Abdominoplasty is a common procedure in both male and female patients. The satisfaction rate is extremely high after an abdominoplasty. We recommend that patients eat a diet that is high in protein for 4-6 weeks prior to surgery and for 4-6 weeks after surgery. This high protein diet can ensure that there are enough protein stores for collagen synthesis and to maintain albumin levels to prevent excess edema or swelling of the subcutaneous tissues.
In general patients request an abdominoplasty procedure because their abdomen has an increased abdominal girth. In women, this tends to be in the lower abdomen. In men, this tends to be in both the upper and lower abdomen. Men tend to store fat intra-abdominally. Fat can be stored in the subcutaneous layer of the skin or in the mesentery of the intestines. In the abdomen there are blood vessels that arise from the aorta and supply the intestines. In men, the fat surrounding the intestines can be more abundant than in the subcutaneous tissues. Weight training as well as cardiovascular exercise can decrease this fat around the intestines and decrease the overall abdominal girth. Quite commonly men can have a rectus diastasis from long term stretch on the abdominal wall or from previous operations that create an incisional hernia. Plicating the rectus diastasis that occurs in men can have a significant impact on the overall abdominal girth. It is important to maintain a diet high in protein as well as a weight training program to keep and maintain weight after an abdominoplasty.
