This is actually a very common question that we here in our practice. Abdominal etching is a very specific and delicate form of liposculpture that we commonly performed when we do body contouring. Abdominal etching is performed by using multiple different types of liposuction to go ahead and not only debulk deep fat, but to remove small amounts of superficial fat around the bony framework, the muscle contours, and the tendinous transcriptions. When this is done meticulously, the patient can expect to obtain a very toned and athletic results and even a sixpack. The most important thing that a patient should check before receiving this procedure is that they are working with a plastic surgeon that is board-certified by the American Board of plastic surgery. You need someone with this level of training and expertise to get the best possible result.In patients with a rectus diastasi, it is possible to get a beautiful and toned result, but liposuction or liposculpture alone may not be enough. In a patient with separated abdominal muscles, if they only receive abdominal etching they will have the lines of muscle, but there abdomen will still be bulging and round. To the eye this can look very weird. We call this result the teenage mutant ninja abdomen, because like a mutant ninja turtle they will have the outlines of a sixpack on a big belly. For these patients, in our practice we combine liposculpture with a small or a mini tummy tuck. In a mini tummy tuck the patient can have a 4 inch incision through which we can do a complete muscle repair at the same time. This will accomplish the patient's overall goal of having a sculpted abdomen as well as a tight and flat tummy.
You can have diastasis recti and still have excellent high definition liposuction with abdominal etching. remember that your vertical midline will be created by the sculpting which will camouflage your diastasis.
