Do I need full or mini tummy tuck? (Photo)

​Without examining you it is difficult to be certain but based on the photos it looks like the roundness in your lower abdomen extending up above the belly button indicates a separation of the muscles that can only be fixed as part of an abdominoplasty. Look for an expert in your area who can perform a drainless abdominoplasty for an in-person consultation. Hope that helps!

Full tummy tuck would give you the flattest, tightest belly. A mini would not give best results.

You have worked hard with great results, however, diet and exercise cannot tighten skin and remove stubborn fat like a tummy tuck.

An exam and consultation with a plastic surgeon is recommended to confirm as well as to 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 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. 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. I cannot see if your upper abdominal skin has significant laxity, but if there is loose skin around and above the umbilicus, then umbilical transposition will help to maximally rejuvenate your tummy. Given your tight abdominal muscle, no need for a full tummy tuck with associated risk, down time and cost. Thank you.

Dear Sarah Smiles,
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 and the photos you provided. My answer is limited because I did not examine you myself. Based on the stretch marks I see in your photos, a full tummy tuck would remove the greatest amount of skin to be excised. Make sure you consult with a board certified plastic surgeon. Good luck!

You need a tummy tuck and repair of abdominal muscles, they look more separated below the navel, it's the best way to give you a flat abdomen

You appear to have some bulging above the belly button, therefore a full tummy tuck would probably be more suitable for you.

Your history of pregnancy and nearly 100 pound excess weight indicate you are not a candidate for a 'mini tummy tuck', or anything other than a full tuck. A full tuck is distinguished from lesser surgeries by the process of disarticulating the belly button from the tummy skin to allow upper abdominal skin and muscle tightening, both of which are crucial for you to achieve a youthful abdomen again. Choose your surgeon wisely. You want a surgeon willing to place the long, transverse incision VERY low in the suprapubic area, so that your abdomen is not violated by that incision. Doing this however, will necessitate closing the little hole in the skin that was once attached to your belly button, leaving a small vertical scar, usually low in the abdomen, somewhere above the long incision. The choice in this matter is either placing the long scar at the same level as the possible vertical scar, or choosing to have the vertical scar. I can tell you after 24 years of doing it this way, the vertical scar is something that can be seen in public without anyone noticing, unlike the long incision that is too eye catching. I can't say for certain if this will happen to you, but I wanted you to at least be cognizant of the choice, something that some surgeon won't give you.

Thank you for your question and series of photographs.  Nothing replaces an in-person examination, but I think you would most benefit from a full tummy tuck and liposuction of your waist and flanks.  The tummy tuck will tighten your stomach muscles, helping to achieve a flatter appearance, while removing excess skin and adipose tissue.  Liposuction can be used to enhance your tummy tuck results by narrowing your waist and removing isolated areas of diet and exercise resistant fat.  I would favor the full approach because it appears that your skin and muscle laxity is present above and below your belly button. Hope that this helps