Am I a candidate to a Mini or Scarless Tummy Tuck with Lipo? (Photo)

Thanks for your inquiry and pictures, I would advice liposuction alone as you have too much skin and it it does not address the diastasis. A for a mini-tuck it can only address the lower diastasis and would see pooching above the umbilicus. My recommendation would be to do a full tummy tuck and some liposuction on the love handles. The scar can be placed low and there are many great scar treatment strategies available, please seek the opinion of an experienced board certified surgeon to discuss., best of luck.

Your photos suggest that you will achieve improvement with a mini tummy tuck and liposuction, but you would have a better outcome with a standard procedure. The later will allow for a greater skin resection and the ability to tighten or plicate your stomach muscles.

In my experience, many patients avoid full tummy tuck and its scar with Vaser ultrasound liposuction. Especially with good muscle tone.

This will remove stubborn fat and tighten skin in majority of cases, avoiding additional procedures.

Noninvasives such as Cool Sculpting have limited results.

An exam and consultation with a plastic surgeon who performs these procedures is recommended to confirm you are a candidate as well as discuss your options and expectations.

Thank you for your inquiry! By your photos, it looks like you would be a great candidate for an abdominoplasty procedure to get rid of excess skin. The only difference in a mini vs a full abdominoplasty is how long the incision is. A mini tummy tuck is going to have a smaller incision than a full tummy tuck. Muscle repair, removal of excess skin, and liposuction are all included with both a mini and a full tummy tuck. I recommend scheduling a consult appointment with a board certified plastic surgeon like myself so we can create a surgical plan that is best for you and your goals!

You will definitely need skin excision to maximally rejuvenate your tummy. There is no laser or non-invasive modalities that take care of loose body skin despite the many expensive machines that are offered in the market. Liposuction with a mini-tummy tuck will make a dramatic difference and I would not hesitate to offer. This is done with local tumescent anesthesia and an oral cocktail of pills so you do not have to go asleep, no drains and a very reasonable recovery with return to work in 3-5 days. This is an excellent option for you. Thank you.

Dear LoveUBody,
based on your photos, you look like a good candidate for a TT. Full tummy tuck should tighten your abdominal muscles and remove the excess skin. Flanks liposuction would give you a better shape. I would suggest you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon because only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MDCertified, American Board of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Thanks for your question! I would only consider a full tummy tuck on you. Anything else will leave you with loose skin. Good luck!

You have a lot of skin and excess you need a tummy tuck to remove all that skin and also repair the abdominal muscles, you can see how far the excess skin goes to that point a tummy tuck must go to give a good result

Hello LoveUBody,

Thank you for your inquiry and for sharing your background information. After considering your situation – being 50 years old, having had two pregnancies, including one with twins, and your current weight loss journey – it sounds like you would be an excellent candidate for a tummy tuck combined with liposuction of the love handles/flanks.

While your hesitation regarding the hip-to-hip scar associated with a full tummy tuck is understandable, it's important to consider the comprehensive benefits this procedure offers, especially in terms of addressing excess skin. Given your history of pregnancies and significant weight loss, you likely have a degree of skin laxity that purely liposuction or minimally invasive techniques might not sufficiently address. Liposuction alone, particularly in the abdominal area, could result in further sagging of the skin.

A mini tummy tuck or a scarless tummy tuck, while less invasive, are typically more suited for individuals with minimal skin excess and good skin elasticity. Based on your description, these procedures might not fully meet your needs in terms of achieving a smoother, tighter abdominal contour.

A full tummy tuck, on the other hand, not only removes excess skin but also tightens the abdominal muscles if necessary. When combined with liposuction of the flanks, it can significantly enhance your waistline and overall body contour. The resulting scar, while more extensive, is generally positioned in a way that can be concealed by underwear or a swimsuit.

I recommend scheduling a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon to discuss your options in more detail. They can provide a thorough assessment and help you understand what results to expect from each procedure, including the trade-offs between scar length and the degree of contouring improvement.

I hope this helps you clarify whether you'd be a good candidate for a tummy tuck. I wish you the best of luck.

Sincerely, Dr. Katzen

Based on your photos you have a small overhang which would only be improved with a standard tummy tuck. It would help to tighten or plicate your abdominal muscles.