Mini Tummy Vs Panniculectomy - trying to figure out what's best for me? (Photo)

Thanks for the question and photos. It looks like you would benefit most from a full tummy tuck. This allows your surgeon to tighten your muscles and to remove the most loose skin possible. The scar will be a little longer than a mini tummy tuck scar, but the result much more drastic. I suggest you meet with a reputable board certified Plastic Surgeon to discuss your options. Good luck!

Congratulations on your weight loss! From the photos you will have the best results from a full tummy tuck. This will address loose skin, excess fat, and correct abdominal wall laxity. The result will be a flatter, tighter tummy. A panniculectomy only removes the apron of skin. It will not contour your abdomen nor will it address the muscle wall.

The choice between a mini tummy tuck and a panniculectomy depends on your specific needs. A mini tummy tuck focuses on improving the appearance of the lower abdomen, addressing excess fat and loose skin. A panniculectomy, on the other hand, is a more extensive surgery that primarily removes the pannus, which is the hanging apron of skin and fat, often see in individuals who have experienced significant weight loss.To determine which procedure is best for you, it’s essential to consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon. They can assess your individual circumstances, discuss your goals, and recommend the most appropriate option. Factors like your overall health, desired results, and the amount of excess skin and fat will influence their recommendation.

Congrats on your VSG and your weight loss.  Anyone with significant weight loss (more than 50 pounds) will likely have too much skin for a mini tummy tuck.  Consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon in person.  As a rule, most weight loss patients will be candidates for a full abdominoplasty or even an extended abdominoplasty. Below is an example of a patient with massive weight loss.  Best, 

I would not consider you a candidate for a mini-tummy tuck and, from the limited photos submitted, do not see you as a candidate for panniculectomy either.  In all probability, you would need a full tummy tuck to tighten the muscles as well as remove excessive skin.

Congratulations on your significant weight loss; you should be very proud of this accomplishment!  Based on your history and photographs, I think that you will do well with tummy tuck surgery. Generally speaking, the “ideal” patient for tummy tuck surgery is one who has completed pregnancies, is psycho socially/emotionally/financially stable, has an excellent social support system surrounding him/her, is capable of arranging enough recovery time, does not smoke and who has reached a long-term stable weight.
In my opinion, the mini tummy tuck 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 for 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.
In other words, 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.  
I hope this, and the attached link ( dedicated to patients who have experienced significant weight loss), helps.

LuxeMama,Good work on the weight reduction!  The first photo that you posted shows what appears to be significant laxity of the skin of the abdomen above the belly button, and thus a mini-tummy tuck is not likely to help much unless your only goal is to remove skin that may be overhanging down below. Even then, the mini-tummy tuck would only trim off excess and not really tighten anything appreciably, nor would it provide much aesthetic improvement. Thus the better choice would likely be a full tummy tuck, which would allow for tightening of the abdominal muscles and all of the abdominal skin. A Board Certified Plastic Surgeon will give you a good opinion in this regard, and will discuss the various options, which may even include an extended abdominoplasty or a lower body lift, as that may tie in with helping your complaint of thigh skin laxity, though direct medial skin excision is also required in some circumstances.  This is not really a simple situation, as there will be many considerations, depending on the circumstance.  I hope that this helps.  A discussion of abdominal contouring is found at the link below.Best wishes, and congratulations.Tom DeWire, MD