Abdominal etching for men and women: how it is done

The design depends on the abdomen you are after. «In men, we define all the divisions of the rectus abdominis, known as the six-pack», explains Dr. Orestes Fernández.

Abdominal etching for men

The divisions of the rectus abdominis that form the six-pack are defined, along with the midline and the sides. The result is an athletic-looking abdomen, like that of someone who trains regularly.

Abdominal etching for women

«In women, the etching is done along the midline above the navel and along the side lines, as well as over the obliques». It is a softer definition that slims the waist without marking every division. If a patient wants the full six-pack, that can be done too.

Someone who already trains and takes care of themselves, and has a layer of fat hiding the abdomen despite doing everything right. «We always prefer these patients to be in the habit of going to the gym and exercising, so the result looks as natural as possible», says the doctor.

It is not a weight-loss treatment. You should come with a stable weight, and at the consultation we assess your body fat and muscle tone before recommending it.

When we do not recommend it

When there is a lot of visceral fat, the fat inside the abdomen around the organs, because liposuction cannot reach it and the abdomen still bulges. Nor when the rectus muscles are widely separated, a diastasis recti: the abdomen stays distended and the etching does not fit. In those cases we first consider another surgery, such as an abdominoplasty.

Muscle is built at the gym and through diet; surgery only removes the fat that covers it. So the first step is always to train your abs and lower your body fat with diet.

When, despite that, there is still localized fat on the abdomen and flanks that will not go away, that is the time to consider abdominal etching. If there is more fat volume than contour to define, liposuction usually comes first.

It is done in the operating room under general anesthesia and usually takes 2 to 4 hours, depending on the areas and the level of definition. If the etching is small, you go home the same day; if it is extensive, one night in hospital is usual.

Before surgery we agree with you on the degree of definition. Over-etching gives an artificial result that ages badly, and it is a decision that is hard to undo. In Barcelona we also apply the Synapta® protocol to make recovery easier.

The first changes show within a few weeks, but the defined abdomen appears gradually as the swelling goes down, usually over the following months.

Light activities can be resumed within a few days, and intense exercise after a few weeks, depending on how each patient recovers. The compression garment and massages are part of the treatment, not an extra.

The main one is that the result takes months to show fully, and recovery is more demanding than after classic liposuction. These are the ones we always explain at the consultation:

• Prolonged swelling: the final definition takes months to show.
• More marked bruising and firmness than after classic liposuction.
• Areas with reduced sensation for weeks.
• Visible contour irregularities, more likely because the work is done in a superficial layer.
• A result that is too marked or unnatural if the degree of definition is not well judged.
• Loss of definition if you gain weight afterwards.

The fat removed does not grow back, so the result lasts. What can change it is weight gain: fat builds up in other areas and the contour fades.

That is why we recommend continuing to train before and after surgery. If you wonder why not all the fat is removed at once, we explain it in should liposuction remove all the fat?.