Abodominal
Etching
From minimally invasive to full-body transformations
Dr. Emer is one of the most innovative surgeons available.
ABDOMINAL ETCHING
Achieving a well-defined six pack and V-cut abs isn’t always a matter of strength or willpower. When belly fat persists despite your dedication to clean eating, portion control, cardio, and targeted ab work, there are likely factors at play that are beyond your control. Fortunately, you don’t have to give up on your washboard abs, you just need to talk to Dr. Jason Emer about his elite Gladiator HD Lipo procedure for abdominal etching in Beverly Hills.
WHAT IS ABDOMINAL ETCHING?
Abdominal etching is a hi-definition (HD) liposculpting procedure designed to eliminate the fat deposits that are keeping you from having the ripped abs you have always wanted. Dr. Emer’s Gladiator HD abdominal lipo procedure can target abdominal fat to carve out your six pack and get rid of fat in the flanks (love handles) to define the obliques and taper the waistline.
Abdominal etching typically involves a combination of liposuction techniques. This is because Dr. Emer must target both deep fat deposits and smaller, superficial deposits around the musculoskeletal structures. Dr. Emer’s abdominal etching procedures often include tumescent liposuction, VASER liposuction, and/or power-assisted liposuction.
Dr. Emer typically follows HD lipo for abdominal etching with minimally invasive skin tightening. Renuvion, ThermiRF, and BodyTite are advanced systems that use internal energy-based heating to “shrink wrap” the skin to the contours of your newly chiseled 6-pack and V-taper.
Abdominal etching is frequently combined with additional body contouring procedures as part of a total body 360 HD liposculpting treatment.
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Right for you?
AM I A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR ABDOMINAL ETCHING?
Abdominal etching candidates must have adequate skin elasticity to ensure the skin can aesthetically retract to fit their new shape after the procedure.
Patients with considerable skin laxity and/or excess skin around the midsection may be better candidates for an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) or a procedure that includes both a tummy tuck and abdominal liposculpting. Similarly, abdominoplasty with or without abdominal etching will be recommended for patients with diastasis recti.
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PROCEDURE DETAILS
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ABDOMINAL ETCHING AND ABDOMINAL LIPOSUCTION?
Dr. Emer can determine which is right for you during your consultation. Both abdominal etching and abdominal liposuction remove fat from the tummy area, but they are performed for different reasons and provide very different results.
Abdominal liposuction is intended to debulk the midsection. It can significantly shrink the waistline and flatten the stomach, so you can eliminate belly rolls and/or a lower belly “pooch.” You will be able to wear fitted tops more comfortably and confidently after abdominal liposuction, but it will not give you a six pack.
Abdominal etching, however, can chisel out washboard abs. While many providers can successfully perform bulk fat removal with abdominal lipo, very few are qualified to perform abdominal etching procedures. With abdominal etching, fat removal is used as a tool for carving out deeper definition and athletic lines. It takes remarkable precision and artistry, as well as advanced knowledge of anatomy, to create prominent, yet realistic six pack and V-taper lines.
WHAT IS THE BEST LIPOSUCTION TECHNIQUE FOR ABDOMINAL ETCHING?
Dr. Emer relies on minimally invasive liposuction methods for abdominal etching for several reasons. The lipo methods he uses have many advantages compared to traditional liposuction, including smaller incisions for discreet post-treatment marks and a shorter, more comfortable recovery.
Based on the location of the treatment area and the quantity of fat to be removed, Dr. Emer will use one or more of the following techniques for your abdominal etching procedure:
- Tumescent liposuction – With this technique, a solution consisting of lidocaine, adrenaline, and saline is injected into the treatment area. This fluid helps to make fat cells more accessible and easier to remove.
- VASER liposuction – VASER lipo employs ultrasonic cavitation beneath the skin to separate fat from the surrounding tissues and break up clusters of fat cells. Fat can then be suctioned from the body without causing unnecessary trauma to nearby tissues, and this allows for less post-op swelling and discomfort. VASER ultrasonic liposuction can be particularly beneficial for HD lipo due to the steam heat it causes under the skin. This heat allows for significant sculpting, skin tightening, and improvements in the appearance of existing irregularities and scar tissue.
- Power-assisted liposuction – Traditional liposuction involves manually manipulating the cannula beneath the skin, which typically results in a longer procedure, more severe bruising and swelling after the procedure, and a lengthier recovery period. With power-assisted liposuction, a machine gently vibrates the cannula during fat removal. This allows Dr. Emer to avoid damaging surrounding tissues. It also facilitates a greater degree of precision and the ability to sculpt the area as fat is extracted.
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PROCEDURE DETAILS
WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE PROCEDURE?
The first step of abdominal etching is to administer anesthesia. Prior to your procedure, Dr. Emer will discuss available options for anesthesia and advise you regarding the best choice for you. His recommendation will be based on the extent of your procedure and whether additional procedures are being performed in combination with abdominal etching.
Dr. Emer will mark your stomach to outline the precise boundaries of your abdominal muscles. This process ensures that he can easily identify key features of your anatomy during your procedure.
Once you are under the effect of the anesthesia, Dr. Emer will make small, discreet incisions in the treatment area. The incisions function as access points for the cannula that will be inserted and used to suction unwanted fat out of the body after it is separated from the surrounding tissue with ultrasonic energy, Body-Jet, and/or tumescent fluid.
Initial downtime after abdominal etching is one to three weeks. Your abdomen will be sore, and bruising and swelling are to be expected. It is imperative that you rest and restrict your activities to those approved by Dr. Emer.
Dr. Emer will provide personalized instructions for wearing your double compression garment. Typically, the garment should be worn 24 hours a day for the first several weeks of your recovery to reduce swelling, prevent scarring and infections, and seal the skin to your new, enhanced abdominal contours.
Dr. Emer will advise you when you no longer need to wear the compression garment during the day. He may recommend that you use a waist trainer after one to two weeks of recovery. Regardless, expect to wear the compression garment at night for a minimum of three additional months.
Three or four weeks after your procedure, low intensity exercise can be reintroduced. As healing progresses, Dr. Emer will guide you through the process of safely working up to full intensity workouts.
After about four weeks, you will be able to see your initial results. As you continue to heal over the next several months, swelling will gradually decrease. It can take six months to a year to completely heal and enjoy the final outcome of your procedure.
Consistent exercise and healthy eating habits are essential to build on and maintain your chiseled look long-term. Periodic Exilis Ultra treatments can also extend your results by preventing skin laxity and fat accumulation.
There are several ways to encourage an expedited recovery and optimal results after HD abdominal liposculpting. Dr. Emer can provide you with a personalized aftercare protocol based on your specific procedure and his observations throughout your recovery.
To support healing and prevent complications, bi-weekly radiofrequency treatments with Vanquish or Exilis Ultra and bi-weekly vibration therapy with Cellutone or ZWave are often recommended for four weeks. Treatment frequency can then be reduced to weekly sessions for the next month, followed by monthly or bi-monthly sessions, as needed.
It can also be beneficial to include one or more of the following therapies in your abdominal etching aftercare regimen:
- IV therapy to replenish nutrients and rehydrate the body
- Lymphatic massage to flush toxins and fluids, improve circulation, prevent irregularities, and keep downtime to a minimum
- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy to optimize oxygen flow, ease swelling and bruising, and reduce the risk of skin and nerve damage
There is no substitute or comparable non-invasive alternative to Gladiator HD Lipo due to the incredibly high degree of precision and detail possible with this method of abdominal etching. However, if a patient cannot or prefers not to undergo liposculpture, Dr. Emer offers several treatments that can slim, firm, and define the abdominals without the need for a single incision:
- BodyTone – BodyTone is a non-invasive treatment that can increase muscle mass by up to 30%. The device delivers bio-electric pulses via special applicators that are positioned over the targeted muscles. The quantity and intensity of the muscle contractions initiated during a 30 minute BodyTone session far exceed what you could accomplish by training on your own.
- BTL Vanquish ME – Vanquish is a non-invasive, no-downtime treatment that uses controlled radiofrequency (RF) energy to destroy subcutaneous fat cells. This unique device can wrap completely around the abdominal area to reduce fat in the flanks, as well.
- BTL Exilis Ultra – This device pairs two proven cosmetic technologies to address two key aspects of sculpting the abdominals: fat reduction and skin tightening. Using RF and ultrasound energy, Exilis Ultra melts fat, stimulates skin contraction, and promotes collagen production.
THE DR. EMER DIFFERENCE
HOW DOES DR. EMER DO ABDOMINAL ETCHING DIFFERENTLY?
This procedure demands a high level of artistic sophistication and expertise in several advanced body sculpting techniques. Only a small number of providers are willing to perform abdominal etching procedures.
An even smaller number have the requisite experience and skill it takes to successfully execute the intricate fat removal and precise contouring processes required to produce extraordinary results. Dr. Emer has earned distinction among this elite group for his exceptional HD liposculpting transformations.
Abdominal etching necessitates an ability to anticipate the effect of the treatment on the surrounding areas of the body. Men often need some degree of chest contouring to ensure a harmonious look across the torso after abdominal etching. In some cases, volume must be added to augment and sculpt the pectoral muscles, which can be done with fat grafting or chest implants. Alternatively, glandular tissue and/or fat may need to be removed to create flatter, more masculine contours.
Women frequently pair abdominal etching with a tummy tuck or mini tummy tuck to reverse pregnancy-related skin laxity, drooping, and/or diastasis recti. A harmonious female abdominal etching outcome can also involve elevating the breast position and creating firm, shapely breast contours via breast augmentation with fat grafting or implants, breast reduction surgery, and/or a breast lift.
To prevent the need for a future mons pubis liposuction procedure, Dr. Emer sculpts the upper pubic mound as part of the abdominal etching procedure. Less experienced providers often treat the lower belly but do not target fat below it. As a result, patients end up with a public mound that appears overly prominent after the removal of abdominal fat.
360 HD liposculpting is Dr. Emer’s specialty and is often ideal for patients considering abdominal etching. Using the same advanced fat removal approach he employs with abdominal etching, Dr. Emer can give your arms, legs, and buttocks a more athletic shape and more pronounced definition.
Cellulite reduction, skin tightening, augmentation with fat transfer or implants, and surgical body lifting procedures can be included in a 360 HD lipo procedure to complete your total body transformation. 360 HD lipo allows patients to resolve multiple problem areas in a single procedure with one recovery period.
HOW MUCH DOES BEVERLY HILLS ABDOMINAL ETCHING COST?
Abdominal etching procedures differ in price from one patient to another due to the high degree of customization involved. The amount of fat to be removed and the techniques required will impact the cost of Gladiator HD lipo for the abs.
It is quite common for patients to combine abdominal etching with HD lipo for other problem areas and/or with fat grafting, and any additional procedures performed will factor into the cost of your treatment.