Mini Tummy Tuck Primarily for Stretch Marks - Am I a Candidate?

I've heard that very few women are good candidates for a mini tummy tuck. That being said, I am 30 years old, 5'3" and 122lbs. I am in pretty good shape and exercise often.

I gained nearly 50 lbs during my pregnancy 10 years ago and I HATE....I repeat....HATE my stretch marks. While I do have some loose skin, it's not to the point that it's saggy or wrinkly. Overall, I'm mostly unhappy with my stretch marks. Any thoughts?

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age 25-34 stretch marks weight gain female 5 ft 0 in to 5 ft 3 in 110-129 lbs candidate exercise

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10 Doctor Answers | Asked by xSarax in orlando,fl

Doctor Answers (10)
Community Comments (0)

Mini tummy tuck usually yields a mini result

You appear to have loose abdominal muscles and stretch marks above your belly button - I think a mini tummy tuck might not be the best operation for you. Consider a standard abdominoplasty - you'll be much happier with the long-term result.

Removing stretch marks

Overall, your tummy is in good shape. As the stretch marks extend up to the belly button, a mini tummy tuck will not be able to remove most of them. There will be some improvement in the overall appearance because of the tautness of the skin, but I have a feeling that you won't be satisfied with that. A full tummy tuck is the only way to remove all the skin up to the belly button, but in absence of much laxity in the skin, the surgeon will struggle to bring the skin edge from above the... more

Anindya Lahiri, MBBS

4 reviews

Birmingham Plastic Surgeon

Full tummy tuck to remove these stretch marks.

Thank you for your question and the photos. From your pictures, the stretch marks extend above the level of you belly button. The only effective treatment for them is removal, and thus your best option is a full tummy tuck. It is important to know that even with a full tummy tuck, you may still have a few stretch marks remaining. In some women, there is not enough laxity in the upper skin to perform a full tummy tuck, even if that is what is necessary to remove all of the stretch marks. I... more

David Bogue, MD

6 reviews

Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon

www.drbogue.com

Stretch marks and tummy tuck

Since the stretch marks go up to above the belly button, a full tummy tuck will be most appropriate to remove most of them. This would involve making a new belly button. The decision to tighten the muscle depends on how much discomfort, downtime or risk you are willing to accept.

Mini tummy tuck for stretch marks. Possible?

Thank you for the photos. I think you have some loose skin and the stretch marks seem to go up to your belly button. A full tummy tuck with plication of the muscles would afford you a better result. Please seek out a board certified plastic surgeon.

Mini vs full tummy tuck

Hello Sara. Based on your photos, your abdomen seems to be in pretty good shape for having gained 50 pounds and being pregnant. Mini tummy tucks only treat loose skin and muscles below the belly button, and can only remove the lower stretch marks above the pubic area. For these reasons, a mini tummy tuck may not be the best option for you. I advise you to visit with at least one board certified plastic surgeon to discuss your situation in more detail. I hope this helps and... more

Mini-tuck can address stretch marks below the umbilicus

You do have stretch marks above the BB, but most of them are below. I think you are a borderline case and it might be possible to alleviate some of your concerns with the mini-tuck. I think you will find, however, that you will get a much better overall result from the full abdominoplasty and that, once you have made a decision for surgery, it is worth exploring all of your options before going forward. Good luck.

Depends on your abdominal skin laxity

As you may know there are no medical treatments for stretchmarks. So the only way to get rid of them is to "cut them out". Of course, the maximum amount of skin is removed during a full tummy tuck (all the skin from the belly button to the pubic hairline). With a mini tuck, the maximum amount of skin that can be removed is at the most half as much as a full tuck. Therefore, to maximize the amount of skin (and thus stretchmarks) depends on if you have enough... more

Mini Tummy Tuck

A mini TT will remove stretch marks provided they are well below your BB. If they are above the BB, then you need to have the full TT. A mini is just not enough.

Mini or full tummy tuck?

Be careful- unless the correct diagnosis and treatment plan is designed you may be dissatisfied with the end results of your surgery. 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... more