Mini Tummy Tuck Less Painful Than a Full Tummy Tuck?

Both procedures are designed to remove excess skin and fatty tissue from the abdomen and to tighten muscles of the abdominal wall. The full abdominoplasty targets the upper, middle and lower part of the abdomen.
Mini tummy tuck is ideal for people who have excessive fat between belly button and pubic bone. Bulging in this area is due to accumulation of excess of fatty tissue, as well as flaccidity of the lower stomach muscles. The recovery time and the level of discomfort after the surgery would be similar in both cases; it takes about a week to go back to daily activities.
Usually, both surgeries are combined with liposuction, which allows better body contouring and better final results. During the consultation ask your plastic surgeon what is the best option for your body type. Both surgeries are best being performed under the general anesthesia or deep sedation.

Mini-abdominoplasty tightens the lower abdominal wall muscles and removes redundant skin below the umbilicus, belly button, only. The shortest scar technique leaves a scar at the pubic hair line. Liposuction may be used alone or in conjunction with a tummy tuck to benefit selected patients
‘Mini” tummy tucks can benefit patients who have a small amount of excess skin and fat or protruding of the lower abdomen. This operation may be done under local anesthesia with sedation, on an outpatient basis. Liposuction may be used alone or in conjunction with a tummy tuck to benefit selected patients.
‘Mini” tummy tucks can benefit patients who have a small amount of excess skin and fat or protruding of the lower abdomen (below the belly button). This operation may be done under local anesthesia with sedation, on an outpatient basis. Liposuction may be used alone or in conjunction with a tummy tuck to benefit selected patients.
Far more important than deciding if a mini tummy tuck is for you is the skill and experience of your plastic surgeon. Choose your surgeon rather than the technique and let him explain why one technique may be better than another and if you need a tummy tuck. Many board certified plastic surgeons provide a free first time consult and you should take advantage of that!
See the below link on some suggestions on finding the most qualified Plastic Surgeon for you!
I have also attached a video for a possible Tummy Tuck Candidate. 

Hello! Thank you for your question! I hope that these answers help!
Tummy tuck is an excellent method for shaping the belly and create a
flatter and sculpted abdomen after the procedure. This procedure will remove the excess skin/soft tissue of your lower
abdomen and contour the areas of your belly. Also, abdominal wall
tightening may optimize your result. Stretch marks to the level of your
umbilicus will also be excised. Also, a continued healthy and active
lifestyle prior to the procedure and afterwards is recommended in order to maintain the benefits that the
procedure has given to you. Once you are ready for the
procedure, I would likely recommend a full tummy tuck with abdominal
wall tightening. This would remove the excess skin/soft tissue
and stretch marks while contouring your belly. The mini tummy tuck has
limited usefulness and limited candidates as it truly only addresses
excess skin in a small area above your pubis. It will not address your
abdominal wall and the tightening of such, frequently needed to achieve a shapely abdominal wall. While the recovery
time
is shorter, the benefits afforded to you by a full tummy tuck are much
greater and will optimize your result.  I think that the results will vastly be improved with this procedure over a mini tummy tuck and is worth the extra cost, recovery time, slightly longer incision, and pain that go along with it.  You should consult with a
board-certified plastic surgeon well-versed in body contouring
procedures at anytime to go over options to assist you in deciding
which procedure(s) would be right for you. Best wishes!

Yes, a mini TT is less painful than a full TT. A mini tummy tuck has a shorter scar, there is less undermining, and recovery time is much less.

A mini tummy tuck may be less painful due to a less agressive muscle repair but the results may also be less impressive for the same reasons. IT does not necessarily mean a shorter scar.

Typically there is only minor discomfort with a mini tummy tuck, as there is very little work done on the abdominal wall.  In our practice we strive to limit amount of pain even in a full tummy tuck.  To achieve this one needs impeccable surgical technique, long acting numbing medicine infiltration and pain pumps.  Make sure your surgeon discusses with you the optimum approach, as each tummy tuck needs to be individualized for optimum outcome.

Mini tummy tucks are less invasive than a traditional abdominoplasty. I perform a Santa Monica Tummy Tuck which incorporates a well hidden, low lying scar across the lower abdomen. The key question is really not the level of pain post-operatively, but more importantly, the right surgery for your anatomic concerns.

Most of the discomfort from a tummy tuck relates to the tightening (aka plication) of the abdominal muscles. Usually with a mini-tummy tuck, the muscle is only tightened below the belly button versus a full tummy tuck, which tightens the muscle from the rib cage to the pubic bone. However, both can be painful.

In general, most of us define a mini-tummy tuck as a procedure which addresses the abdomen from the belly button down, usually with some tightening of the muscles and removal of excess skin. Some surgeons, however, will only remove skin in this procedure, leaving any bulge that you may have due to loose muscle behind and therefore not really changing the contour of your abdomen.
It's important for your surgeon to explain exactly what his plans are for your procedure and why he would recommend one procedure over another. If your belly needs to be flattened above your belly button, than a standard tummy tuck is the way to go. The discomfort is perhaps a little worse early on, but in the long run it would give you a better chance at the result you're looking for.
Good luck!
Dr. Salemy

Just because the procedure is called "mini," don't be fooled. The incision is the same length, but the results are inferior. You need to be examined by an experienced surgeon to make the determination of which procedure is best for you. The recovery is longer from a full tuck because more surgery is done underneath the skin (the muscles are tightened). However, the results are superior. Good luck with your surgery.