Nowadays, with the trend of bodybuilding becoming more prominent, men are starting to feel exceedingly insecure about their looks. To them, an ideal body is characterized by a v body shape with large shoulders, developed pecs and arms, a defined back and a refined silhouette with six-pack abs and smaller buttocks. By following a healthy diet and exercising regularly, achieving the ideal body seems possible. Indeed, thanks to the presence of testosterone in male bodies, men are capable of developing muscles easily and rapidly (which is not the case for women). However, even with years of toil in the gym, it is still very difficult to achieve high-definition abdominal aesthetics. Abdominal etching or abdominal liposculpture, on the other hand, achieves six-pack abs rapidly and in few steps thanks to targeted liposuction.
Abdominal fat grafting derives from abdominal liposuction. It permits the suctioning of fat from the abdomen's superficial and deep layers to accentuate a patient's natural abdominal lines. Since it is impossible to suction intra-abdominal fat located in the peritoneal cavity, the surgeon rather targets strategic lines of superficial abdominal muscles extending from the thorax to the pubic area. S/he thereafter suctions fat-rich areas while carefully leaving small masses on top of it so that the six-pack effect be visible. Anatomically speaking, there are 8 abdominal muscles: 6 square abdominal muscles above the umbilicus and two long triangular abdominal muscles underneath it. It is indeed rare that muscles underneath the umbilicus be defined; however, by accentuating the shape of the middle line, it becomes possible to distinguish them.
A good candidate for abdominal etching has to have a small amount of abdominal fat which the body refuses to burn off, regardless of regular diet and exercise. The procedure is not destined for the overweight, patients having more than 2 cm of abdominal skin fold (measured by pinching the abdomen skin using the thumb and the forefinger), or those who regularly practise sports. Abdominal lipostructure can be destined to candidates who do not practise sports if combined with a liposuction of other fatty areas such as the abdomen, the hips, the lower back and the flanks. Ideal candidates, however, are those who already possess underlying high-definition abs, which can be further accentuated with grafting. Other ideal candidates are ex-patients of abdominal liposuction or abdominoplasty who wish to achieve a more chiseled abdominal effect. The procedure is also destined for women upon request and provided that they fulfill the requirements.
The surgeon is more likely to perform a procedure on individuals with well-prepared bodies. The patient should be physically and mentally prepared for the surgery prior to initiating the preparation period. The first step is getting a routine physical examination from your regular doctor. This is required to get medical clearance for the elective surgery. Check with your surgeon to see if they require any further medical work-up before the surgery. Secondly, stop smoking and/or taking any smoking-related products. Smoking is well known to have a significant negative effect on wound healing. Smoking decreases blood flow to the skin and can cause significant delays in the wound healing process. For a tight abdominal skin contour after surgery and to minimize complications, smoking cessation is mandatory for a minimum of 3 months before the surgery and 3 months after the surgery. Any products containing nicotine such as nicotine gum, nicotine patches, and cigar smoking must also be stopped.
Once all examinations have been underwent, the procedure day can be scheduled. Abdominal liposuction is performed under general anesthesia and can last from 1h30 to 3 hours depending on treated areas. The surgeon sculpts the abdomen starting from the under-chest area to the lower umbilicus by targeting the present lines of the abdominal wall. Like any other liposuction, post-operative incisions do not engender scars as fine cannulles of suctioning are used. The surgeon then proceeds by placing special bandages on liposuctioned areas to optimize results. The latter bandages can be only removed 10 days after the procedure. Following that, it is recommended to wear a contention garment for a month. Resuming work is only considered after 5 to 10 days and sports after 2 to 4 weeks.
After the surgical procedure, incisions must be cleaned usually once or twice a day. Otherwise, showering can be resumed 2 days after the surgical procedure. In the initial phase, you will experience mild to moderate pain, which is usually well-tolerated with oral pain medication. The swelling from the surgical procedure will subside in the first few weeks after surgery. The length of time relies upon the extent of the procedure and the individual. The swelling at once after surgery may, in fact, make look better than it did before the final results of the surgery. But relaxation warranted that it will disappear with time. Often, you could quicken the lowering of swelling by elevating the body part, which will increase circulation. This is mainly important in the first 2 days after surgery. A few mild massages over the swollen areas may also increase circulation and assist in disposing of the swelling. This will be verified by your medical doctor. Generally, a support garment is worn to help reduce swelling and hold the muscles in their new position during the early healing phase. If you experience any drastic increase in pain or swelling in the first 24 hours after surgery, call your doctor immediately and stop exercising the affected body part.
Final results are only visible after 3 to 6 months. During that period of time, a special diet will be prescribed by your doctor to strengthen abdominal muscles. It is important to follow an appropriate diet as well as exercise regularly when you undergo an abdominal lipostructure to ensure long-lasting results. It is more likely that ex-patients of abdominal lipostructure who are not used to practising sports become sport enthusiasts after their procedure.