'Six-pack surgery' gaining popularity among men, say plastic surgeons

Move over, "Dad bod" — more men are seeking "six-pack abs" with the help of a surgical procedure called high-definition liposuction, according to plastic surgeons. 

This type of "ab-etching" technique is gaining popularity among men who can’t get rid of stubborn belly fat with exercise alone, according to members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

The method targets removal of stubborn fat much like traditional liposuction, but it also creates defined lines across the stomach muscles to create the illusion of "chiseled" abdominals.

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What is high-definition liposuction?

Dr. Josef Hadeed, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon at the Hadeed Plastic Surgery practice in Beverly Hills, California, and Miami, Florida, described the procedure during an interview with Fox News Digital.

"It is more like creating that six-pack and creating the ‘V lines,’ and giving somebody that more athletic, toned physique that traditional liposuction can't really achieve," he said.

Traditional liposuction focuses on removing fat, volume and bulk, but doesn’t address the specifics of the "underlying anatomy," according to the surgeon.

High-definition liposuction is more detailed, Hadeed said. 

"We remove a little more fat from that vertical line above the belly button, and also those horizontal lines above the belly button," he said. 

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"We also remove a little more fat in those areas to create the illusion or appearance of somebody having a six-pack."

In some cases, fat is redistributed to other areas to help create a bulkier, more muscular abdominal appearance, the surgeon added.

A growing trend

There has been an uptick in men undergoing this liposuction procedure, according to members of the ASPS.

"I'm definitely seeing an increase in high-definition liposuction requests for men," ASPS member Dr. Joubin Gabbay, MD, the medical director at Gabbay Plastic Surgery in Beverly Hills, California, told Fox News Digital. 

"They are coming in with specific requests for a defined, chiseled contour."

Dr. Finny George, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon and partner at New York Plastic Surgical Group, a division of Long Island Plastic Surgical Group, has also seen more male patients looking to improve their muscle definition.

"There is definitely a growing desire among men [for] alternate means of achieving an athletic physique for two main reasons," George told Fox News Digital.

"First, it is becoming more socially acceptable for men to have plastic surgery — and second, many have already tried and failed with conventional diet and exercise," he added.

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High-definition liposuction isn’t the only procedure growing in popularity among men.

There has been a 207% rise in total cosmetic procedures among males since 2019, according to the 2022 ASPS report.  

One reason may be that men are looking for a more youthful appearance to "maintain career vitality," the report said. 

Social media influencers and male celebrities have also created an open dialogue about male cosmetic surgery, making it more acceptable for men to seek such enhancement treatments, the ASPS also noted.

"It actually has been very common in Brazil and South America for quite some time now, and it's slowly been migrating to the United States," Hadeed told Fox News Digital.

What to know before seeking surgery

If an individual is considering undergoing high-definition liposuction, they should examine their reasons for doing so, said Hadeed.

"They should do it for themselves, not because their spouse or partner is pressuring them to do it," he advised.

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When a person is seeking those "perfect six-pack abs," Hadeed said, the surgeon will typically look at the individual’s lifestyle behaviors, such as diet and exercise. 

For example, if someone is sedentary and eats fast food every day, "maybe this isn't for you," according to the doctor. 

Patients should have realistic expectations of what can be achieved rather than trying to look like a certain fitness model or social media influencer, Hadeed cautioned.

In some situations, he said, "we have to lower the expectations a little bit and say, ‘I can't make you look like this other person who's completely ripped and shredded, but I can help you look like a more refined version of yourself.’"

If the individual were to gain or lose a significant amount of weight after the surgery, that could affect the results, leading to the need for a revision or touch-up, Hadeed said — which is why he screens his patients to identify their lifestyle habits and make sure they can maintain the results.

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Gabbay also emphasized the importance of following a good regimen to maintain the benefits of the surgery.

"I think the treatment is certainly effective at helping many achieve the six-pack look, but it requires work and maintenance to maintain," he told Fox News Digital.

"It is important to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle and avoid major weight fluctuations after the procedure," he went on. 

"Unintended weight gain after a high-definition procedure can exaggerate the look of the six-pack, making it look a little less natural." 

Potential risks

Hadeed, who also serves as chair of the Patient Safety Committee for the ASPS, said it is important for patients to understand the risks involved with the procedure.

"Having elective surgery is a very major decision, and not something that people should take lightly," he said.

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Hadeed agreed that while the surgery is typically safe, there are risks involved. 

"In particular, there could be skin necrosis, where some of the skin dies," he warned. "There could also be fat necrosis, where some of the fatty tissue that’s left behind dies."

Other potential complications may include blood clots and intestinal perforation.

It is also important to research the credentials of the plastic surgeon who will perform the procedure and make sure they are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Hadeed said.

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