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  • There Are Different Types of Tummy Tucks, But Which One Is Right For You?
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There are different variations of tummy tucks, starting off with the mini tummy tuck. This is a much, much more limited type of procedure for people who have only lower abdominal skin laxity and have no real significant muscle separation. I perform this one very sporadically as I don't feel that it helps most of the patients who come to me for a consultation for a tummy tuck. The other two types, which are the standard, where the muscles are repaired all the way up to the breastbone and all the way down to the pubis, is the most commonly performed. And it involves taking out a fair amount of skin that has usually stretch marks, scars or general looseness as well. There is also a variation of this called the floater, whereby the belly button is left intact but it's separated off the abdominal wall and you still repair the muscles because those patients typically need the muscle separation repaired, but don't have as much skin to take out.

And therefore you have to more concerned in the amount of skin that you remove. The nice advantage of this particular technique, when it's appropriately indicated, is that you do not have any belly button scar whatsoever. Extended tummy tucks are of the most extreme form of the tummy tuck. It usually involves persons who have had significant weight loss and these patients needs more extensive removal of skin along the sides of their body as well because if not, they would get excessive amounts of skin bulging out of the sides called dog ears, which would be very unattractive. So in those particular patients, I have to recommend the extended one in order for them to get aesthetically pleasing results.

There Are Different Types of Tummy Tucks, But Which One Is Right For You?

Dr. Mel Ortega discusses the differences between the various types of tummy tucks, noting what each surgery entails and who is the best candidate.