Demystifying high-lateral-tension abdominoplasty

The author clarifies “high-lateral-tension abdominoplasty” (HLT), a procedure based on the premise that the greatest abdominal excess is usually in the lateral abdomen and that tightening of lateral excess is what most improves contour the central abdomen. While the classic approach improves contour by pulling inferiorly on the central abdomen, thereby creating the highest tension along the central incision, HLT pulls obliquely from each of the incision's 2 lateral arms, thereby placing the highest tension laterally.