How Will Mini or Full Tummy Tuck Affect my Tattoo?

asked 2 years ago by olliepop1 in southern indiana
Latest answer by Robert L. Kraft, MD
Question viewed 33,065 times
Tags: age 18-24, female, belly, pregnancy, tattoo

Should I get a mini or Full Tummy Tuck and what will it do to my tattoos. I'm 18 and just had a little boy. I gained 55lbs during my pregnancy and have lost all but 10lbs and now have a flab of skin that I can't get rid of.

I just want to look like I use to and am not sure if I could get by with a mini or need a full to fix my sagging belly button. I also have a very large tattoo on my stomach and would like to know if it would completely removed by it or how much of it will be left if not.

11 answers to How Will Mini or Full Tummy Tuck Affect my Tattoo?

At 18, you should wait for a tummy tuck

Tummy tucks (full or minis) should only be done when you are completely done having children. At that time, you will need a full tummy tuck and most, but not all, of your tattoo will be removed and you will need to re-do what's left.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Full tummy tuck

It looks like you need a full tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) to get the best result. A majority of your tattoo will be excised (removed) with the surgery. The works will still be in place, but most of the image will be gone. Also, the words will be stretched down toward your waist and your belly button will end up above the words. If you want to come to NYC for your surgery, I think it would be an interesting case and, assuming you are a good surgical candidate, you should get excellent... more

David Shafer, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

www.ShaferPlasticSurgery.com

Effect of tummy tuck on tattoo

A tummy tuck will certainly affect the tattoo. Part of it would be cut out and the section above the navel will be pulled downward. So, in sum, there will be less of it. I recommend that you delay having surgery until you have completed childbearing. When you do see a plastic surgeon, inquire as to the outcome vis a vis your tattoo. You can then discuss how to modify the remaining tattoo to be aesthetically pleasing for you in a different form.

Robert L. Kraft, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

Tummy Tuck and Tattoos

You are still young, and likely will have more children. If you do, you will stretch out again. Most plastic surgeons would recommend that you wait until you are done with childbearing because it is not easy to do a secondary Tummy Tuck and get good results. Having said that, I would bet with a full tummy tuck, you could get rid of all but the writing portion above.

Scott E. Kasden, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Full Tummy tuck and Tattoo

If you are done having children, a Full Tummy Tuck will give you the BEST result ; a tighter body than you had before your pregnancy(ies), it will flatten your tummy, bring the separated six pack muscles together, narrow your waist, remove the loose skin between the belly button and the Mons pubis (including that part of the ink off) and lift a potentially droopy mons pubis up. As regards your Tattoo - While the art will go, the Mis-spelled (Vivre pour le Moment) will remain but move closer... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) and tattoo

I'm sure you are aware of the phrase on your abdomen which translated means live for the moment or in other words Carpe Diem. As an 18 year old, you have many decisions to make now that you are a parent. One is the choice of having more children in the near future. If the answer is yes, you may want to put off any treatment at this point because it will be undone. No-one can take you back to the way you looked prior to pregnancy. However, your options for treating the loose skin are most... more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Tummy Tuck with Tattoo

With a full abdominoplasty, most, if not all, of the tattoo below your belly button would be removed and the portion of the tattoo above your belly button would be transferred to your lower abdomen. Less of the tattoo would be removed with a mini tummy tuck, but it would still remove a significant portion. You would get a better overall result with a full tummy tuck.

John Whitt, MD
Louisville Plastic Surgeon

Say goodbye to your tattoo with tummy tuck

From the single photograph that you included in your posting- you have skin laxity above and below your umbilicus, and a transverse orientation to your umbilicus. I'd imagine that you also have some laxity to your abdominal wall as well. I'd recommend that you have a 'full' abdominoplasty for the best cosmetic result. A large portion, possibly 100% of the graphic tattoo you have below your umbilicus will be removed. The text tattoo you have will be transferred down to your lower abdomen. It... more

Scott Sattler, MD
Bellevue Plastic Surgeon

Tattoo and tummy tuck

You are best treated with a full tummy tuck but make sure you are finished having pregnancies. Most, if not all, of the tattoo below the belly button will be gone. I would not recommend a mini, it will not make much difference.

John P. Stratis, MD
Harrisburg Plastic Surgeon

You would need a full tummy tuck, from your picture

You would need to be seen and examined for an accurate opinion, but my guess from the picture is that you would need a full tummy tuck. This would involve removal of a football-shaped area of skin from hip to hip and from the belly button to just above the pubic area. Unfortunately it would not remove the entire tattoo, but about 80% of it. The parts lateral to the belly button would remain but they would be pulled down to the lower abdomen.