Am I a Good Candidate for a Mini- Tummy Tuck? (photo)

Question

I've had 2 children and my stomach was very tight before then. I'm a fitness instructor so i'm in shape my body fat is in the normal and my weight is fine, i just have extra skin that hangs.

Don W. Griffin, MD · Answer

In my opinion, a true mini tummy tuck with a short scar will not work for you.  The more loose skin that is present and the higher up on your abdomen the looseness extends, the longer the incision necessary to achieve a flat tummy.  This is true no matter if muscle tightening is necessary or not.

In your photos, you have skin overhang extending out farther than the length of a traditional mini tummy tuck scar.  If you try to shorten the scar length in your situation, you will likely not be happy with the result and likely will need a second surgery.  It may be possible to do a full length abdominoplasty incision, but not make an incision around your umbilicus.  It would require a personal consultation to determine if this is possible because the surgeon will have to assess how much lower your umbilicus will be positioned.

Yily De Los Santos, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question and pictures. I would recomend you to get a full tummy tuck, with liposuction for better results. If you're willing to travel, Surgeons in the Dominican Republic have experience and very high standard of excellence when it comes to plastic surgery. I'm positive you can get what you're looking for

Dhaval M. Patel, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. The only way to give you a solid answer is to have a physical consultation. I recommend scheduling a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon. Although, from the picture I agree a mini tummy tuck may work in your case but its always best to have a plastic surgeon take a look and get his opinion as well. Best of luck!Dhaval M. Patel Double board certifiedPlastic surgeon Hoffman EstatesBarringtonOakbrookChicago

Young R. Cho, MD, PhD · Answer

A mini tummy tuck and full tummy tuck both require a scar in the bikini line.  The length of the incision really depends on the degree of skin laxity.  A good candidate for the mini is if you have a small degree of laxity beneath the belly button and your a pretty happy with your upper abdominal contour.  You can certainly add liposuction or laser liposuction to further enhance your results.  Also beware that the mini will give your belly button a more stretched and vertical appearance which you can replicate by pinching your lower abdominal tissue and pulling downwards.The main advantage of the full tummy tuck (the more common procedure) is that you can tighten the muscles along the entire abdomen and you can also resect more loose tissue, i.e. more stretch marks. Based on your photos and if the main goal of the tummy tuck procedure is to have a flatter abdomen, then I would consider the full tummy tuck.   Good luck with your decision.

Lewis Albert Andres, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question and photos! I hope that these answers help! Tummy tuck is an excellent method for shaping the belly and create a flatter and sculpted abdomen after the procedure. Looking at your photos, I do believe that you would be an excellent candidate for this procedure in order to remove the excess skin/soft tissue of your lower abdomen and contour the areas of your belly.  A mini tummy tuck has limited usefulness in a small subset if patients. Also, abdominal wall tightening may optimize your result.  I would highly recommend continued diet and exercise prior to any consideration for body contouring as getting down to your ideal weight prior to the procedure will certainly give you the best results. Also, a continued healthy and active lifestyle will be needed in order to maintain the benefits that the procedure has given to you. Once you are ready for the procedure, I would likely recommend a full tummy tuck with abdominal wall tightening along with some liposuction to the hips/flanks for additional contouring.   This would remove the excess skin/soft tissue and stretch marks while contouring your belly.  You should consult with a plastic surgeon at anytime to go over options to assist you in deciding which procedure(s) would be right for you. Best wishes!

Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS, FACS · Answer

You sound like a Great Tummy Tuck Candidate and congratulations for staying in shape as exercising your core abdominal muscles will make your Tummy Tuck result that much better. If indeed it is just excess skin then you may be a candidate for a "mini Tummy Tuck" or "Skin only" tummy tuck procedure.  See a board certified plastic surgeon to see which is best for you.Here are some guidelines:Women and men who have excess skin and/or fat around the abdomen which does not respond to diet and exercise are candidates for abdominoplasty. Many patients complain that they cannot flatten their abdominal muscles through exercise, which also means a tummy tuck may be right for them. Abdominoplasty candidates have excess abdominal skin which may sag, a disproportionate or protruding abdomen, weakened or separated abdominal muscles, and/or excess fat concentrated in the abdomen.

Laurie A. Casas, MD, FACS · Answer

It is impossible to know if you are a good candidate for a mini tummy tuck by your photo. I typically only offer mini tummy tucks to patients who have good quality upper abdominal skin that is not lax and when all the skinn laxity is in the lower half of the abdomen. a good test is to bend at the waist and see if you have a roll of skin that forms above your waist.

Steven L. Ringler, MD, FACS · Answer

A mini tummy-tuck can be a great option for the right patient. Unfortunately, the techniques for mini tummy tuck can vary greatly depending on the surgeon, so it is important to understand which technique your plastic surgeon is recommending. A mini tummy-tuck is usually best for patients who do not require repair of the abdominal muscles, which may be appropriate for you. You can determine this for yourself by laying on your back, feeling your upper abdomen while doing a straight leg-lift with both legs. If there is a bulge in your upper abdomen, then there is a separation (diastasis) of the muscles, which should be repaired through a modified or full tummy tuck. If the muscle does not bulge, then the excess fatty tissue may be removed by liposuction in combination with a mini tuck. I have found, in some patients, that using the Avelar technique for a mini abdominoplasty (which involves liposuction combined with skin removal only) that the results can be excellent without the downtime of a full tummy-tuck and eliminates the need for a drain following surgery. Based on your picture, your scar would be as long as the skin fold that currently exists but could be placed inside the bikini line. Mini tucks don't always yield mini results. It is important for you to seek out a board- certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience in body contouring and familiarity with some of the more advanced techniques . Good luck to you.

Eric Pugash, MD · Answer

The differences between the mini-tummy tuck and the full abdominoplasty, in terms of scars, are a slightly longer lower abdominal scar and a scar around the umbilicus with the full procedure.

	In my experience patients are much more concerned about scars before surgery, whereas after surgery they are much more focused on having achieved the best possible correction.

	I don't believe that many patients are ideally suited for mini-abdominoplasty. There is truth to the statement "mini procedure equals mini result."

	You won't mind the small increase in scarring that comes with a full abdominoplasty, as long as you achieve the contour result you are looking for.

	Good luck!

Jason Brett Lichten, MD · Answer

The simple answer is that you need to have a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon to determine which technique is right for you. For most women, a full tummy tuck is a better option. Although there may be longer scars, you are able to address loose skin of the upper and lower abdomen and the belly button tends to stay in a more normal anatomic location than with a mini tummy tuck which may lower it. You may be happy with a mini-tummy tuck, but your surgeon should be able to show you the differences at a consultation.

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