Everyone wants a sculpted stomach, but it may seem unobtainable for many guys. Now six pack abs are within your reach–and the solution doesn't require hours of planking. A procedure called abdominal etching uses a new liposuction technique to create a six pack appearance. Essentially, your plastic surgeon very precisely sculpts suction fat from the abdomen's superficial and deep layers to accentuate a patient's natural abdominal lines. Results can be extra-defined or more smooth and round, depending on preference. The technique can be altered to provide a softer, shallower or a harder, more-defined degree of abdominal etching, depending on the patient's preference.
Getting a flat belly without exercising or eating healthy sounds too good to be true–and it is. The doctors suggests that the best results are seen on patients who exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet, but "have certain resistant areas of fat that hides the desired muscular definition."
It is critical to have regular follow up early on to assess for any fluid collections, or seromas. To ensure good results, these seromas -- typically regarded as a minor complication -- need to be treated aggressively if they occur.
Patients can resume light exercise not engaging the core after two weeks, and more rigorous exercise after four weeks. The researchers stress the importance of maintaining good long-term results, with the assistance of a sports nutritionist and/or integrated medicine physician to optimize nutrition, exercise plan, and hormone imbalances. Patients have maintained good results of abdominal etching at follow-up times up to six years.
