If you’ve been struggling to lose weight for a while it’s normal to become disheartened. Many people maintain a healthy diet and regular exercise routine but continue to battle stubborn fat in certain areas. We understand this can be frustrating as you can feel that you’re putting in a lot of hard work for very little change. If you are considering having cosmetic surgery to shift fat in the abdomen area, you may come across a treatment known as Abdominal Etching.
What is Abdominal Etching?
Abdominal etching, sometimes referred to as ‘six-pack liposuction’ or ‘six-pack surgery’, is a treatment that removes stomach fat using liposuction to create the appearance of a six-pack. This treatment is an extreme form of liposuction which promises to help patients achieve ‘washboard abs’ without endless hours in the gym.
During abdominal etching, the surgeon outlines abdominal markers to act as a guide throughout the treatment. Several small incisions are then made along the abdominal markers and in the belly button, then a small metal cannula is inserted into each incision to suck out excess fat. Once satisfied, the surgeon will then stitch the incisions and apply a protective dressing.
What is The Difference Between Liposuction and Abdominal Etching?
The main difference between abdominal etching and liposuction is that liposuction is more versatile; able to remove stubborn fat from a wide variety of areas on the body including the neck and chin, torso, stomach, arms, and legs. While abdominal etching is designed specifically to give the appearance of defined abdominal muscles.
Since abdominal etching is designed to give patients a six-pack appearance, multiple small incisions will be made during the treatment. In contrast, it is common for liposuction to only require a single small incision, though occasionally additional incisions are required.
Our Alternatives to Abdominal Etching
Here at Manchester Plastic Surgery, we don’t offer abdominal etching treatments since there are many associated risks including nerve and blood vessel damage, skin discolouration, skin rippling or irregular healing, swelling, and fluid accumulation.
However, to help you battle stubborn and resistant fat on your stomach (or elsewhere on the body), we do perform liposuction treatment (also known as suction-assisted lipectomy or fat suction treatment). Liposuction is an effective way to permanently remove unwanted fat deposits and is suitable for both men and women with minimal invasion and very little scarring.
Liposuction generally takes one to two hours depending upon the treatment area and the severity of your case. It involves a small incision being made in the treatment area, just large enough to allow the insertion of a cannula which is manipulated deep within the fat layers under the skin to break up excess fat and suction it out. Following the fat removal, your surgeon will carefully stitch the incision and apply a dressing to allow the incision to heal.
Let Us Help
If you’re battling stubborn fat around your abdomen and are considering liposuction, don’t hesitate to complete the form below to book a consultation with one of our expert surgeons. We’ll be happy to give you more information about the treatment and an honest assessment of the results you can expect to achieve.
