A panniculectomy is a particular type of excess skin excision surgery performed around the midsection and lower abdominal areas of the body. The procedure is somewhat similar to a tummy tuck and is even called minimally invasive abdominoplasty in some cases. However, true tummy tucks involve muscular tightening, while this less invasive technique exclusively removes unwanted skin and fatty tissue and does not address muscular tone or tension.
Excess skin removal surgery is becoming far more common as more and more obese people work diligently to gain control of their weight and return to a healthier lifestyle. Unfortunately, sudden bursts of successful weight loss often leave stretched-out and hanging flaps of skin that might require surgical intervention to resolve.
This essay examines a type of effectual abdominal skin removal operation that is actually far less invasive than traditional abdominoplasty.
Panniculectomy Indications
Excess midsection skin removal is almost always executed in cases where the patient was once obese and has now lost significant weight.
Although most of the weight has melted off through a possible combination of diet, exercise and bariatric surgery, the damage to the skin of the midsection is extensive. In most patients, the surface tissue simply will not snap back into place, since the molecular bonds between cells have been utterly destroyed.
In essence, the affected skin has lost elasticity and now simply hangs, where fat once resided.
This minimally invasive skin excision technique is also sometimes used for post-birth reconstruction of the abdominal area, especially in women who have had multiple pregnancies, multiple births at one time, or simply those who gained substantial amounts of pregnancy weight.
This particular operation is well suited for mothers who maintain excellent muscular tone in the abdomen, but suffer from overly stretched-out skin.
Skin Excision Benefits
Abdominal skin excision surgery can make a huge difference in the look of a person’s body. Therefore, it can also enact positive changes in the emotional self of the individual, by increasing confidence and enhancing a healthy body image.
People who have gone to extremes losing weight are proud of their accomplishments, but are still only part of the way to achieving their goal of a beautiful body. Their poor skin might be damaged beyond repair and therefore must be removed in order for the body to find a truly aesthetic form.
Additionally, pockets of fatty tissue might remain in certain anatomical locations and can not be metabolized through diet and exercise alone. These location-specific fatty deposits can be removed using this procedure in many instances or can be treated successfully using liposuction in other scenarios.
This minimally invasive surgical technique allows patients to get closer to their ideal selves, by truly showing off the results of their weight loss efforts and simultaneously dealing with the considerable health issues associated with hanging skin and isolated fatty tissue pockets.
Panniculectomy Guidance
Skin excision surgery is fantastic for those who have lost a tremendous amount of weight or for mothers whose stomachs show the trauma of pregnancy and birth.
For patients with minor excess skin issues, there may be less invasive treatment choices that can still provide excellent results. In some instances, patients simply need to wait for the skin to better fit their new anatomy organically.
However, for serious and permanent skin concerns, surgical excision might be the best therapy option.
To learn more about the surgical technique itself, as well as the risks and recovery measures involved, consult with a qualified board certified plastic surgeon.
Important Tip: Always make sure that your weight is stabilized before even considering skin removal, since significant changes in body mass are not advised postoperatively, in order to maintain ideal aesthetic results.
