What is the best abdominal procedure for your goals?

From post-pregnancy laxity to extra weight in the midsection, 在美国，无论男女都选择接受整形手术来改善他们的上腹部外观. 尽管以身体为中心的微创手术越来越受欢迎，以解决这一问题, 事实上，病人对腹部整形术(腹部整形术)的兴趣并没有相应下降, ASPS statistics 自2000年以来，腹部除皱手术的数量增加了一倍多.

许多想要拥有更光滑的腹部的患者经常会问，腹部是否有赘肉 tummy tuck or liposuction is the better choice for them. 只有与委员会认证的整形外科医生进行面对面的咨询，才能真正确认哪种手术最能实现你的目标——而且就这一点而言, there are key variables we assess to formulate an individualized surgical plan.

在咨询你的腹部时，你应该与你的外科医生讨论的三个主要因素是:

• Skin quality
• Muscle tightness or unity
• The presence of any excess, protruding fat

These can vary quite widely in patients depending on their genetics, age, diet and exercise and whether pregnancy and childbirth has occurred.

A tummy tuck may be performed if you have excess, 皮肤松弛和/或腹壁肌肉拉伸(后者有时被称为腹壁折叠). While addressing the abdominal skin is strictly cosmetic, 有时也可进行腹壁修复以改善腹壁功能.

Tightening the abdominal wall

After experiencing massive weight loss or pregnancy and childbirth, previously firm and centralized abdominal muscles can loosen and weaken, sometimes to the point where they separate from each other. This is known as diastasis recti. Even the most intense, ab-focused workouts cannot restore their position. 直肠分离也可能发生在中老年男性，尤其是腹部肥胖的男性.

When the muscles in the abdominal wall separate, 该区域的重要器官只有一层薄薄的结缔组织支撑它们的位置. Besides contributing to a bulging appearance of the abdomen, 直肌分离损害肌肉支持，导致日常问题，如腰痛, constipation, urinary leaking or incontinence, 甚至连呼吸和/或正常活动这样的简单功能都有困难.

一个标准的或完整的腹部除皱术可以为加强腹壁所需的肌肉收紧提供机会, as well as to remove redundant skin and tighten the rest. 抽脂术是一种适合那些想要处理多余腹部脂肪或身体上其他局部脂肪袋的病人的手术. Because it cannot address excess skin or lax muscle, 患者必须有适当的肌肉张力和皮肤弹性，以保持新形状轮廓的外观. Liposuction is not a weight loss procedure.

Using liposuction with a tummy tuck

对于那些想要解决皮肤松弛和/或肌肉分离以及腹部多余脂肪的患者, both tummy tuck and liposuction procedures may be required. 整形外科医生必须根据具体情况评估这两种手术是否可以同时进行, or separately in stages.

In younger, healthy patients, 同时操作是可能的，并将减少整体愈合时间, but for many others, 分期手术可能更谨慎，以减少手术创伤和出血的程度. 手术的顺序——或者如果只选择一种手术——取决于病人的身体特征和他们希望达到的审美目标.

Three things you should consider

如果你是一个想要改善上腹部外观的准患者, there are three things you must bear in mind. First, 你必须确保你咨询的整形外科医生是由美国整形外科委员会认证的，并且在这两方面都有丰富的经验和成功的结果. Second, based on their assessment, 你必须接受这样一种可能性:你的外科医生可能会推荐一种与你所想的不同的治疗方案. Finally, you must be committed to following all post-surgical instructions, 包括保持长期健康的饮食和锻炼来维持你的结果.