Skin laxity - Mini vs Full tummy tuck? (Photos)

Question

I’ve been told that I’m right and on the borderline of mini vs full tummy tuck candidacy, and hoping to collect more opinions. My priorities are to improve my contour, revise an old scar, and repair muscle while avoiding risks: contour irregularities or divots, fake overstretched look, high horizontal scar, and anything unnatural looking. I am accepting of scars (luckily have great healing history) and can accept bb relocation result risk if it necessary to achieve my goals. My laxity is not significant to the point of overhanging, but the skin stacking on itself results in a cellulite like contour even at low BMI. When I bend it results in small rolls, but in a plank it hangs off, minimally above the bb and more so below. If I physically pull down my lower abdomen with my hands, that amount of stretch is sufficient to get the level of smoothness I want. I have been offered a mini with float that I’m told will get me the right balance of outcomes, but I’m worried I will end up with too low a bb that would look unnatural, or, would not be able to smooth out the contour. I’m also worried that the included lipo may result in additional laxity. So I’m curious if the laxity I have is sufficient for a full TT and what other professionals would propose given my goals and anatomy.

Gary M. Horndeski, MD · Answer

You have apparently lost a great deal of weight and now have hanging skin. You are not a candidate for a mini tummy tuck. However, if your breasts have also descended and you undergo a breast lift using The Bellesoma Method then this will lift the breasts higher and also lift the upper abdominal skin. It functions like an upside down tummy tuck. Then you may benefit from a mini tummy tuck without distorting the position of the belly button.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Finny George, MD · Answer

Hi, thank you for sharing your question. You are a good candidate for a full TT and have enough skin laxity to achieve your results without the stated downsides. Alternate options may also be available but a formal evaluation would be helpful.

Robert M. Wald, Jr., MD · Answer

From your photo's, it appears that you have enough loose skin for a full tummy tuck. Overall this gives a better result than a mini tummy tuck. In order to give you a more accurate answer, a surgeon needs to evaluate you in person. I would see 3 plastic surgeons tp clarify your issues.

Mark Eberbach, MD · Answer

Good day. Based in your photographs, you’re not borderline. You are a candidate for a full abdominal plasty. Anything less will lead with a substantial upper abdominal laxity and a very disappointing result.

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

Based on the photos and description of your goals you appear to be a great candidate for a standard tummy tuck.  This would remove excess fat and skin as well as repair the abdominal wall above and below the belly button.  The result will be a flatter, tighter tummy.  A little liposuction just to enhance contours would be a nice add.  It will not increase skin laxity.  I've included a video I hope you find helpful.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

I think most plastic surgeons will tell you the number of patients who are really ideal candidates for a mini tub is quite small, especially on postpartum abdomens. 
The two variables to look for when it comes to assessing full tummy tuck outcomes are the design of the scar, including the placement and secondly how natural the belly button looks.These are the two variables that determine if the surgeon knows what they’re doing or not.
The best work I’ve seen is by Mark Kobayashi MD in Irvine California.
Dr. Kobayashi does not have it before and after pictures on his website, but I assure you that his tummy attacks are the best I’ve seen in my career.
I trained under the Kobayashi, but I still cannot come close to consistently delivering the type of results he’s able to.
What sense results apart are primarily based on the design of the incision and setting the scar solo that it’s actually in the groin increase.
This in combination with meticulous belly button design, and positioning, gives the best results I’ve seen.
If you go to his website, his colleague does have before and after pictures and she was trained under Dr. Kobayashi and uses virtually the same technique.
A tummy tuck is a very definitive procedure.
It is absolutely one of those operations that you do once and you do it right.
By far the most important variable is provider selection.
Obviously deciding if you want a mini or a full is a big decision as well.
 With a mini tummy tuck I think you’re gonna see your belly button looking sad.
It’s going to have a downward pool and there will be a discrepancy between the tightness of the lower abdomen, and the persistent laxity of the upper abdominal skin.
There will be a mismatched that doesn’t look natural.
 The area that bothered you the most will be corrected, but it will lead to a new perceived in balance, which is the drawback of the mini procedure. Well, it doesn’t show that you have muscle separation. All women who’ve had. Children typically are going to have some muscle separation, and muscle tightening typically improves the look of the abdomen, even in those who have a pretty flat abdomen to start with.
 You can do a full tummy tuck without doing muscle tightening, but this is pretty unusual and is generally only considered for those who have skin laxity from weight loss only.
I recommend you schedule several in person consultations with plastic surgeons in your community that seem to have extensive experience with tummy tuck surgery.
Please bring pictures of yourself to use as a reference during the consultation.
Whenever you review before and after pictures while during a consultation or at home, you should always have pictures of yourself to use as reference.
Look for examples of previous patients who have the same body characteristics to your own.
 During the consultation, ask each provider to open up their portfolio and show you their entire collection of before, and after pictures of previous patients who are the same body characteristics.
Please have your own pictures of yourself ready to use as comparison.
There’s no point in looking at results of patients whose candidacy for the procedure. It was different than your own.
 I highly recommend patients have in person consultations and avoid virtual consultations.
Likewise, I highly recommend you consult with several plastic surgeons before selecting a provider.
This is not like buying clothing or you can send it back if it doesn’t fit.
This is for life and you’ll be reminded every single day if the outcome was good or not.
Average plastic surgeons do average work and average outcomes isn’t always that great.
To get exceptional outcomes, you need to target exceptional providers, and this is more difficult than most people realize.
Plastic surgeons were famous are often not better.
Sometimes the best plastic surgeons have little online notoriety.
In my opinion that they’re simply no substitute to having multiple in person consultations where it is your obligation to vet the surgeon and ask them difficult questions.
This includes pushing them to show you lots and lots and lots of before and after pictures.
 An experienced plastic surgeon should have a limitless number of plastic surgeons to show you.
They should have so many quality before, and after pictures that you don’t have time to look at all of them during the consultation.
If they only have a handful of examples that you’re not with the right surgeon.
Everybody gets a handful of good results during a career.
 What you’re looking for is what average results look like on someone with your candidacy.
When in doubt, slow down and schedule more consultations.
The recovery for this procedure takes planning and preparation.
As long as you know what you’re signing up for and you have the support to get through the first week or two the procedure can give very high patient satisfaction.
 All the very best,
Mats Hagstrom MD

Skin laxity - Mini vs Full tummy tuck? (Photos)

Answers (6)

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