When Is a Tummy Tuck a Mini Tuck?

By Rachel Brown

Tummy tuck surgery is a hot topic in plastic surgery and one of the most popular cosmetic surgery operations performed around the globe today. There are different procedures which are used and if you are not familiar with them, it can be impossible to understand what you are hearing or reading about this area of plastic surgery.

This article explains the effects patients want from the mini tummy tuck, the general procedures surgeons use, and how this is different to the normal tummy tuck surgery. This will be a quick way to understand fundamental differences between these two popular types of plastic surgery.

The mini tummy tuck is likely to be advised only for patients looking to remove excess tissues between their belly button and the top of their bikini line (generally at the level of the pubic bone). A typical surgical candidate might be a lady who has had two or three pregnancies and finds it now impossible to regain tight abdominal muscles by using dieting and exercise that used to work for her. Patients of mature years also sometimes choose the operation as their abdominal muscles may naturally become less firm with time. Or it may be chosen by someone who has ongoing but mild fluctuations with their weight. Whatever the reason, everyone wants the same thing - a flatter, toned looking tummy again.

The surgery generally involves an incision of around 10 to 15 centimetres length being performed horizontally on the skin above the bikini line. Then the surgeon cuts away excess skin and any unwanted adipose (fatty) tissue, perhaps also employing liposuction during the operation. Liposuction means a cannula is manipulated within the adipose tissues to loosen them before they are entirely removed by suction through the body of the cannula for disposal. Patients with damage to their abdominal muscles can have them strengthened with suturing techniques during the same operation, for example, ladies with damage through multiple childbirths. Although it still uses incisions and tissue removal, the operation is different to a full tummy tuck in many respects.

The incision made is generally smaller in length and the surgery does not routinely seek to reposition the navel. The art of navel repositioning again requires a great degree of skill for a favourable result, and this is one factor that shortens the operation time in comparison to the full tummy tuck. Whereas the full version can last more than 2 hours on the operating table, the mini tummy tuck can often be performed in around 60 minutes. However, going back to the effects, it is not suitable for those wishing to remove weight above the level of the navel.

There is something about the name mini tummy tuck that makes it sound a little less invasive than the full tummy tuck but in reality they are both really quite major surgical operations requiring a very skilled team and a good recovery plan. No surgery is ever guaranteed free from risk and this raises the education the surgical team offer to patients before surgery - it really should explain all the risks to allow them to make their informed choice. You can now understand the effects of the mini tummy tuck on the lower abdomen, the general principles of the operation, the basic differences between it and full tummy tucks and the fact it is unfortunately, a little shorter but never entirely risk free. For full details and medical advice patients must of course consult their doctors and/or surgical teams. - 30516

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