Tummy Tuck: Q&A

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Full Tummy Tuck Vs. Mini Tummy Tuck Recovery?

For a person who has an option of doing the full tummy tuck or the mini, how much worse is the recovery if you go with the full tuck??? Seems like it would be logical to do the full route if the mini tuck is about the about same in recovery. Thoughts? Thanks!!!

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6 Doctor Answers | Asked by AndiP in Pennsylvania

Doctor Answers (6)
Community Comments (1)

Full tummy tuck vs. mini--recovery is similar for both!

I do very few mini tummy tucks, because most patients are not a good candidate and really need the full tummy tuck to achieve their goals. These goals are: tightening of the stretched or widened abdominal muscles, removal and tightening of excess, loose, wrinkled, or stretch-marked abdominal skin (smooth from breast bone to pubic area), and the best (least visible) scar in the bikini line and around an improved belly button. Hernia fixed if present. Lipo on hips if needed. Quick recovery.... more

Full versus Mini Tummy Tuck

Hello AndiP, The amount of discomfort and the length of recovery is based mostly on whether muscle plication was performed during the procedure in question. Length of skin incisions or how much skin is removed does not affect recovery time. Although rare, 'mini' tummy tucks can also incorporate muscle plication, thereby making them roughly equal to full tummy tucks in terms of discomfort and recovery. You certainly don't want to pick a 'mini'... more

Full tummy tuck and mini tummy tucks are almost the same recovery

The difference between the recovery from a full tummy tuck and a mini is not enough to justify not doing the full if it will be giving you the better result. Mini's are rare because most patients have some laxity of skin and or muscle above the umbilicus and minis don't touch those areas and can even make them look worse.

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Our full tucks are off work for 2 weeks and then return. Our minis are off a week or less. Thank you for your question and good luck with everything.

Mini vs Full tummy tuck

The vast majority of my patients need a full tummy tuck becasue they have a diastasis of the recti muscles( sepration of the abdominal muscles) and alo of extra skin. The insision, which is located in the bikini line, varies depending upon the extent of the loose skin. A mini tuck is unommon and is used in the special situation where the skin excess is limited and where musce repair is either not needed is or minimal. Sine the recovery period is not that much diferent for the 2... more

Tummy tuck choices

The answer is, "it depends". Mini tucks may involve more or less. For example the muscle separation may or may not be repaired at the same time. Liposuction may or may not be involved. If you truly are a good candidate for a full tummy tuck, you will probably be happier with its results. You might be better off taking the time to do the best job.

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Comments (1)

Linda58
30 Jan 2013

EVERYONE has the option of doing a full tummy tuck or a mini-tummy tuck. Everyone also has the option of not doing anything at all. Your abdominal muscles are either stretched out from multiple pregnancies or they're not stretched out and maybe you just have very loose skin due to extreme weight loss. If your abdominal muscles are stretched out and you don't have muscle repair, you will inevitably be disappointed with the results of a mini-tummy tuck. No, the recovery from the two different procedures is NOT "about the same." Muscle repair is very painful. DO NOT HAVE IT DONE UNLESS YOUR PLASTIC SURGEON INSTALLS A PAIN PUMP. A pain pump bathes the abdominal region with numbing agent for about 3 days. I also took Vicodin (one pill every 5 hours, sometimes 2) for about 6 days post-op. Many years ago, before pain pumps, back when plastic surgery were rare, patients who'd had a tummy tuck were hospitalized for days with a morphine drip for muscle repair pain.

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