Is Muscle Repair Included in Mini Tummy Tucks?

I would completely agree with Dr. Aldea in this regard. This is not necessarily and either/or decision or a black/white choice. Mini tends to refer to procedures repairing loose skin and muscle below the belly button whereas a full repairs loose skin and muscle above and below the belly button. There are procedures that combine aspects of both and have been called marriage or midi abdominoplasty procedures.

Hello! Thank you for your question! I hope that these answers help!
Tummy tuck is an excellent method for shaping the belly and create a
flatter and sculpted abdomen after the procedure.Given your desires , I do believe that you would be an excellent candidate for this
procedure in order to remove the excess skin/soft tissue of your lower
abdomen and contour the areas of your belly. Also, abdominal wall
tightening may optimize your result. Stretch marks to the level of your
umbilicus will also be excised. Also, a continued healthy and active
lifestyle prior to the procedure and afterwards is recommended in order to maintain the benefits that the
procedure has given to you. The mini tummy tuck has
limited usefulness and limited candidates as it truly only addresses
excess skin in a small area above your pubis. It will not address your
abdominal wall and the tightening of such, frequently needed to achieve a shapely abdominal wall. While the recovery
time
is shorter, the benefits afforded to you by a full tummy tuck are much
greater and will optimize your result.  However, it will be a discussion that you and your surgeon agree upon as to what is performed.  You should consult with a
board-certified plastic surgeon well-versed in body contouring
procedures at anytime to go over options to assist you in deciding
which procedure(s) would be right for you. Best wishes!

Normally, muscle tightening is not included in a mini
tummy tuck. A mini tummy tuck normally
begins with liposuction of the abdominal wall.Once that is completed, an incision is made in the lower part of the
abdomen.In some cases, this incision
may be as long as the incision necessary for a full tummy tuck.The incision is made through the skin and fat
layer down to, but not through, the muscle layer.The muscle layer is not entered. The skin and
fat layer is elevated off of the muscle layer up to the bellybutton.If muscle tightening is performed only in the
lower part of the abdomen then it could create a bulge above the
bellybutton.Ideally, when muscle
tightening is necessary it would extend from the center part of the rib margin
down to the pubic bone.This would give
a uniform tightening of the muscle layer.There are however, exceptions to this.It is very important that you select a surgeon who is trained and
experienced in all types of abdominal recontouring procedures.He or she should be able to carefully assess
your situation and select the best procedure for you.For a simple and illustrated explanation of tummy tuck and body contouring procedures, watch my video.