A full tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) addresses skin, fat, and muscle. It generally requires a hip-to-hip incision that sits below the bikini line and must be done under general anesthesia. The procedure’s goal is to contour the abdomen above and below the belly button. This surgery trades a scar for a shape. To achieve contouring above the belly button, the belly button must be released from the abdominal flap and repositioned into a new location. Essentially, this means an incision is made around the belly button, so it is no longer attached to the skin. After the belly button is released, the abdominal muscles above the belly button are tightened, and the entire skin flap is pulled downward. Then, a new hole is made in the skin flap, the belly button is positioned in this new location and sutured in place. Any excess skin at the bottom of the abdominal flap is cut off and the incision closed.
An abdominoplasty is the gold standard for maximum contouring of the abdomen. However, mini tummy tucks are a great option for certain patients. Why? Briefly, as an in-office procedure done under local anesthesia, mini tummy tucks are often relatively quick and easy for patients because general anesthetic is avoided. Moreover, the scar is smaller than a full abdominoplasty, there’s much less down time, and a good correction can often be achieved.
Unlike a full tummy tuck that addresses the entire abdomen area, a mini tummy tuck primarily addresses extra skin below the belly button. During the procedure, an ellipse of skin averaging about the size of 2 tennis balls (and fat underneath) is cut out. The upper and lower edges of the ellipse are then sutured together. The final scar is generally about 5–6 inches long and below the bikini line – similar to a C-section scar. Because the belly button remains attached during a mini tummy tuck, a mini tummy tuck cannot achieve upper abdomen contouring like a full tummy tuck. Because of this, some mini tummy tuck patients combine this procedure with another modality such as liposuction or Ellacor. However, a mini tummy tuck can achieve nice lower abdomen contouring and the scar is smaller than a full abdominoplasty. Also, unlike a full abdominoplasty that always requires general anesthesia, a mini tummy tuck is commonly done in the office and many patients return to work the next day.
Because a full tummy tuck involves fascial sutures to tighten the abdominal muscles, recovery is similar to a hernia or C-section. This means patients will typically be off work for one week and cannot do any significant core exercises for six weeks. Additionally, patients will have drains in place for 3-7 days, with most patients keeping the drains in closer to 7 days. Patients will also need to wear full post-operative compression garments for at least two weeks and possibly for 6 weeks.
After a mini tummy tuck, patients do not have drains. While full compression garments are not required, we often recommend patients wear Spanx pants or other light compression garments for a few weeks. Most patients are not in significant pain after the procedure and many return to work the next day. After the incision has healed, which typically occurs within 2 weeks, most patients can resume regular activities and exercises that don’t pull on the scar line. Pulling on the scar line can widen the scar and reduce optimal cosmetic appearance.
To know for certain, you need a consultation. However, in general, patients that do well with a mini tummy tuck typically fit the following criteria:
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