Difference between tummy tuck and mini tummy tuck
I’ll help you answer your own question by asking you to think about another question: If you had a “mini” operation, with a slightly shorter scar, and slightly less pain and recovery, but you looked funny and never as good as you had hoped, would you consider it a victory? Most patients would not.
The fact is that in most cases, a mini-tummy tuck is an attempt to appease patients who want real improvement in the appearance of their abdomen, but who for various reasons do not want an abdominoplasty.
The problem is that in plastic surgery, as in life, short cuts rarely pay off.
Take a step back from the trees for a minute and realize you’re looking at a forrest – the goal here is for you to be safe and to look the VERY BEST you can, right?
The difference between tummy tuck and mini tummy tuck
In most cases where attempts are made to minimize the surgery, recovery, costs, etc, as time goes by the patient forgets it was very important to minimize these details, but never forgets her minimal improvement and the disappointment she feels over it. Your best bet is to have the very best operation you can THE FIRST TIME. (Armando Soto, MD, FACS, Orlando Plastic Surgeon)
Full vs mini-tummy tuck
Unfortunately, I may be clouding the issue as I think that you have options. Although it can be hard to tell from just a single photograph and not an actual evaluation, you appear to be in that small range of patients that could go with either a full tuck or get a good result from a mini.
What is best for you depends on what you are trying to accomplish. A full tuck will make your entire abdomen flatter and tighter at the expense of a higher transverse scar, a longer scar and a scar around your belly button. A mini-tuck would primarily treat the lower abdominal bulge and remove some of the loose skin but would not be as flat or tight as a full tuck.
Difference between tummy tuck and mini tummy tuck surgery
The advantages of the mini-tuck include a shorter scar, a lower scar, no scar around the belly button and one drain instead of the usual two. I suggest that you look at the pluses and minuses of both procedures before making your decision. (James McMahan, MD, Columbus Plastic Surgeon)
Full vs mini-tummy tuck
I cannot give you definitive advice without an examination, but in general, I do not feel that a mini-tummy tuck is often a useful procedure. Improvement with a mini TT is usually quite mild and little to no improvement is noted above the umbilicus. You should carefully assess your expectations.
Both a mini TT and a full TT leave a scar, but the improvement seen with a full TT is usually much more satisfying. I would suggest that you meet with the surgeons again to discuss your concerns and expectations. (Eric T. Emerson, MD, FACS, Miami Plastic Surgeon)
In my opinion, you will still have significant laxity after a mini tummy tuck. You have loose skin that extends fairly far laterally so you will require a long scar to correct the loose skin to create the flattest possible abdomen.
The full or mini tummy tuck
I find that while patients always want a short scar, they are happier postoperatively with a flatter abdomen than with a shorter scar, but still having loose skin. (Donald Griffin, MD, Nashville Plastic Surgeon)
Mini or Full TT
I would recommend a full tummy tuck. It looks like the skin above your belly button is loose enough to be able to be stretched a good distance downward. You should get a great result. (Ronald Schuster, MD, Baltimore Plastic Surgeon)
Limited Tummy Tuck vs. Full Tummy Tuck?
A limited tummy tuck will typically address loose, excess skin below the umbilicus.
It usually will not involve tightening of the abdominal muscles. If expectations are limited to modest improvement in skin laxity below the umbilicus, then a mini tummy tuck may be appropriate. There will be no significant improvement in abdominal contour above the navel. (Stephen Delia, MD, Boston Plastic Surgeon)
