10/02/2006

According to plastic surgeons, abdominoplasty is not an option for everyone. Patients with loose, excess skin around the abdomen that does not respond to diet or exercise, are good candidates.

“I provide many patients with the body contour they are looking for when excess skin and fat prevent them from having the body they want,” says Martin O’Toole, MD, an aesthetic surgeon in Pasadena, Calif.

Physicians say that when excess skin and fat hang loose around the abdomen, it can drastically affect self-confidence and prevent patients from living their life or even wearing the clothes they would like to. While abdominoplasty may be able to correct excess skin and fat, it is not a weight loss device. It is used to lift, reshape, and remove skin and fat around the abdominal area after weight loss or pregnancy.

Physicians should warn patients who are considering abdominoplasty to consult with an experienced plastic surgeon if they are planning on losing a lot of weight or would like to get pregnant in the future. They should also advise patients that prior to abdominoplasty, they should:

• be close to their ideal weight;

• have excess skin and fat they would like removed;

• have realistic expectations;

• be in overall good health; and

• have some skin elasticity.

[www.24-7pressrelease.com, September 29, 2006]