How to Remove a Pannus

A pannus is the medical term for a hanging flap of tissue and when the abdomen is involved, this term refers to skin and fat that fold over and hang like an apron.

In general, this fold of skin develops with prolonged weight gain and obesity however, at times pregnancy can lead to the same type of tissue change. Also, while we usually think of women as having a pannus, men can develop the same types of skin folds as well.

On a day to day basis, if you have a pannus, the hanging bulge of fat and skin can get to be quite annoying.  You might find that picking clothes to wear is more and more difficult because they have to fit around and underneath the pannus.  Sitting or bending become uncomfortable because you have to always hold your breath or try to push the skin aside in order to get your body into the position you want to be in.

In hot, humid environments, you will notice that the skin under the fold can become red, irritated and sometimes look raw in appearance.  The heat and perspiration that get trapped in this area can cause the skin barrier to break down.  You might hear of this problem being referred to as chafing, but medically it is referred to as intertrigo.  In addition to the changes due to heat and moisture, the condition can become further complicated with secondary infections due to bacteria or yeast which can cause smelly odors as well as peeling and shedding of skin.

You can get relief from this rash with a variety of creams, powders, and drying agents, but a hot humid environment can cause the problem to keep coming back.

Besides the medical concerns related to the skin, an abdominal pannus can cause posture changes and back discomfort as you try to adjust your body and compensate for the hanging skin.

So, if you find yourself with a pannus, then what should you do?

First of all, since the pannus is oftentimes associated with obesity, then the first step is to work on getting your body mass index into a healthy range.  However, I have observed some individuals who have made the efforts required to lose as much as 50 or 60 pounds and still have a hanging fold of skin and fat that remain. Just like some other areas in which you might get diet and exercise resistant fat deposits, the same thing can happen with a pannus.

Next, there are a couple of medical procedures to remove the excessive skin and fat.  A panniculectomy is the procedure that involves surgical excision of the hanging skin and fat followed by suturing the skin edges back together.  For this procedure you would undergo general anesthesia.  If the abdominal wall is weakened due to stretching of the muscles, then an abdominoplasty procedure might be done at the same time.

When the pannus is not associated with weakness of the abdominal wall, then the excessive fat that produces the bulging fold can be removed utilizing tumescent liposuction as an office procedure with local anesthetic.  Removing the accumulation of fat within the pannus tissue causes the hanging skin to contract so that the folded apron like area no longer exists.  Once this happens this leads to the elimination of the occlusion and medical problems mentioned above as well as better choices for the clothing you wear and feeling more at ease when you sit down, bend, or stoop over.

For a free report and additional information about how a pannus can be removed with tumescent liposuction, go to http://lipohoustontx.com/ .  If you have questions that you would like to go over in person, then call and schedule a free consultation to see if you are a good candidate.