Mini or full tummy tuck? Any tips to look more "snatched'? (Photo)

Any surgeon who's done enough tummy tucks knows that muscle wall plication is necessary in virtually everyone who has had children, regardless of rectus separation (which is usually more than appreciated on physical exam). Liposuction would be essential to minimize girth in the waist and hip area, along with liposuction of the abdomen too, to achieve the most dramatic waist to hip ratio (snatched). Finally, anyone knowing you want the optimum result should not be offering you a mini tuck; your skin laxity extends around and above your belly button, and can only be addressed with a full abdominoplasty.

Hello travellady18,

Thank you for your question regarding the best approach for a tummy tuck and achieving a more "snatched" appearance.

Based on your history and photos, I would recommend a traditional tummy tuck combined with liposuction of the flanks. This approach will help contour your waist and create a more defined silhouette. Here’s why:

1. Traditional Tummy Tuck:
A full tummy tuck is ideal in your case, even though you don't have any abdominal muscle separation. The traditional tummy tuck will remove excess skin and tighten the abdominal area more effectively than a mini tummy tuck. It will also allow for muscle plication, which can help cinch your waist and give you a flatter, more toned appearance.

2. Muscle Plication:
Even without diastasis recti (separation of abdominal muscles), muscle plication can still be beneficial. Tightening the muscles will help create a firmer abdominal wall and enhance your overall shape.

3. Liposuction of the Flanks:
Liposuction of the flanks is crucial for achieving that "snatched" look. By removing excess fat from the sides of your waist, we can accentuate your curves and create a more defined waistline.

4. Drains:
I definitely recommend using drains. Drains help remove excess fluid that can accumulate after surgery, reducing the risk of complications like seromas and helping to ensure smoother, more even healing.

In summary, the combination of a traditional tummy tuck with liposuction of the flanks and muscle plication, even in the absence of muscle separation, will give you the best results for a more "snatched" and contoured appearance.

Good luck with your surgery! I hope I’ve answered your question thoroughly and provided you with useful information.

Sincerely,

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FASMBS, FICS
Plastic and Aesthetic Surgeon

Thank you for your questions. The difference between a mini and full tummy tuck is the length of the incision. Remember, the longer the incision, the more amount of tissue that can be removed. Your final result will be much better with a full tummy tuck. It allows better exposure to repair any diastasis, and much improved contouring.

Hello from Istanbul! I would recommend a full tummy tuck, as there appears to be laxity in the upper part of the abdomen, particularly evident in the last photos. Additionally, incorporating liposuction could enhance the contours, especially around the love handles, contributing to a more "snatched" appearance. Hope this helps, best of luck to you!

Thank you for your question. Separation of the abdominal muscles is expected after delivery. Muscle laxity, especially in the lower abdomen, is more pronounced when sitting. Poor skin quality in the lower abdomen can be observed. There is no sagging skin but there is severe laxity. There is fat deposit accumulation in the waist. The curve in the waist-hip transition has disappeared and almost flattened. With Mini Tummy Tuck, only some skin is removed in the lower abdomen. In the same session, fat can be removed from the abdomen with Vaserlipo. Stitches can also be placed on the lower abdominal muscles. But if there is laxity in the upper abdominal muscles, the stitches placed in the lower abdomen cause bulging in the upper abdomen due to muscle laxity.I think the best result is obtained with Lipoabdominoplasty. Fat is removed from the abdomen with Vaserlipo and abdominal muscles are repaired. The waist prominence can be increased by placing the abdominal muscle sutures more tightly at the waist level. Loose and cracked skin is removed. At the same time, Vaserlipo to the waist and fat injection to the buttocks provide a more shaped appearance.

Hello and thank you for your question. From the pictures you have provided, you have some striae (stretchmarks) present throughout your lower to mid abdomen, and a moderate amount of excess subcutaneous fat and skin in this region. There is some flank adiposity (excess skin/fat) and asymmetry, and minimal upper abdomen adiposity- but evaluation is limited from these pictures. Based on all this, you would benefit from a traditional abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) with liposuction of your flanks to best help improve your abdominal/trunk contour.
Regarding the transverse lower abdominal scar, it should be well hidden within your bikini or underwear, and if you adhere to proper scar care and sun avoidance after surgery, it should eventually heal to be minimally noticeable.
Regarding a "mini-abdominoplasty," it is important to realize that just because it has the word "mini" in the name, does NOT mean that the scar is any smaller. It can be the same size scar as a "full abdominoplasty." The difference is that in a "mini," the tissue below the belly button is resected, but the belly button itself is not relocated to a new position. This is generally only an option in patients that have a notably long torso and a belly button which is positioned higher than normal, since the procedure brings down the belly button- otherwise in a patient with a normally located belly button or normal torso, these operations make the belly button look too low which looks VERY weird.
Liposuction is a great adjunct which would definitely provide some additional benefit, particularly to the contour and symmetry of your flanks, and would be done at the same time as your tummy tuck procedure for the best possible single operation results.
And there would typically be drains to prevent seromas- most surgeons use 2 drains and they typically stay in about 2 weeks or so, sometimes longer if needed, largely dependent on drain output.
With all that said, it is always difficult to provide tentative surgical recommendations, as there is only so much information to be gained from any photos and descriptions provided. I recommend for you to come see me or another plastic surgeon for a formal consultation to thoroughly discuss your surgical goals, undergo a formal examination, evaluate all your options (surgical and nonsurgical), and decide on the best procedure(s) for your specific case. I hope this helps!
Best wishes,
Dr. Donald Groves
Plastic Surgeon

Dear travellady18,
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

You have 4 problems need to be fixed.1. Excess skin around belly button and below the belly button.2. Muscle diastasis3. Stretch Marks.4. A Straight framework
So, a full tummy tuck can fix all these problems. And as a double board plastic surgeon, ı always perform 360 vaser hi- def liposuction with tummy tuck. This gives more definition and snatched waist.Also your framework ( body type) is straight, to make some fat grafting to hip-dips ( hip expansion technique) will give you a better contour and more snatched waistline.

There would be very little change in your appearance with a "mini" tummy tuck. To achieve substantial improvement would require a more standard procedure. In many cases the muscles can be tightened even in the absence of a true separation or diastasis.

This is a good question. Often the decision depends on how much extra skin and fat is above and below the belly button. Additionally, it depends on if you have any separation of your abdominal wall muscles (diastasis recti). This can be common after multiple pregnancies. This can be determined on a physical exam. If your muscles need to be repaired, a full tummy tuck may serve you better.

A full tummy tuck is a more aggressive procedure, and gives the option of muscle tightening during surgery to get the more "snatched" appearance. Drains are at the discretion of the surgeon. Good luck!