I have a tiny amount of loose skin just above the belly button. What is my best option?

It is difficult to advise you without photos or a physical exam.  Find a board certified plastic surgeon who has performed hundreds of tummy tucks and schedule a consultation.Best of luck,

Of course an in person evaluation would be needed to determine the best option but occasionally skin can be tightened with removal of skin beneath the breasts to tighten the upper abdomen and hide the scars in the fold under the breasts.

Pictures or an exam would be necessary to make a determination about the best treatment alternative.Find a plastic surgeon who performs hundreds of tummy tucks, has great reviews, and has great before and after pictures.Kenneth Hughes, MDLos Angeles, CA

It's difficult to recommend a specific procedure without examining you. A mini tummy tuck is for those who have loose skin and abdominal wall laxity limited to below the belly button. A standard tummy tuck addresses the whole abdomen and to correct muscle wall separation as well as remove excess fat and skin. Liposuction is different directly removes excess subcutaneous fat but does not address loose skin. I encourage you to begin by visiting with a board certified plastic surgeon near you.

Congratulations on your significant weight loss.  Generally speaking, most patients who experience this degree of weight loss benefit from full tummy tuck surgery.  Also, 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.  You may wish to post frontal and side view photographs of your abdomen for more specific advice.  Best wishes.

A photo would be helpful in providing appropriate advice.  However, in general, excess and loose skin above the belly button (BB) can only be addressed with a full tummy tuck.  That's true, also, with a muscle repair.  But if you're concerned ONLY with the skin and excess tissue of the lower abdomen (below the BB), and do not want or need to have a muscle repair, then a mini or moderate tummy tuck may be an excellent procedure for you.I hope that this helps and good luck,Dr. Alan EnglerMember of RealSelf100

The amount of excess skin typically determines the length of the incision required to remove that excess skin. As a general rule, a short incision only allows a small amount of skin removal. A longer incision and resulting scar (as in a full tummy tuck) will allow the surgeon to remove more skin and tighten the entire abdominal wall.  This is the important thing to consider when looking at this type of surgery. Don't compromise the results with a shorter scar if it won't deliver the results you want. A consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon with an expertise in tummy tucks and body contouring should be able to show you what you can expect. In my practice in the San Francisco Bay Area I have come to the conclusion that the happiest patients are those that have realistic expectation on what a procedure will and won’t do for them. Good luck! Dean Vistnes.