I do competitive bodybuilding, however I cannot stand my extra skin. Would a mini tuck be a good option? (photo)

Choosing the right surgery to contour the abdomen after pregnancy and weight loss is extremely important to make sure you achieve your aesthetic goals. The different components that have to be considered are the elasticity of the skin, the status of the abdominal muscles and the presence or absence of excess fat.
If the problem is just redundant fat, and the skin tone and muscle are good, then sometimes simple liposuction is all it will take to flatten the abdomen. The fat cells are physically suctioned away to thin the fat layer and then the skin shrinks to match the new contour. Typically, this is the case with younger patients who have never experienced the stretching of pregnancy or severe weight fluctuations. If the skin is loose and we just take away fat, the skin will sag and look even worse.

When a body undergoes the stretching of pregnancy or of weight gain and then loss, the skin loses its tone and cannot shrink back to its original form. The muscles of the abdominal wall also split apart in the middle and drift off to the sides. No amount of exercise or dieting can make those muscles return to their normal position and when they contract it creates a bulge between them. A tummy tuck is the right procedure to treat these problems. It removes excess fat and skin and also stitches the muscles back together so they can flatten the abdomen (and remove the bulge).

The type of tummy tuck needed depends on your anatomy. If all of the problems are confined to the lower abdomen (from the belly button down to the groin fold) then a mini tummy tuck may be an option. With a mini tummy tuck, skin and fat are removed from the lower abdomen and sometimes a little liposuction is done to the upper abdomen. This is only indicated if the skin tone and muscles above the belly button are in good shape, otherwise the skin folds even worse and distorts the belly button. The full tummy tuck results in tightening skin and muscle all of the way up to the rib cage. It involves an incision around the belly button, pulling down the skin and making a new hole for it to come back through. Often we can remove all of the skin from the groin to the old belly button site. How far out to the sides the incision has to go depends on where the looseness ends. In some patients who have had major weight loss (>100lbs) the loose skin continues to create a roll all of the way around the midsection. In order to get the best contour in that situation, we have to continue the incision around as an extended tummy tuck or even a circumferential body lift. It is important to visit with a board-certified plastic surgeon experienced in these procedures in order to determine the method of body contouring that will best meet your goals and needs.

 Judging from the amount of skin laxity you have a mini tummy may not be enough. Do not be afraid of a full tummy tuck the scar can  be kept very low to hide under your competitive clothing for bodybuilding. I find that in the sitting position if your skin laxity extends farther than a C-section scar would be then  you're probably better suited with a full tummy tuck. Seek council from a plastic surgeon near you to confirm that 

You may want to consider a full tummy tuck since you have some loose skin just above your belly button as well. A full tummy tuck would remove this loose skin and give you a flatter, smoother stomach.

There are several variations to consider but in general a mini tummy tuck improves only the lower abdomen. Recovery time has more to do with whether or not a muscle repair is done than whether it is a full or a mini.

I think that a minitummy tuck will not improve the skin around the belly button. You will definitely see improvement with a full TT (tightening abdominal weak muscles, removing excess skin and fat, and flattening the abdomen).  Based upon the pictures submitted, I would recommend liposuction of the sides and flanks at the same time as the TT to provide a contoured waist.
I would search for a American Society of Plastic Surgeons board certified plastic surgeon who you feel is most likely to give you the best results and who performs hundreds of these TTs each year. I would look at patient reviews as well as before and after photos on that surgeon's website.Kenneth Hughes, MD, Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLos Angeles, CA

Hello and thank you for your question. Based on your
photograph, you are a better candidate for a full tummy tuck with liposuction.  This can be done through a low and short
incision, all completely below the bikini line. 
The belly button can be designed to look natural and have no scars on
the exterior.   Your muscles can also be
plicated resulting in a flat abdomen. 
Make sure you specifically look at before and after pictures of
real patients who have had this surgery performed by your surgeon and evaluate
their results.  The most important aspect is to find a surgeon you are
comfortable with. I recommend that you seek consultation with a qualified
board-certified plastic surgeon who can evaluate you in person.
Best wishes and good luck.
Richard G. Reish, M.D.
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

Concerns about the appearance of the abdomen are very common among patients consulting with a plastic surgeon. Just like every patient is different…so too is every abdomen. Different problems require different solutions. Your board certified plastic surgeon is uniquely trained to identify the problems as well as the appropriate solution.
The abdomen is commonly addressed via liposuction or abdominoplasty (“tummy – tuck”). Which procedure is best is dependent upon the source of the problem. 
Excess fat deposits underneath the skin can be addressed via liposuction. Liposuction will not address any other issues and may worsen the situation if there are other factors at play (such as skin excess and muscle laxity, see below)
Commonly patients concerns are centered around issues of excess skin as well as fat. A third factor, which is often overlooked by most patients is abdominal wall muscle laxity (typically seen in post partum mommies).  The tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty is a surgical procedure designed to eliminate excess skin and fat and tighten the muscles in the abdominal wall to create a smoother and slimmer contour. The tummy tuck is designed to target areas of the abdomen that have not responded to diet and exercise, making it particularly popular among people that have a lot of loose or sagging skin around the abdominal area due to significant weight loss, as well as women with excess skin and stretched abdominal muscles following pregnancy and childbirth. 
Candidates for tummy tuck should be already at or near their ideal weight for optimal results. It is recommended to women that are planning on becoming pregnant to postpone the procedure until they are finished having children.
A mini-abdominoplasty is a short scar abdominoplasty. Optimal candidates have minimal skin excess localized below the level of the umbilicus (belly button). The major benefit of the procedure is the shorter scar burden.
Alternatively, the drawback to the procedure is it's minimal access nature. The shorter scar and the upper limit of dissection (belly button) limits the opportunity to tighten the muscle as you only have access to the lower 1/3 of the muscle in the midline for plication (unless you float the umbilicus which can only be performed in cases of minimal infraumbilical skin excess). 
Based upon your photos alone, you would likely benefit most from full abdominoplasty as your skin excess extends to the supra-umbilical region. This has the added benefit of allowing for muscle tightening/plication (as needed).
As always, discuss your concerns with a board certified plastic surgeon (ABPS).

Thank you for sharing your question and photographs.  Based on the degree and location of skin excess I think you would most benefit from a full tummy tuck procedure to address any underlying muscle laxity and to remove as much skin as possible.  Hope this helps.

An exam is needed to know for sure but it appears you may be a better candidate for a standard tummy tuck which would address the loose skin both above and below the belly button. A mini tuck would give you improvement, but may fall short of the result you are wanting. See a board certified plastic surgeon near you to learn more.

Although your photos are upside down, you would probably do well with a mini tuck. The loose upper skin will not be changed with a mini tuck.