I Would Like to Know when a Partial Abdominoplasty is Indicated and What Are the Benefits?

I am having abdominoplasty this year as I have loose skin and need a muscle repair after several pregnancies. My surgeon recommended a partial abdominoplasty for me as my loose skin is below my belly button and my upper abdomen is mostly flat and the the skin is quite taut. He said that sometimes when there is not much, or any, loose skin above the belly button, that you cannot pull the skin down low enough and end up with a higher than optimal scar. What are the pros and cons of a partial? Thx!

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7 Doctor Answers | Asked by kricket88 in Canada

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Abdominoplasty

The miniabdominoplasty is usually indicated when there is some at and weakness in the abdominal wall but very little excess skin. There are not a lot of people at are good candidates for this procedure

Will a mini tummy tuck be the appropriate procedure for correcting abdominal deformity?

A mini-tummy tuck can be performed and is a good procedure in a relatively small percentage of patients. If there is no skin laxity, protrusion of the abdomen or significant separation of the rectus muscles above the umbilicus, this "limited" procedure can be considered. This sounds somewhat similar to your situation though only an examination would confrim or refute this. You may want to obtain 1 or more additional consultations from board certified plastic surgeons and then... more

Mini vs full abdominoplasty

A mini-tummy tuck is not a common procedure in my practice. There are very rare patients that are good candidates for this procedure. The advantages of the mini-tummy tuck include a shorter scar and faster recovery. However, if there is any loose skin or decreased muscle tone above the belly button, it will not be addressed. Concerns over a too high scar can always be corrected. A better option is to have a short vertical scar in the mid-line if your upper... more

Partial (Mini) abdominoplasty is very seldom a good idea.

Hi. 1) Too often you end up with disproportion between the upper and the lower abdomen. There is usually more loose upper abdominal skin than is apparent. 2) The solution is not to do a full tummy tuck with a higher scar. The scar must be low. 3) The solution is to do a full abdominoplasty with a low scar, and accept a short up and down scar in your mid line, slightly above the long horizontal scar.. This vertical scar comes from the incision... more

Most times a full tummy tuck is needed rather than a mini

In my experience, far less that 5% of the time a mini TT is appropriate (although 100% of the time it is what you want to think you need because it is "mini"). This is because it does nothing for the upper abdomen and it is a rare patient who has no loose skin or muscle laxity above the umbilicus.

"mini" or full abdominoplasty

A "mini" or partial abdominoplasty is a great option for women with loose and excess skin on the lower abdomen, who retain more normal skin tone and quality on the upper abdomen. This difference in the surgery is that in the full abdominoplasty, an incision is made around the belly button and the skin is pulled tightly down from the top. Most women benefit from this as it improves to tone of the skin on the upper abdomen as well as the... more

Partial Abdominoplasty

Mini tummy tuck is similar to an abdominoplasty except a shorter incision is used. This procedure is beneficial for patients with excess skin and fat that is limited to the lower abdomen below the naval. Liposuction is often added to achieve the best possible contour. After surgery, there will be some degree of bruising and swelling. A small plastic drain may be in place and is removed within several days. A compressive, post-surgical garment is worn for several weeks. Most patients... more