Abdominal liposuction
When we look at the abdomen, we also look at the shape of the torso from below the ribs to the waist and hips.
LINE ONAbdominal Liposuction
A flatter belly alone may not make your body look slimmer.
If any of these apply to you, please mention it first at your consultation.
LINE ONAbdominal Liposuction
Point 1. Torso shape
Rib cage size and pelvic width differ from person to person, so we can’t aim for the same belly for everyone. From the front, we look at the proportions of your waist and hips. From the side, we look at how far your belly and waist curve in. Then we set natural proportions within your natural frame.
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Point 2. Subcutaneous fat & layers
The abdomen has subcutaneous fat, just under the skin, and visceral fat, which sits around the organs beneath the abdominal muscles. Liposuction can only remove subcutaneous fat, so before surgery we first check which type is causing your belly to stick out. We remove subcutaneous fat layer by layer, at the most effective depths.
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Point 3. Recovery time
How much fat is removed from the abdomen differs from person to person, so the time it takes for bruising and swelling to fully go down differs too. If you’re worried in the meantime, we’ll check your progress with you.
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Areas we examine
Removing a lot of fat, even from the superficial layer, to show the abdominal muscles can leave the belly lumpy. So we first decide how much thickness to leave.
The abdomen and flanks are part of one continuous torso, so we often plan them together to avoid an awkward transition.
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How it works
We listen to the shape you’d like, examine you and decide the extent.
We do the tests needed before anesthesia.
While you stand, we mark where fat will be removed and where it will be left.
We’ll let you know the type of anesthesia after an examination.
We inject a fluid that reduces bleeding and pain, then remove the fat.
We stitch with the SCAR OFF method to leave less of a scar.
You wear a compression garment, have your stitches removed on the scheduled day and come in for follow-up visits.
Medical note
More about abdominal liposuction
From here, we explain how the surgery works, recovery and what to watch for in more detail. It’s written to the standards Dr. Oh uses when he sees patients.
The abdomen is an area where fat builds up easily.
Subcutaneous fat also has superficial and deep layers. The lower abdomen in particular is known to be an area where the deep layer thickens easily. This is one reason the lower belly can remain even after weight loss.
Pregnancy, childbirth or a large change in weight affects not only fat but also the skin and muscles. So for the abdomen, we need to look at the skin and muscles as well before we can plan.
How much fat is removed, and your overall condition, vary widely from person to person. Before deciding on surgery, we check the following.
Liposuction needs entry points for the tube that removes fat. So the marks at the entry points can’t be avoided entirely. Instead, we keep the entry points small and choose places hidden by clothing or skin creases.
For the abdomen, the entry points are usually inside the navel or below the underwear line, where they’re hidden by clothing and skin creases. If the flanks are treated too, an entry point may also be placed near the underwear line at the lower back.
Scars usually look red or dark for the first few months, then gradually fade. How much they fade depends on your skin type. At your examination, we mark your body as we explain where the entry points will go and how many there will be.
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The entry points where the cannula (a thin tube used to remove fat) goes in and out are protected with Protect, a device of our own design. We stitch the inner layer of the skin first, and stitch the surface with as little pull on the skin as possible.
When we don’t recommend it
Results and recovery vary from person to person. Whether a treatment suits you is decided after Dr. Oh examines you in person.
No. Liposuction removes subcutaneous fat, the fat under the skin. It doesn’t reach visceral fat, which sits beneath the abdominal muscles and around the organs. Visceral fat has to be managed through diet, exercise and lifestyle.
It can reduce thickness caused by fat. But liposuction doesn’t change loose skin or separated abdominal muscles. So we first examine your skin and muscles, then tell you whether liposuction is the right option.
When the fat layer gets thinner, the outline of the muscles you already have may show more than before. But liposuction doesn’t create abs. If you want a firm stomach, you need to exercise after surgery.
There’s no fixed upper limit on how much can be removed in one session. It depends on your body weight, how much tumescent solution (fluid injected before liposuction) is used, and how much bleeding there is during liposuction. But liposuction is surgery that carries real risks, so we don’t treat the whole body in one session. If you’d like several areas treated, we split them into at least two sessions.
For a few weeks after surgery, the treated area commonly feels hard, lumpy or tight, and it may feel numb. This often happens as the skin and the tissue beneath it reattach and heal where the fat was removed. It usually softens over a few months. It varies from person to person, so if one area is unusually swollen and painful, or you have a fever, please let us know right away.
We’ll tell you how long based on the area treated and how you’re recovering. A compression garment helps reduce swelling and helps the skin settle evenly.
LINE ON Injection can also refine a contour by reducing fat cells and easing puffiness. But there’s a limit to how much one session can reduce, so at most it refines a contour. We recommend 3 sessions, 1 month apart. If there’s a thick layer of fat, liposuction is often the better fit. We’ll tell you which suits you after an examination.
Generally, most of the swelling goes down in about 1 month, and the rest in about 3 months. Bruising mostly fades within 2 weeks.
There’s no fixed upper limit. It depends on your body weight, how much tumescent solution (a saline-based fluid) is injected into the fat under the skin, and how much blood comes out with the removed fat.
Yes. I believe whether a treatment is technically possible and whether it’s worth doing for that person are two completely different questions.
Whether it’s the face or the body, I look at the flow and proportions that connect one area to the next, not at a single area. That’s because no single line suits everyone.
It may still have an effect, but without exercise and a healthy diet, the change soon wears off.
We are a 3-minute walk from Gangnam Station Exit 11, and the medical director examines every patient in person.