No one likes scars and that’s why everyone considering a tummy tuck first asks if they’re a candidate for a ‘mini’ version. It’s a really good option if you are deemed fit to some stringent criteria.
by John Hammarley
and Robert Whitfield, MD
Who Wouldn’t Want a “Mini” Tuck?
Abdominoplasty, kindlier known as a tummy tuck, can do wonders. It flattens your abdomen by removing loose, excess skin and tightening muscles in the abdominal wall. It can also remove some, if not all, of the stretch marks in your lower abdomen. It’s most popular with women following pregnancies and also is called upon after massive weight-loss.
Most patients say their self-image and confidence skyrockets as a result of this surgery. The one real downside for many is the scar involved. It runS along the bikini line and can run from hip bone to hip bone, which is why the mini tummy tuck is so appealing .
There’s Just One Thing…
Robert Whitfield, MD, a board certified plastic surgeon in Austin, TX, tells The Plastic Surgery Channel, “everyone who comes into the office talking about tummy tucks wants a mini tummy tuck.” The scar is a lot smaller, and often times, the recovery period is less painful and shorter.
The issue, according to Whitfield, is that only a small percentage of women seeking a mini version of the abdominoplasty are actual candidates. “So if you have skin excess and you’re sitting in a chair and feel skin excess around your sides, then you’re probably not a candidate for a mini tummy tuck,” he says. “Because to take it all out, you have to extend the scars out to each hip bone. At that point, it becomes a full tummy tuck.”
The Mini Does Has Positives AND Negatives
Whitfield reiterated that unlike a full tummy tuck, a mini tuck involves a short, horizontal incision on the lower abdomen and your belly button is left intact. Many board certified plastic surgeons believe a “mini tuck” sometimes can only yield “mini” results. For the right patient it is great, but for those whose upper abdomens are in need of help, it just won’t be worth it.
“The typical patient who comes in about a tummy tuck hopefully is done having kids,” says Whitfield. “And after dieting and exercising, she’s just not happy with her appearance. She just can’t lose weight in her lower abdomen. It’s usually after the second pregnancy and the muscles separate and from the profile, there’s a protrusion that no amount of crunches or pilates or dieting is going to fix.”
While it would be ideal to have a short scar and less downtime, if you require a full tummy tuck, it’s simply ideal to go all the way in order to achieve the true and verified boost in contour and self-confidence.