In spite of our most fervent efforts to lose weight and slim down, persistent pockets of fat still find a way to cling to our bodies, in the most conspicuous places. One common problem area is your midsection, where stubborn fat accumulates due to genetic predisposition, pregnancy or a history of being overweight. Sometimes, resorting to abdominal surgery may be the only feasible method of getting rid of the unsightly folds around your waist. This could be one of a number of procedures, including liposuction and abdominoplasty.

Perhaps one of the most popular cosmetic surgery techniques available today, abdominal liposuction typically involves the use of a tube called a cannula to break down your fat deposits and then siphon them out of your body. The tube is inserted through a small incision made near your navel or close to your pubis. At the same time, an amount of fluid is injected into the target area, in the same amount as the volume of fat that is to be expelled. The solution consists of lidocaine, a local anesthetic, epinephrine, which contracts blood vessels and keeps bleeding to a minimum, and a saline solution to mimic body fluids. Patients are normally sedated for more extensive liposuction, but general anesthetics are not considered necessary for the removal of small fat deposits. The procedure itself lasts one to three hours, and the patient will usually be able to go home with some assistance.

The normal recovery period for abdominal liposuction varies from between two days to two weeks, after which the patient may resume work, but may still have to deal with the various aftereffects of the surgery. Bruising, pain and general tenderness are typical, and normally vanish within three to six weeks. Swelling takes longer, up to six months to subside. A patient will be required to wear a compression garment around the affected area for two to four weeks, which may further restrict mobility.

Overall results of the liposuction vary depending on several factors, such as the health and youth of the patient. Younger patients with greater skin elasticity will heal faster, and there will be less noticeable wrinkling or dimpling from the surgery. Older patients may require touch-up procedures to smooth out the effect.

It must be emphasized that abdominal liposuction is not a replacement for conventional slimming techniques, such as diet and exercise. Its primary purpose is to smooth out fat deposits that simply refuse to go away even after the person has attained physical fitness, which assumes that the muscle tone and skin elasticity of the person can accommodate the changes brought by surgery. Older patients whose muscles may have detached, or patients who have lost significant weight and have to contend with remaining folds of skin, may have to undergo a more extensive procedure, known as an abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck.

Abdominoplasty is much more invasive, and involves the actual detachment of skin around the abdomen to reveal the muscles underneath. The muscles are tightened using sutures, and any excess fat and skin are removed completely, like slicing away strips of cloth from an overlong garment. The gap is then closed, and since the belly button is often removed during this procedure, a new belly button is created through incision and sutured to the original navel stalk.

It takes about one to four weeks to recover from an abdominoplasty, during which time the patient is expected not to engage in any strenuous activity, and spend at least part of the recovery period at home. Full recovery only occurs three to six months after the surgery, when scarring eventually subsides.

Both procedures are relatively low-risk, with complications being rare, due to modern innovations in tools used, methods that are practiced, and overall improvement in the skill and experience of plastic surgeons everywhere with this popular surgery.