Treatment of localized lipoatrophy in abdomen - what are my options? (photo)

Question

I have what I believe to be localised lipoatrophy (large depression of skin/fatty tissue) in my abdomen following a surgical procedure. I wanted to explore cosmetic options to treat this. What are the options available to treat such a condition?

Carlos Marciales, MD · Answer

Hello, good in your case you must rule out that you have a defect in the post-surgical abdominal wall, you must do an abdominal tomography, then you must be in a BMI of maximum 30 to be able to perform the procedure, and probably the most advisable thing will be to remove excess skin and in this way remove the scar you already have

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

Hi Loving197316, 
Thank you for your question regarding treating localized lipoatrophy of the abdomen and your options.  Thank you for your history and a single picture.  I can assume from your picture that you had an exploratory laparotomy.  You may have also had a colostomy or a wound on your right lower quadrant. 
Lipoatrophy is the loss of fat.  That can cause areas of indentation.
In your case, I suggest significant weight loss.  There are excellent diet plans, including the ketogenic diet, and countless registered dietitians and personal trainers who can help you lose weight.  Also, I suggest aggressive exercise.  This will help you to lose weight and make the scar less visible.  Losing fat will make the lipoatrophy indentation less visible.  Therefore,  I suggest you lose fat with diet and exercise. 
If, for some reason, you cannot diet and exercise, some medications can be taken to promote weight loss.  This includes medications like Ozempic. and Mounjaro.
Also, you may consider surgical options if you cannot lose weight with diet and exercise.  Surgical options include liposuction.  During liposuction, the fat can be removed and then transferred to the scar.  The procedure is called fat transfer.  However, this will be difficult due to the tightness within the scar tissue.  If you must do a surgical procedure, I suggest scar vision with direct scar excision.  6 to 12 months later, you could have fat transferred to the scar area to build up indentation.  Another option after significant weight loss is to undergo a tummy tuck with the elimination of the scar from the belly button to the pubic region.  At the same time, the vertical scar could also be corrected.  I hope these answers clarify your options on what to do with localized lipoatrophy of the abdomen.  Good luck.

Raja Mohan, MD · Answer

This is a difficult problem to fix. It is best if you are examined by someone to determine the best course of action. I recommend seeing a board certified plastic surgeon.

Tania Medina de Garcia, MD · Answer

You can do a tummy tuck in which the skin below the navel would be cut and the skin above the navel would be lower.

Treatment of localized lipoatrophy in abdomen - what are my options? (photo)

Answers (4)

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