Phoenix Mini Tummy Tuck doctors

The most obvious difference between a mini tummy tuck and a full tummy tuck is that the duration is less therefore less anesthesia is required. This could also impact certain risks as well as the amount of recovery time. However, the right procedure should be done based on the anatomical deformity as compared to the duration of the surgery (within reason) except for rare exceptions.

Both procedures are most commonly performed under general anesthesia though both can be performed with sedation or spinal which are not the best choices. A mini tummy tuck performed without muscle repair would be more tolerable with just local or local with sedation as compared to a full tummy tuck (which one wouldn't perform only using local). 

Mini tummy tucks are performed on individuals who have fairly tight muscle with smooth upper abdominal skin but have loose skin below the naval.  A shorter incision is made just above the pubis and a horizontal ellipse of skin is removed below the naval.  All tissues above and including the naval are left in place.  Patients with stretched muscle and loose skin above the naval will require a full tummy tuck.
 

You will have scars both with a mini tummy tuck and a tummy tuck with the latter being signficantly longer. The real issue is, however, which of the two procedures would be best for you. To have the wrong procedure performed just to have a shorter scar would be an imprudent choice.