Should I Get Full or Mini Tummy Tuck? (Photos)

I am 47 years old, I have had 4 children all natural childbirth. I have recently lost close to 30 lbs and now weigh 114 and I am 5'2" tall. I have this pooch just below my belly button. I also have stretch marks and my belly button kinda sinks in. My biggest objective with a tummy tuck is to have a flatter stomach. Do you think a full tummy tuck or mini would reach that goal?

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7 Doctor Answers | Asked by sbuch68 in North Texas

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Mini- VS. Full Tummy Tuck - how to decide?

Consider for a minute what a full term pregnancy does to a woman's body. The expanding uterus expands rapidly from a pear size organ deep in the pelvis to a large watermelon size organ which pushes the intestines, the diaphragm and even narrows the ability of the lungs to expand. As this takes place the abdominal muscles and overlying skin are permanently stretched creating cracks in the skin - the so-called stretch marks. As the muscle stretching takes place, a permanent... more

Mini vs Full tummy tuck - pros and cons

A mini tummy tuck and full tummy tuck both require a scar in the bikini line. The length of the incision really depends on the degree of skin laxity. A good candidate for the mini is if you have a small degree of laxity beneath the belly button and your a pretty happy with your upper abdominal contour. You can certainly add liposuction or laser liposuction to further enhance your results. Also beware that the mini will give your belly button a more stretched and... more

Full tummy tuck

I think from the photos you need full tummy tuck. Although an exam is ciritical. Usually a mini tummy tuck involves some form of liposuction,m tightening muscles in the lower abdomen and some skin excision. I prefer a full tummy tuck because the mini does not treat the upper abdomen.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Mini versus full tummy tuck

A mini tummy tuck can vary considerably from surgeon to surgeon so you need to discuss carefully with your surgeon what is involved. In general a mini tummy tuck removes skin and fullness below the belly button. It also tends to pull the belly button a little lower. If you are happy with your upper abdomen and don't mind your belly button being lower (and it does look like you belly button is relatively high), then you may be happy with a mini. If you want correction of your upper... more

Mini vs. full tummy tuck

The amount of laxity both to the skin and the supporting muscles below the skin should be looked at before a decision is made concerning mini or full abdominoplasty. The photos that you have shown and your history for several pregnancies would best be corrected by a full tummy tuck. This will give you firm muscle supprt both above and below the umbilicus which you need.Recovery time is not signicantly altered when comparing the full to the mini tummy tuck... more

Mini or full tummy tuck?

Thank you for the question and pictures. I think you will be much better off with the standard tummy tuck procedure. In my opinion, the mini tummy talk is an operation that produces very limited results and is very rarely indicated. It involves a shorter incision but does not address the majority of the abdominal wall issues present for most patients who present consultation. For example, the area of skin excised is quite small. The abdominal wall musculature... more

Should I Get Full or Mini Tummy Tuck? (Photos)

Mini procedure equals mini result. Patients tend to be much more concerned with scars before surgery than after. A mini-abdominoplasty in your case will leave you with looseness of your skin and muscles that you will not be happy with. You will obtain a much better result with a full abdominoplasty, even if it means a longer scar. As long as you get the result you're after you will have no problems with the final scar. Good luck! more