above the average post-childbirth, which affected their body shape and contributed to postpartum depression and decreased self-esteem. Common complaints among women dissatisfied with their postpartum bodies include excess fat and stretch marks on the sagging belly.

If these issues persist despite efforts, leading to lowered self-esteem and significant social and psychological stress, abdominoplasty can offer a solution.

Abdominoplasty can be divided into two main procedures: liposuction, which addresses overall subcutaneous fat in the abdomen, and abdominoplasty, which corrects sagging and stretched skin while reconstructing the fascia of the separated rectus abdominis muscles. If stubborn fat in certain areas remains despite exercise and weight loss, liposuction can help correct it. This procedure requires the surgeon's expertise to distinguish which areas to remove fat from and which to leave intact.

For issues that liposuction cannot resolve, such as significantly stretched skin and rectus diastasis, abdominoplasty is considered. The surgery method varies depending on the extent of the stretched skin. If there is general sagging from above the navel to below it, a full abdominoplasty can remove the sagging skin and create a new navel. If the sagging is limited to the lower abdomen, a mini abdominoplasty without navel correction can provide satisfactory results. A notable advantage of this surgery is that the scars can be hidden under the underwear line.

Most women with sagging skin also experience rectus diastasis, which occurs due to increased intra-abdominal pressure during pregnancy as the fetus grows, gradually stretching the fascia of the rectus abdominis muscles. This condition is common among mothers who have given birth to two or more children. Women with rectus diastasis often complain that their belly protrudes despite weight loss, especially after meals, even without overeating. Rectus diastasis can only be resolved through surgical correction.

Dr. Lee Kukhan of Lesarts Plastic Surgery advises, “Abdominoplasty, which corrects the overall abdominal area, requires high levels of expertise and proficiency. Both the skin and muscle fascia must be corrected, and delicate suturing techniques are necessary to minimize scarring.”

Medical Today, Reporter Kim Junsu (junsoo@mdtoday.co.kr)