Tummy Tuck Q&A

94%

WORTH IT RATING

2,299 Reviews

Ask a Question

View Before and Afters

Average Tummy Tuck Cost: $7,925

Learn about Tummy Tuck

7,725 people and 863 doctors are talking about Tummy Tuck

Get Free Email Updates

Full or Mini Tummy Tuck W/ Liposuction? (photo)

asked 7 months ago by coral777 in Miami, FL
Latest answer by David Bogue, MD
Question viewed 327 times
Tags: candidate, mini

after the baby i was able to return to pre weight at 123. unfortunately, i was left with this pouch and some loose skin. i have been to a surgeon and was given the option of either the full or mini-tuck with liposuction of the upper abdomen and flanks. as baby is 16 months down time is a factor so I was leaning towards the mini. However after seeing some pics on here (hopefully my case is not as bad as what I saw) now I'm afraid that I may still have remaining loose skin. Your opinion?

22 answers to Full or Mini Tummy Tuck W/ Liposuction? (photo)

Lipo or a mini tummy tuck - in your case stay AWAY from a full tummy tuck

Thank you for your post and your photos! Congratulations on your baby! You are a wonderful candidate for abdominal recontouring. I would say that you are a great candidate either for lipo (there are many different flavors) or a mini tummy tuck. I would be able to recommend one over the other after an exam where we evaluate your skin, fat, and the condition of your muscles. Your best bet is to be evaluated by a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who has a lot of experience in... more

B. Pat Pazmino, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

www.miamiaesthetic.com

Mini tummy tuck or full

From what I can see from your pictures I would say that you would be a good candidate for a mini tummy tuck which would leave you with a smaller scar. Liposuction would also benefit you in the abdomen and flanks giving you all around body contouring. Good luck!

Fereydoon S. Mahjouri, MD
Minneapolis Plastic Surgeon

Full or Mini Tummy Tuck W/ Liposuction? (photo)

Thanks for the posted photos. You must understand over the internet it is very hard to be accurate as to recommending exactly what would be best. That is why all the expert posters are not definitive. In my opinion you are on the border of a short scar mini TT or Triplex Smart lipo + lipo, ort a combination ( I might lean toward this one if I could have done an in person examination). Best to be seen in person. Regards Dr. B, read my reviews here on REAL SELF concerning mini TT. more

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Mini vs. full tummy tuck

Thank you for your question and photos. Based on what I can see on your photos, I would not even offer you a full tummy tuck. You have a relatively high belly button and you do not appear to have that much excess skin. As a result, a full tuck would leave you with either a high scar or a vertical scar as well as a horizontal scar. It looks like you would do best with some liposuction and some kind of a mini-tuck. Please remember that this opinion is based on your photographs alone and... more

James McMahan, MD
Columbus Plastic Surgeon

Just do lipo

From your pictures, you look like an excellent candidate for a liposuction-only approach. You have good skin quality (loose, stretched-out skin demands some sort of excision) and only minimal widening of your abdominal muscles. I don't think a mini tummy tuck is the wrong answer, however I think the gains are minimal and you'll get a fairly large incision. A third option would be do a limited incision at the top of your pubic area, about 3 cm, and tighten the lower... more

Tito Vasquez, MD
Southport Plastic Surgeon

www.ctpsg.com

Mini tummy tuck will work better

You can answer the question by checking your abdominal skin at the sitting position. If you have a lot of thinned out skin in lower abdomen while in sitting position,you will get better result with mini tuck and floating the belly button.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD
New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

Yes for liposuction when skin issues are minimal

Liposuction can help improve your abdominal contour, however as we look over your photos it is hard to convince us that any abdominal scar would be worth the small improvements gained for either mini or a full tummy tuck. Our vote is for lipo alone. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd.com

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Liposuction of the stomach by itself can give you quite a bit of skin tightening.

Hi. 1) I am in the minority here. Of course it is hard to be sure just from your pictures, but it looks to me like you do not need any kind or tummy tuck. 2) With deep and superficial liposuction of the abdomen (Gasparotti technique), your skin will tighten up fine, and you are avoiding the long scar and more difficult recovery of a tummy tuck. This is particularly true for you because your skin has good elasticity. I don't see any significant... more

George J. Beraka, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Mini versus Full tummy tuck for lower abdominal laxity.

It is impossible to give an exact recommendation based simply on photos in your case. The key component of the exam is your skin tone and degree of laxity. Based purely on photos, liposuction alone is likely to improve your contour significantly. However, if your skin tone is poor, a mini abdominoplasty can help remove the stubborn excess skin. Of course, if you plan on having more children, I would recommend not having a mini-tummy tuck until you are done having kids.

David Bogue, MD
Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon

Mini vs full

Based on these photos a mini with lipo and a tightening of your muscles should give youa great result.You are young and the skin doesn't seem to be too redundant.

Robert Brueck, MD
Fort Myers Plastic Surgeon

Full or Mini Tummy Tuck

It is very difficult to answer this over the internet without the benefit of a physical exam. Based on the photos you provide, it looks like the combination of liposuction with a limited scar tummy tuck might work for you. It really depends on the elasticity of your skin which a picture can't convey. Keep in mind that very few women are good candidates for a mini-tummy tuck and recurrence of skin laxity can be common. I hope this helps.

J. Jason Wendel, MD
Nashville Plastic Surgeon

Mini Tummy Tuck Works When Changes are Only In Lower Abdomen

You are an excellent candidate for a Mini-tummy tuck with liposuction of the abdomen because you have mild bulging and loose skin below the belly button and minimal changes above the belly button that can be improved with liposuction alone. A mini-tummy tuck works best when the changes after pregnancy are just in the lower abdomen. This is often the case after the first pregnancy and possibly the second pregnancy. Mini-tummy tuck (with liposuction): Will correct loose... more

David L. Mobley, MD
Sarasota Plastic Surgeon

sarasotaplasticsurgery.com

Less is more in your situation

Hello, Since you have had only one child and you appear to be relatively young I would recommend liposuction only or with a small mini tummy tuck. You loose nothing by doing a liposuction especially if it is done properly and without overdoing it. Some of your skin will bounce back after lipo. Down the road if you have another child you will not undo the full tummy tuck results. Similarly, if you choose to undergo a full tummy tuck down the road you can do so and... more

Remus Repta, MD
Phoenix Plastic Surgeon

Mini or full tummy tuck

Thanks for your clear photos and congratulations for returning to normal weight after the birth of your child. From the pictures provided, I would suggest a mini tummy tuck with tightening of the muscles of the lower abdominal wall to flatten out the area of prominence. Your down time should be about a week. Best of luck!

Joseph N. Togba, MD
Oakland Plastic Surgeon

Does a mini tummy tuck work?

Your photo suggests that a mini tummy tuck may be useful in your case. The muscles in the lower abdomen can be approximated through a small incision. Often, a small curving incision around the upper umbilicus allows access to the lower portion of the muscles of the upper abdomen. Liposuction is helpful. Avoidance of excessive fat removal is necessary so you do not have rippling of the skin that is not stretched. Each patient must have a tailored plan specific to... more

H. Michael Roark, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Mini tuck with liposuction

Many doctors write on this site that mini tucks aren't generally suited to most patients but you are the expection. You should do well with a mini tuck and flank liposuction. If you are planning more children, you might consider holding off on surgery but otherwise the proposed operation should give you an excellent result.

Robert L. Kraft, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

Full or Mini Tummy Tuck?

From your photos you look like you woud be a good candidate for a lower or mini tummy tuck. You do not have what looks like any significant skin excess above your belly button and the BB itself looks pretty good. A mini tummy tuck would only tighten skin from the BB down. You do look like you could benefit from a muscle plication to flatten the tummy. If a mini tummy tuck is done, one must be conservative with this so that tightening the lower abdominal muscles does not... more

Robert M. Grenley, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Mini will give you what you want

This question is pretty hard to answer without doing my own exam on you. It is important to the surgeon to be able to know the thickness of your skin and depth of the fat underneath it as wellas what shape your muscles are in. But just judging from the photos you could get the skin pulled downwards, have some liposuction around the middle of your abdomen and avoid a long scar. This will not change the overall shape of your muscles but it will get rid of the extra skin and the... more

Phillip C. Haeck, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Full or mini tummy tuck

I think you would do great with a mini tummy tuck and lipo based on your photos. I wouldn't do either unless you are finished having babies. The other thing to consider is whether or not you need your muscles plicated (tightened). This can be done with either a full or a mini tuck. Your surgeon should be able to tell you whether you have a significant diastasis or not. Congrats on the weight loss and the baby!

Tiffany McCormack, MD
Reno Plastic Surgeon

www.plasticsurgeryrenotahoe.com

Mini or full tummy tuck?

Thank you for the question and pictures. You should be congratulated on your weight loss. You may be one of the few patients who has a very nice results with mini tummy tuck surgery. Ideally you would have tummy tuck surgery after completing any more pregnancies you are planning on. Accurate advice will be very dependent on direct physical examination and communicating your goals. For example, if your goal is to have as flat and abdomen as possible with essentially no... more

Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

www.poustiplasticsurgery.com

Full or Mini Tummy Tuck?

Mini. Your upper tummy skin looks pretty tight. i don't think that skin is going to make it all the way down which means that you would end up with a vertical scar somewhere below the belly button. It looks like you would get most of your improvement from the lipo.

Ronald Schuster, MD
Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

www.drschuster.com

When to consider a mini vs full tummy tuck

No one can give a definitive recommendation without a hands-on exam, but there are a few guidelines to consider. Most patients will get a better result with a full tummy tuck, but when the skin laxity is only in the lower part of the abdomen and the belly button is high (as it appears to be in the photo) then a mini could be a good option.It would be combined with liposuction if necessary, and might be done with an "umbilical float" which moves the belly button lower by about an... more