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Loose and Saggy Upper Abdomen After Tummy Tuck

I had a full Tummy Tuck 6 months ago. After the procedure, my surgeon told me that since my belly button was 'high' to begin with, he was able to leave it intact after the Tummy Tuck. My fear is that this really translates into, "I didn't remove as much skin as I should have." I now have a taut lower abdomen, but the entire area above my navel is loose and saggy. Last week, my surgeon performed laser skin tightening on my upper abdomen (his solution). I am not at all convinced that this will remedy the problem. Is this a normal result, or am I right to have expected better? I am not overweight and I have done regular abdominal workouts both pre and post surgery. Thank you!

Asked 38 months ago by siouxmac in Rhode Island

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sagging complication loose

A mini-tummy tuck does not tighten the upper abdomen

It seems that at your initial procedure you only had a mini-tummy tuck. if you did not have an incision around your umbilicus, then the upper abdomen was most likely not touched- muscle was not tightened and the excess skin was not removed. I don't beleive that laser tightening is going to give you the same tighening of the upper abdominal skin as a full tummy tuck would have accomplished. Unfortuantely, you might eventually have to have a full abdominoplasty and not a mini-tummy tuck.... more

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S. Sean Younai, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

I hope your laser treatments are at no charge

Dear Sioux, You are far from overweight. The two pieces of information you have left out are your age and whether or not you had full term pregnancies. If you are over 50 or have had pregnancies it is highly unlikely that your skin is going to contract even with the laser treatments. Also, if either of these is the case, it is difficult to understand why your surgeon only did a mini abdominoplasty. Did you restrict him/her in any way, e.g. "I don't want a long scar" or "I... more

Kenneth R. Francis, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

You only had a mini tummy tuck and the upper abdomen wasn't addressed

When a patient comes in for abdominal improvement, there are basically 3 options for them: 1. Liposuction - this only removes fat and doesn't tighten muscles or remove excess skin. It is limited to those patients who would benefit only from this and have good skin elasticity. This would not appear to be what you needed. 2. A mini tummy tuck - this procedure only addresses the lower abdomen and tightens the muscles below the belly button and removes a small amount of skin. The muscles... more

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS

Seattle Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Mini vs typical abdominoplasty

A mini abdominoplasty (where there is no incision around your belly button) will not address significant skin excess in the upper abdomen. The dissection of a mini goes to about the level of the belly button, pulling the skin inferior to the belly button tight. It is usually not effective in addressing upper abdominal skin. You may have limited options in the short term as there may not be enough skin for a full abdominoplasty at this point. However, time may help both the appearance of... more

Steven H. Williams, MD

San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Mini vs. full tummy tuck

First, some clarification on terminology: It looks like what you had was a version of a mini-abdominoplasty, with the umbilicus (belly button) relocated to a lower position. This is actually a common procedure but isn't a "full" abdominoplasty. If you were to have the full version, there would be a scar around the umbi, and more tightening of the upper abdominal skin, but because you had a high umbi to begin with it would likely not have been possible to remove all of the skin... more

Richard Baxter, MD

Seattle Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Mini Tummy Tuck is NO substitute for a Full Tummy Tuck

As a 43 year old woman with a history of 3 full term pregnancies you should have had a "full" Tummy Tuck / Abdominoplasty. It is clear from the length of the scar (right sided dog ear included), the appearance of the belly button and the loose skin above the umbilicus that you had a Mini- tummy tuck where only the infra-umbilical abdomen was addressed. In my opinion had you had a full tummy tuck your result would have been significantly better. I am sure that my colleagues share... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD

Memphis Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

No nonsurgical solution will help

The photograph indicates that your surgeon performed a mini abdominoplasty. This removes only the portion of tissue below the belly button. All belly buttons are located in essentially the same place and your surgeons explanation that it was "too high" is concerning. I often perform this surgery with full abdominal liposuction when there is not enough skin/fat to be removed. However, I explain that there may be an excess of skin in the upper umbilical, belly button, region. ... more

Christopher L. Hess, MD

Fairfax Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Stay the course and give it time…you are only a few days since your tummy tuck revision!

Thank you for your question. Stay the course and give it time…you are only a few days since your tummy tuck revision. A standard tummy tuck corrects three tissue layers of the abdominal wall: loose skin, excessive fat, and separated abdominal wall muscles. Typically, the tightest and flattest abdomen is seen following a tummy tuck procedure. The procedure you underwent was not a standard or formal tummy tuck but rather a shortened variation of one, termed a mini-tummy tuck. ... more

Stephen A. Goldstein, MD

Denver Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Tummy Tuck - Full vs Mini

If there is no scar around your belly button then skin was only removed from the lower abdomen. Your belly button may have been disconnected from its fascial attachment. Laser tightening is likely to be effective. You may need a revisionary surgery.

Leo Keegan, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Need a full Tummy Tuck

Loose skin above the umbilicus requires a full tummy tuck. Skin tightening with lasers wil give about 15-20% improvement, so best for patients with very mild sagging.

Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Straighten out the belly button as well with a full tummy tuck

I agree with what everyone else has said, the mini-tuck is only for excess skin below the belly button. In order to get adequate pull on the upper abdomen, you must perform an umbilical float (never enough) or a full tummy tuck.

Robert M. Freund, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

You did not have a "full" tummy tuck.

To siouxmac, Hi. Your surgeon may have had good reasons for limiting the surgery to the lower abdomen. But you cannot tighten the skin of the upper abdomen while leaving the belly button undisturbed. I have had a couple of patients who only wanted a lower (or "mini") abdominoplasty (shorter scar, quicker recovery, etc.). They ended up looking somewhat like you. I had to reoperate and do a real full abdominoplasty on these patients.