Loose abdominal skin and excess fat in the abdomen can be a problem for both men and women. Sometimes the causes leading to this condition can be inherited. In other instances the cause may be obesity, substantial weight loss, weakness stretching of the abdominal wall following pregnancy etc.

The picture is almost always the same: a protruding abdomen, a hanging “apron”, a concentration of fat in the lower abdomen plus the appearance of stretch marks.

Loss of skin elasticity, gravity and other factors such as weight loss, pregnancy and breast-feeding ultimately affect the shape and firmness of the female breast.

Breast lift or mastopexy is a procedure designed to restore the shape and firmness of the breasts and raise them to their initial position, without changing their volume. Mastopexy can also reduce the size of the areola (the darker skin around the nipple).

In certain cases, with mild ptosis (sagging), the appearance of the breasts can be enhanced just by enlarging the breast with a breast implant, without actually performing a mastopexy. In other cases, where sagging is combined with loss of volume (as is often observed following pregnancy and breast-feeding) a combination of breast augmentation and mastopexy is required to achieve the desired result.

The size of the female breast depends on many factors including heredity, hormonal changes and body weight. A lot of women develop problems early on in adolescence due to heredity, while others develop problems later on, in mid age, due to hormonal changes. Regardless of the aetiology the problems caused by heavy, large breasts are the same: neck, back or shoulder pain, bra strap indentations in the shoulders, skin irritation beneath the breasts, restriction of physical activity, difficulties in fitting clothes and self-consciousness that leads to psychological problems.

Other women may find that their breasts are asymmetric, with one being much larger that the other.

Breast reduction aims at reducing the size of the breasts by removing excess fat, breast tissue and skin, making the breasts smaller and firmer. The areola (the pigmented skin surrounding the nipple) may also be reduced and repositioned.

Gynecomastia is a medical term that comes from the Greek words for “women-like breasts”. Although this condition is rarely talked about, it is quite common. Forty to 60% of men are affected by gynecomastia at some point in their life. It may affect one breast or both, and although some drugs and medical conditions have been linked with male breast overdevelopment, for the majority of cases the cause if unknown.

For men who are self-conscious about the appearance of their breast, breast reduction surgery or gynecomastia correction can help.

Loose abdominal skin and excess fat in the abdomen can be a problem for both men and women. Sometimes the causes leading to this condition can be inherited. In other instances the cause may be obesity, substantial weight loss, weakness stretching of the abdominal wall following pregnancy etc.

Many times however the problem is confined to the lower abdominal wall, with minimal loose skin and some localized excess fat. In these cases a mini abdominoplasty may be performed in conjunction with abdominal liposuction.