Supraumbillical Skin Retraction After Laser Assisted Liposuction/Lipolysis

Supraumbilical skin laxity is a major surgical challenge. A literature review on laser-assisted liposuction/lipolysis (LAL/L) speaks in favor of skin tightening. Alternative methods include visible postoperative scar.

The aim is to determine the vertical retraction of the supraumbilical skin and its association with age, gender, body mass index, skin elasticity and the presence of stretch marks as well as the reduction of the circumference of the abdomen (7 days, 3 weeks and 3 months after the procedure).

The study includes 59 patients who underwent abdominal LAL/L. Preoperatively, height, weight, body mass index, sex, skin elasticity, and the presence of stretch marks were recorded. The distance from the jugulum to the upper edge of the umbilicus, the circumference of the abdomen at the level of the umbilicus, and five centimeters above (before; after 1 week; after 3 weeks and after 3 months) were measured.

A statistically significant difference was found in the reduction of the distance from the jugulum to the upper edge of the umbilicus (p < 0.001) with an average reduction of 1.9 cm. The amount of the parametric Pearson correlation coefficient, showing the vertical retraction in correlation with circumferential reduction, is 0.41. The latter is statistically significant (p = 0.002). Through multivariate analysis and a set of predictor variables, it was determined that the initial jugulum-umbilicus distance before surgery and elasticity have a statistically significant influence on supraumbilical skin retraction.

Laser-assisted liposuction/lipolysis is associated with measurable changes in supraumbilical contour and apparent vertical skin retraction, with greater effects observed in patients with higher preoperative skin elasticity and a longer preoperative jugulum-umbilicus distance, highlighting the importance of objective measurements for patient selection.