Sometimes, despite your very best efforts, it feels impossible to drop those last few pounds around the lower belly. Excess tissue often lingers after significant weight loss or pregnancy, or it might develop as you age or become less active.
These loose pockets of skin and fat drape off your lower midsection, drooping below your waistline to form an apron belly.
The 4 board-certified surgeons at Cosmetic Surgery Affiliates help patients find relief with tailored surgical procedures. An abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck surgery, addresses the overhanging fat and skin while tightening the underlying muscles for a more toned core. However, some doctors might recommend a panniculectomy, or excess skin removal surgery, to treat an apron belly.
Keep reading to compare these 2 procedures for apron belly treatment—each performed by our board-certified cosmetic surgeons. With Cosmetic Surgery Affiliates, you never have to compromise on medical excellence or your aesthetic goals.
If you’re ready to book your tummy tuck for apron belly, contact our medical staff or request an appointment to start building your treatment plan.
Understanding Apron Belly
A myriad of factors play a role in the development of an apron belly, or the loose skin and fat that hang over your waistband.
Causes
Genetics make many individuals more likely to retain weight around the midsection in spite of fitness or diet. Age and lifestyle habits both contribute to skin laxity and body fat composition.
Hormonal fluctuations, especially in your estrogen levels, also influence where you carry your weight. For this reason, women tend to notice extra fat and skin above the waistline after childbirth or during menopause.
Significant weight loss and pregnancy also stretch the skin. As a result, this skin loses its elasticity, meaning that it won’t tighten back into place around the abdomen once the weight is gone.
Symptoms
Many patients find that these stubborn fat deposits and unwanted sections of skin resist weight loss efforts. Patients might struggle with self-image and confidence while unable to fit into old clothing or see the visual results of their fitness journey.
A hanging lower belly also might make certain garments uncomfortable to wear, as the clothing or skin can rub together, causing pain, rashes, or chafing.
For individuals with extreme skin laxity, the belly might hang as low as the knees. In this case, the excess skin severely limits the patient’s mobility, potentially hindering further weight loss attempts.
Comparing Apron Belly Treatments
Though we can’t change your genetic makeup or stop the hands of time, the Cosmetic Surgery Affiliates experts can resolve the discomfort caused by excess abdominal skin and fat through tailored surgical procedures.
Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck Surgery)
Before performing a tummy tuck for apron belly, our board-certified surgeons assess your physical health and body goals to confirm an abdominoplasty fits your needs.
Once we verify your candidacy and begin the procedure, your surgeon removes the unwanted skin and adipose tissue, or body fat, located below the belly button. This procedure might also include liposuction, depending on your goals. Along with removing the excess skin and fat, your surgeon tightens the tissue connecting your abdominal muscles for a more toned core.
This three-pronged surgical approach of addressing the fat, skin, and the underlying structure enhances your appearance and helps strengthen your muscles, yielding long-lasting results.
The board-certified surgeons at CSA undergo years of rigorous training and education to deliver this natural look with minimal scarring.
Panniculectomy (Excess Skin Removal Surgery)
A panniculectomy, or excess skin removal surgery, also starts with a consultation, where you talk to a board-certified CSA surgeon and build an individualized treatment plan. This procedure, however, only targets the unwanted sagging skin in the treatment area.
At our Cosmetic Surgery Affiliates location in Jacksonville, excess skin removal surgery rarely includes fat removal or muscle tightening. A panniculectomy trims away unwanted skin so the remaining skin fits your figure more closely; it does not strengthen your abdominal muscles or eliminate additional abdominal fat.
Though many patients seeking excess skin removal see excellent results from this procedure, it might not comprehensively address the apron belly if you seek a more toned core.
Plan Your Apron Belly Surgery
Ready to rediscover comfort, mobility, and confidence with a tummy tuck for apron belly? Consult our expert team of board-certified surgeons in Jacksonville to begin a new health journey.
Learn how other body-contouring procedures, like a body lift or brachioplasty, can complement your tummy tuck.
