Abdominal wall lift (abdominoplasty)

We perform abdominal wall lifting procedures (abdominoplasty) in both women and men who want a flat, toned abdomen. There are various causes which may require an abdominal wall lift. In the context of significant weight loss, e.g. thanks to a health-conscious diet and regular physical exercise or as a consequence of bariatric surgery (e.g. gastric band, gastric bypass), substantial sagging of the abdominal skin may occur. Likewise, bothersome excess skin may be the result of pregnancy or genetic connective tissue weakness. This often results in a wrinkly and sagging skin cover, overlapping of skin and subcutaneous adipose tissue in the lower abdomen (apron of fat), which does not regress since the abdominal skin cannot contract any more.

Prerequisites for abdominal wall lifting

It is important to note that an abdominal wall lift is not designed for weight reduction. Prior to an abdominal wall lift, the patient should be as close to his/her target weight as possible and the weight should be stable before and after the procedure. Family planning should also be complete prior to an abdominal wall lift, i.e. no further pregnancies should be planned. Otherwise it is possible that the outcome of the abdominal wall lift will be impaired.

Course of surgery in abdominal wall lifting

For an abdominal wall lift, the skin below the navel is removed and replaced with the spread skin from above the navel. The navel is reattached to the abdominal skin in its former position. Both the form of the navel and the straight abdominal muscles can also be corrected in the process. The procedure to lift the abdominal wall takes approx. two to three hours.