Tummy Tuck: Prices, Photos, Reviews, Info, Q&A

A full abdominoplasty will produce a better result for you

A full abdominoplasty will remove the extra skin and fat below your belly button down to your pubis. It will also allow tightening of the rectus muscles from side to side, narrowing your waist between your rib cage and pelvis.

It will leave a scar around the belly button. A mini tummy tuck only removes a portion of the skin and fat between the belly button and the pubis.

I does not give the access needed for a good muscle plication. However, it may avoid a scar around the belly button and may avoid a longer hip to hip incision as you migh need with the full abdominoplasty.

A mini tummy tuck surgery

Based upon your pictures, I think that you would benefit more from the FULL abdominoplasty than a mini tummy tuck, even if you have a scar around the belly button. The advantages of the Full abdominoplasty outweigh the drawback of a scar around your belly button. (David N. Hing, MD)

Mini versus full tummy tuck

I think you will be very disappointed with a mini tummy tuck as it will not correct the loose skin above the umbilicus and it will not tighten the ‘rectus diastasis’ (loose muscle). You will do best and be happiest with a full tummy tuck. It will be worth it based on my 20 years of experience in practice. (Louise Ferland, MD, Richmond Plastic Surgeon)

A mini tummy tuck photo

You will not be happy with less than a full tummy tuck. You look like that you have far too much skin that needs to be resected (Jonathan Saunders, MD, Newark Plastic Surgeon)

Mini vs full abdominoplasty

I will say that you need a repair of the diastasis recti or muscle separation both above and below the umbilicus. I am not sure whether you have enough skin laxity above the umbilicus to pull all the way down to the pubic region, so you may end up with a vertical up and down scar in the midline down by the pubic region.

If you do not have enough to pull all the way down, you could have a modified procedure. Essentially a mini tummy tuck for removal of some skin and tightening below the umiblicus and a muscle repair only above. a good exam in a plastic surgeons office will tell. (Rick Rosen, MD, Norwalk Plastic Surgeon)

A mini tummy tuck operation

You would benefit from a full tummy tuck. You exhibit looseness of skin and muscle above the belly button as well. If you have a mini tummy tuck, you will end up with a bulge in the upper abdomen. This is like a sausage shaped balloon. If you squeeeze one end the other end distends. Very few people in my opinion are good candidates for a mini tummy tuck. See a board certified plastic surgeon for a consultation/examination. (George Marosan, MD, Bellevue Plastic Surgeon)

In general full tummy tucks address more of the abdominal changes associated with pregnancy, weight loss, and aging. If one has excess skin above the umbilicus or belly button (from the pictures it appears that you do have loose tissue above the umbilicus as a result of your previous pregnancies and c-sections- however a full examination would be required to truly assess this) a full tummy tuck often provides a more complete result. (Charles Perry, MD, Sacramento Plastic Surgeon)

A mini tummy tuck photo scar after

A full tummy tuck will benefit you most definitely. A mini tummy tuck would not correct anything above the belly button. In fact it is fairly rare that I do a mini tummy tuck on a patient. The full tummy tuck will give you a flat mid-section. It will tighten your muscles, remove fat and remove the skin from your belly button below.

You will have a new incision around your belly button. Should you do a mini tummy tuck, sometimes the belly button can look pulled down and un natural. I would consult with a couple different doctors and then make your final decision from there. (Leo Lapuerta, MD, Houston Plastic Surgeon)

A mini tummy tuck image

I think that you will be pleased with the result of a mini tuck – removal of excess skin from below the belly button using a transverse incision just above the mons pubis and tightening the rectus muscle. There is little to no fat so liposuction is not needed. This procedure can be performed under local anesthesia with sedation. (Joseph N. Togba, MD, Oakland Plastic Surgeon)

Full or limited tummy tuck?

Most of your skin laxity is in the lower abdomen. You have significant fascial laxity which allows the organs to push on your tummy from within and create a round profile to your abdomen. There really isn’t too much skin overhanging your belly button. In my book you would be well suited for a modified tummy tuck.

Modified in the sense that the lower abdominal incision would be shorter and that there would be no umbilical scar. The fascia would be tightened to give you a flatter tummy and a modest amount of skin would be removed from the lower abdomen as well. (Jon F. Harrell, DO, Miami Plastic Surgeon)