Ab etching is a liposculpture technique, which falls under the liposuction umbrella. Simply put, it is a procedure that thins your layer of stomach fat. Ab etching happens right beneath the skin and involves sucking out the fat around your abdominal muscular structure and then sculpting abs along their natural contours. It’s an invasive procedure that takes about one to two hours on the operating table with "final" results seen anywhere from 3 - 6 months post-op.