Pictures of Tummy Tuck Without Muscle Tightening?

Thank you for the question.

Unfortunately,  it is not likely that you will find pictures  of tummy tuck  without muscle plication  done by well experienced board-certified plastic surgeons.  As you said, the result would be “sub optimal” and not a result that the surgeon would be proud of or wish to display.

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 musculature is addressed below the umbilicus leaving the upper number wall potentially lax. The appearance of the umbilicus is not necessarily addressed sufficiently.
For most patients who have had pregnancies and/or weight loss a full abdominoplasty is necessary to achieve the desired results. Of course, there are downsides (including a longer scar and probably a longer recovery time) but for most patients the benefits outweigh the downsides. It is not unusual to see patients who've had mini tummy tuck  surgery present for  revisionary surgery.
It is important  for patients seeking abdominal contouring surgery to work with a well experienced board-certified plastic surgeon to obtain advice (based on good ethics and judgment) to  improve  their chances of a successful outcome and minimize the need for further surgery.


I hope this helps.

To reiterate what some of my colleagues have said: removal of skin alone does constitute a panniculectomy; the need for muscle repair can be assessed on physical exam, but this is part of a true mini- or full tummy-tuck; it's your belly and your choice, but you have to understand the anticipated results with each procedure.

Also, if you have an isolated panniculectomy, local anesthesia may suffice without any IV sedation or general anesthesia.

Of course a formal consultation is required to determine your best option. Second opinions can also have clarify complex issues. Good luck.

In answer to your question, "Does anybody have pictures of females who chose tummy tuck (mini or full) WITHOUT muscle tightening? Even better if the pictures are of women after pregnancy who decided not to have them tightened. I am considering a mini (I do not want a full) and I do not want my muscles tightened. I don't care if it's a "sub optimal" result in the eyes of the plastic surgeon. I mainly just want to get rid of the pouch of fat and some of the skin with as little invasiveness as possible..."

I would completely agree with Dr. Aldea... It is very important that you understand that while the procedure you describe may sound like a good idea to you at this time, it is also highly predictable that it will give you not just a "suboptimal" result, but a wierd looking one.

Let me put it to you this way- if a surgeon gave you exactly what you wanted, but the appearance of your abdomen drew the wrong kind of attention from everyone who saw you, would you be happy? Probably not. You would probably even blame your surgeon for your strange and unattractive appearance, completely forgetting that you yourself asked for the modification in the procedure that resulted in the strange appearance. 

The primary reason you don't see lots of photos of women who have had such a procedure is that even if a few of us have been misguided enough to agree to the performance of such a procedure, its outcome would not be something we would want others to see and judge our work by...

While I recognize that it is not what you were hoping to hear, I hope that you take it to heart and consider your options very carefully. Your long term happiness with your plastic surgery experience will undoubtedly be greater if you wait until you are ready (financially, emotionally, and from a recovery perspective) to have a procedure that will predictably result in a beautiful appearance.