Can abdominoplasty improve loose abdominal skin and correct an uneven waistline?
Patient Registration Info
| Age | Weight | Height | BMI |
|---|---|---|---|
|
in their 50’s |
72kg |
162cm |
28 |
Surgical site
abdominoplasty, M-type, Triple lock, Navel Correction, abdomen liposuction, hip joint
4800cc
Many people struggle with a loss of abdominal skin elasticity, but this issue is often difficult to resolve through simple weight loss, exercise, or massage alone.
In particular, women who have experienced pregnancy and childbirth often notice reduced firmness in the abdominal area, as well as weakened tissue, which can lead to sagging skin.
These changes typically do not improve with time and may also be accompanied by diastasis recti—a condition where the abdominal muscles separate—making self-care alone insufficient for visible improvement.
In such cases, more individuals are opting for abdominoplasty (tummy tuck surgery) to correct both sagging skin and protruding abdominal walls.
Abdominoplasty tightens loose skin and sutures the stretched abdominal wall to create a firmer, more defined abdominal contour. It is considered a popular body-lifting procedure.
However, before deciding on surgery, it is essential to have a thorough consultation to assess your overall health, determine the necessity and extent of correction, and understand the post-operative recovery process.
Since abdominoplasty involves a long incision, careful attention must be given to how smoothly the lifted skin is connected, how well the incision heals, and the potential development of dog ears (folds or puckering at the ends of the incision).
We’ll now take a closer look at a real patient case to better understand the details and outcomes of the procedure.
This abdominoplasty case from Lesarts Plastic Surgery involves a female patient in her late 50s who had previously undergone a cesarean section to deliver her child.
The patient had been struggling for a long time with abdominal sagging and a weakened abdominal wall, which caused her belly to protrude outward, leading to concerns about her body shape.
As time passed after childbirth, the sagging became more severe, and weight gain further intensified her body image concerns.
One year before undergoing abdominoplasty, the patient started a diet and successfully lost about 11 kilograms. However, due to the yo-yo effect, her skin elasticity decreased even more, making the sagging of the lower abdomen more prominent.
For these reasons, she decided to undergo abdominoplasty combined with abdominal liposuction to lift and contour the abdominal area, aiming for a smoother and more defined waistline. She visited Lesarts Plastic Surgery to achieve a more balanced and aesthetically pleasing silhouette.
Upon examination prior to the abdominoplasty procedure, the patient was found to have significantly decreased skin elasticity, along with pronounced sagging of the upper abdomen caused by a weakened abdominal wall.
In terms of the waistline, the patient had a relatively large and prominent ribcage, resulting in a disproportion between the upper and lower body. Additionally, both the position and shape of the navel required correction.
The patient had previously undergone a cesarean section, which contributed to weakened abdominal tissues. Furthermore, diastasis recti (separation of the abdominal muscles) was observed, necessitating surgical correction.
A medium-type abdominoplasty was planned to remove the excessively sagging skin and to tighten the stretched abdominal wall, creating a firmer and more defined contour along the waist and abdomen.
To further enhance the body shape, liposuction was also performed around the abdomen and waist to create a smoother and slimmer silhouette.
Since the correction needed to extend from the upper abdomen, adjustments to the navel’s position and appearance were also required. A vertically oriented, natural-looking navel design was implemented to make the waist appear narrower and to bring greater harmony to the overall abdominal contour.
Below are photos taken before the abdominoplasty and three months after the procedure.
When comparing the patient’s abdominal area before and three months after the abdominoplasty, the preoperative photos clearly show significant abdominal sagging and loose skin, along with a downward-drawn appearance of the navel due to skin laxity.
However, at the three-month mark following the procedure, there is a remarkable improvement in skin tightness and overall abdominal firmness. The sagging has been significantly reduced, and the skin appears noticeably more elastic.
In addition, correction of the previously separated abdominal muscles (diastasis recti) has contributed to a firmer, smoother waistline.
The umbilicoplasty (navel reshaping) performed in conjunction with the abdominoplasty helped place the navel in a more ideal position and shape, enhancing the appearance of a slimmer waist and creating a lengthening effect for the legs.
These improvements are also clearly visible from the side view.
Before the surgery, the abdominal wall was stretched and the skin had lost its elasticity, causing the abdomen to fold over and making the waistline almost unnoticeable. The side profile appeared uneven and lacked smooth contours.
Following the abdominoplasty and liposuction, the abdominal skin has regained firmness, and the waistline has become more defined—creating a silhouette that is hard to believe belongs to someone in their late 50s.
In particular, the tightened abdominal wall gives the appearance of a deeper inward curve along the flanks, resulting in a smoother and more contoured side profile.
Additionally, the repositioning of the navel to the center has improved the body’s overall alignment and balance, enhancing the aesthetic symmetry of the torso.
In this patient’s case, consistent post-operative care and regular follow-up appointments over the three months following surgery allowed for a faster and more stable recovery than initially expected.
Through abdominoplasty and liposuction, the patient achieved a smoother body contour, with the navel repositioned and waistline refined to create a slimmer and more balanced appearance.
To ensure continued recovery, the patient will undergo ongoing follow-up visits and management. We also advised her on the importance of scar care, including the use of silicone sheets and moisturization over a certain period, as well as the need for consistent clinic visits to monitor progress and maintain results.
