Abdominal Etching

Most patients describe the discomfort after abdominal etching as mild to moderate, comparable to the soreness experienced after an intense abdominal workout. During surgery, you’ll be under anesthesia to ensure complete comfort, and post-op pain is typically well managed with oral medication. Some swelling, bruising, and tightness in the abdominal area are normal in the first few days, but these symptoms typically improve significantly within the first week or two. Compression garments are worn to support healing and reduce discomfort, and most patients are pleasantly surprised by how manageable the recovery feels.

Abdominal etching with Dr. Bitar includes a comprehensive care plan with several key appointments to ensure your healing and results stay on track. You’ll begin with a thorough consultation, followed by a pre-operative appointment to finalize surgical details and complete any necessary labs. After surgery, your first follow-up appointment occurs within 24 hours, with additional visits scheduled throughout your recovery, typically at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year post-surgery. These check-ins enable us to monitor your progress, address any questions or concerns you may have, and provide support as needed.

While initial changes to your abdominal contour may be noticeable within the first few weeks, final results typically take between 6 and 12 months to fully develop. Swelling and bruising gradually subside over time, and the sculpted definition of your abdominal muscles becomes more pronounced as your body heals. The results are long-lasting, especially when maintained with a healthy lifestyle, regular exercise, and stable weight. 

Yes, commonly paired treatments include high-definition liposuction on areas such as the flanks or chest, gynecomastia surgery for male chest contouring, or body contouring procedures like an arm lift or thigh sculpting. During your consultation, Dr. Bitar will assess your goals and anatomy to determine the best combination strategy, prioritizing safety and balanced, natural-looking results. By combining procedures, many patients reduce total downtime and maximize their aesthetic outcome with a more streamlined recovery process.

At the Bitar Cosmetic Surgery Institute, we take pride in ensuring that we provide our patients with the best possible surgical experience, anticipating potential problems or setbacks and addressing them before they occur. This process encompasses preoperative preparation, the actual surgery, and postoperative care.

• General Complications
  General complications can occur with any surgery. Cosmetic surgery is typically a safe procedure performed on healthy patients and, like all surgeries, carries a low risk. To further reduce the risk of complications, we operate at a first-class surgical center with board-certified anesthesiologists and nurses. To avoid post-operative complications, we advocate for early mobilization – patients seen in our office one or two days after surgery – and active participation in their own post-operative care. When we create a partnership, the results invariably improve.

• Bleeding
  Before surgery, our patients are tested to make sure they don’t have any common bleeding disorders by their own physicians and by lab tests. Bleeding is rare with any form of liposuction. Before performing the abdominal etching procedure, we inject a tumescent solution that constricts the blood vessels and minimizes bleeding. In my practice, the rate of significant bleeding has been minimal.

• Infection/Wounds
  The most important step in avoiding infections and wounds is to perform the surgery at a first-rate surgical facility with board-certified anesthesiologists and nurses. Patients are given the appropriate intravenous antibiotic coverage throughout the surgery. During the surgery, the patient’s skin surface is cleaned thoroughly. After the procedure, our patients are prescribed antibiotics to minimize infection. As a result of these extra precautions, our rate of infection after the abdominal etching is extremely rare. Since liposuction involves small incisions without skin removal, open wounds are extremely rare.

• Nerve Injury
  We exercise caution around the nerves in the body and avoid aggressive liposuction techniques to minimize nerve injury. Temporary loss of sensation from a “stunned” nerve or a bruised nerve may occur in the time period after surgery, but sensation in the vast majority of cases returns within a few weeks.

• Smoking
  Smoking is an absolute contraindication in abdominal etching. The carbon monoxide and nicotine in cigarette smoke cause a severe reduction in blood supply to the skin and tissue during healing. This may result in skin death and an increased risk of infection. Cotinine testing is performed in patients with a smoking history to ensure that they are safe when having this procedure.