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

Full abdominoplasty for the full effect

I think you would enjoy the benefits of a flat tummy and improved contour from a full tummy tuck.

A mini-tummy tuck is likely to fall short and leave you disappointed. (J. Jason Wendel, MD, FACS, Nashville Plastic Surgeon)

Full abdominoplasty or limited procedure?

Although it is not wise to advise without personal examination, your photos show significant abdominal wall relaxation and apparent skin redundancy that I believe are best treated by full abdominoplasty. There is no reason to believe your scar will be high.

before Full Abdominoplasty

Position of the scar depends on skin elasticity and the relationship between xiphoid to umbilicus distance and umbilicus to symphysis pubis distance. Your xiphoid to umbilicus distance and the epigastric component of your bulge appear sufficient for a low scar.

Additionally, my preference for patients with short umbilicus to xiphoid distance is to add a short vertical suprapubic scar but keep the transverse scar low, beneath low bikini or panties, rather than raise the single transverse scar mandating high bottoms for the rest of your life.

Would NOT have tummy tuck until your through with pregnancies and if you are a smoker, STOP COMPLETELY before surgery. (Steve Laverson, MD, San Diego Plastic Surgeon)

Full Abdominoplasty before and after

Much of our practice is devoted to limited scar abdominoplasties in healthy fit women who have not gained a great deal in their pregnancies. From a strictly technical standpoint, you would get the best result with a full tummy tuck, but your scar would be quite long and fairly high. It would not be low, since the eventual scar is an average of the lower incision and the umbilicus, where the upper incision is made.

You can do the math. It is possible to do a more limited tummy tuck that would either leave you with a vertical scar and a much lower scar, or (less likely) a lower scar with no periumbilical incision. I do not care for the umbilical float procedures because the ones I have seen look, well, weird.

Full Abdominoplasty photo patient

the belly button moves weirdly, it looks flattish and unnatural, so we don’t do it. So a but confusing, but it is nice to have some choices. Oh and you should definitely have the umbilical hernia fixed at the same time. (Brent Moelleken, MD, Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon)

Do You Recommend a Limited Incision or Full Tummy Tuck?

Thanks for the question and it is a fairly common one. Most surgeons who have been doing tummy tucks for several years and do a lot of them are surgeons who “used to do” mini or limited tucks. Most of us have been dissatisfied with the limited results. A full tummy tuck can be done on you and also keep the scar low and give you a very pleasing result. And I coulod say the same about the belly button being moved down. We don’t do that very much any more either. (Ronald V. DeMars, MD, Portland Plastic Surgeon)

The full Abdominoplasty

It is always important to examine a person prior to recommending the best surgery option. Based on your photos, it would appear that you would benefit from a full tummy tuck to get the best tummy tuck results. The abdominal wall can be tightened giving a much flatter firmer stomach. It appears that you have enough extra skin to place the lower horizontal incision in a good location that will be hidden by your panty or bathing suit. (Marialyn Sardo, MD, La Jolla Plastic Surgeon)

I would suggest a full tummy tuck with a muscle repair. The resulting incision should be low enough to allow for most two piece swimsuits and the added benefit is the extra shaping that will be achieved with the full tuck. Please consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon who can give you a very good approximation of where your final incision line will rest. (Herluf G. Lund, Jr, MD, Saint Louis Plastic Surgeon)

Medical reason for full abdominoplasty

Only in person examination can determine if a limited incision TT would correct ALL your issues. (Darryl J. Blinski, MD, Miami Plastic Surgeon)

We don’t like the sound of either option. The scar much higher thing is a mistake, and moving the belly button lower is also a compromise you might not need to make. You are a candidate for a full tummy tuck, though it looks like you need another consultation. (Peter E. Johnson, MD, Chicago Plastic Surgeon)

You look to have enough muscle laxity that when it is tightened, there will be substantial extra skin that a low scar should be possibel and a two piece suit should be easy to find. (Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS, Seattle Plastic Surgeon)

I would do a full tummy tuck. It looks like you have enough skin. I would also do a low incision so you could wear a two piece bathing suit. (William B. Rosenblatt, MD, New York Plastic Surgeon)

I would recommend a full tummy tuck due to the changes you have are both below and above the “belly button” or umbilicus. That is the main difference between the procedures. You may have a slightly smaller scar with the mini, but your changes above the umbilicus warrant a full abdominoplasty. (Rick Rosen, MD, Norwalk Plastic Surgeon)