Waht is a panectomy?

Dear Ask The Doctor: I was advised to get a panectomy. Can you please explain what that would entail and how long the process would take for the procedure? Thank you for your time.

Dear Tracy: A panectomy is a surgical procedure, usually performed by a plastic surgeon, that involves removal of the excess skin and fat around the abdomen. This procedure is most often performed on persons who have weight loss surgery and thus have lost large amounts of weight leaving a lot of loose skin.

However, you would probably be better served by undergoing an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) procedure. In addition to removing the excess skin, such a procedure would 'tighten' the abdominal muscles as well.