Hello tayrenee93. Thank you for your question regarding do you need an extended tummy tuck. Thank you for your history and your picture. “Extended” is a relative term. In plastic surgery there is an informal nomenclature of a mini, regular, and an extended tummy tuck. These are not fixed objective terms. There are no defined lengths of an incision for a mini, regular, and extended tummy tuck. The formal name for a tummy tuck is an abdominoplasty. In a typical abdominoplasty, an incision is made and excess skin and fat from the top of the pubic region to the top of the belly button is removed. Then the skin from the top of the belly button is pulled down to the pubic region. Usually, rectus abdominis muscle plication is performed with permanent sutures to correct recti diastasis, rectus weakness, or even a ventral hernia. Usually, the pubic region is raised and reduced also. Typically, with a mini tummy tuck, only excess skin and fat is removed and the rectus muscle is not plicated, the belly button is not altered, and the pubic region is not lifted. With a regular tummy tuck or an extended tummy tuck, all the above items are usually included. You would not achieve good results with a mini tummy tuck. Therefore, you either need a regular tummy tuck or extended tummy tuck. In your case, the incision needs to be placed approximately 4 cm below your tummy fold and extend towards the hip. In your case, most plastic surgeons would extend the incision approximately 6 cm lateral to where your tummy fold ends on the side. However, if you want to get rid of more skin in front of the hips, extend the incision a little bit further. In plastic surgery, there’s a saying “the longer the incision, the better the results”; that means the longer the incision, the more areas can be addressed and the better the final result. Since your hips and buttocks do not bother you, I do not think you need a 360 circumferential lower body lift with an incision that starts in the pubic region, goes over the hip and then meets at the top of the buttock. However, if the hips bother you, extend the tummy tuck laterally. Therefore, as you can see, for some plastic surgeons, your tummy tuck could be interpreted as a regular tummy tuck or extended tummy tuck. I would not get fixated on the names and terminology. I would instead concentrate on what surgery you specifically need. Basically, you need surgery that takes care of the abdomen and the front of the hips. Most plastic surgeons offer free virtual or in-office physical consultations. Therefore, explore what other plastic surgeons have to say. Good luck. If you have any more questions regarding tummy tucks, Contact an experienced plastic surgeon. Since the tummy tuck surgery is a big procedure, please seek an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon with significant experience in performing tummy tucks. Do your research. If you cannot find an experienced tummy tuck plastic surgeon in your neighborhood, consider traveling out of state. Sincerely, Dr. Katzen, MD, MBA, FACS, FICS. (Plastic Surgeon, President of the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Fellow of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American College of Surgery, and International College of Surgery and member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, RealSelf Hall of Fame, and RealSelf Doctor Advisory Board for Medical Review and Consumer Panel.)
