Science- A New York City hair stylist shared his experience getting "abdominal etching" surgery, a hot new cosmetic trend among men.
- The stylist said he worked out and ate clean, but could never get defined abs.
A powerlifter in his mid-30s, Chi Tang, worked out and ate right most of his adult life, but he couldn't get the defined six-pack he craved. So he decided to buy one.
In 2019, Tang, a New York City-based hair stylist underwent "fake ab" surgery, officially referred to as abdominal etching surgery — a form of liposuction to remove fat from around his ab muscles so they appear more pronounced.
The once little-known procedure is hot right now among men, and was even referred to as the "male version of a boob job" by a reality star who got the surgery.
Tang took Insider through his decision to get ab etching surgery and the painful recovery process, and explained why his subtle results are worth the $14,000 price tag.
Genetics, not just exercise, determine whether a person has a six-pack
Tang has worked out consistently since his mid-20s, but said he was never able to achieve a defined six-pack. "It wasn't like I was big, I was pretty fit already," Tang told Insider. "But I was looking for a specific look."
Tang is one of many people who eat right and work out, but can't get washboard abs, according to personal trainer Noam Tamir, founder and CEO of TS Fitness. Tamir told Insider that working out and eating clean can make a person lean, but getting Chris Hemsworth-style abs isn't guaranteed. It all comes down to genetics, which can't be changed.
"A lot of it has to do with things you don't have much control over," Tamir said. "Some people can have higher fat and have chisel abs, and then other people can have really low body fat and not see [their abs]."
But Tang's regular exercise routine and healthy diet made him a good candidate for ab etching surgery. Doctors make cuts in the skin around the patient's ab muscles, and then suction and drain fat deposits from the area, Healthline reported. In this way, doctors can "etch" out abs by removing fat cells close to the skin's surface around where the muscles are.
It doesn't guarantee visible abs for life, Tamir said. Like any liposuction, weight gain after surgery can make the remaining fat cells bigger, thus weakening the results of the procedure. "I've seen so many people get lipo and [the fat] just goes right back because they haven't learned any [healthy] habits," Tamir said.
Tang described the 'extremely painful' recovery period after ab etching surgery
Through online searching, Tang found a doctor in Houston who specializes in ab etching surgery. He scheduled an appointment, booked a flight and a hotel, and took off by himself to finally get a six-pack.
The entire procedure took less than two hours, though Tang was asleep for it. The hair stylist woke up in his doctor's clinic, where they had done the surgery, without feeling much pain due to the lingering effects of the anesthetic they gave him. He took a car back to his hotel room that same day.
The next morning, however, Tang woke up in his hotel room in "extreme pain." He said his abs felt "tight" and he could barely walk. "When I woke up, my reaction was, 'Oh my god, what did I get myself into,'" Tang said. "I wasn't scared but a little surprised, because it was a quick decision."
The pain and discomfort were so bad it took 10 minutes just to get up from lying down, and simple tasks, like using the bathroom and getting food delivery, hurt. Tang said he refused more addictive, strong pain medications, so he relied on ibuprofen and calming YouTube videos to get him through.
Fortunately, the pain got better day-by-day and eventually subsided four days after the surgery. His recovery was also sped up from getting daily lymphatic drainage massages, which get rid of excess fluid that builds up in the body after liposuction.
He flew back to New York a week after the procedure, showing up for his follow-up visits virtually.
The surgery cost Tang $14,000, and the hotel and lymphatic massages tacked on an additional $4,000. On average, abdominal etching surgery costs from $6,000 to $8,000, but Tang said knew he was paying a premium to go to a specialized plastic surgeon.
Years later, Tang is still satisfied with his results
After getting back to New York, Tang said his recovery went smoothly. He eased himself back into working out three weeks after the procedure.
Swelling from the surgery takes months to go down, per Healthline, so Tang couldn't see his results until about three months later.
Tang is happy with his new abs. He said that when he does gain a couple pounds, they no longer go to his stomach or abdomen, and instead to other areas of his body.
Though Tang said his family thought he was "crazy" for getting the surgery when he's already fit, to him, seeing his more chiseled physique in the mirror made the pricey procedure worth it — pain and all.
"Do your research, make sure you go to a really good doctor," Tang said. "And make sure you take some painkiller."