The pros and cons of mini versus full tummy tucks

In this video, Mr. Adrian Richards, well known plastic surgeon and the surgical director of Aurora clinics discusses the pros and cons of Mini Tummy Tuck and Full Tummy Tucks, the differences and the benefits of both Abdominoplasty procedures and who are they suitable for. For more information or should you wish to book a FREE Consultation with our specialist plastic surgeon, please call us on 01844 214362.

The Pros and Cons of Mini versus Full Tummy Tuck

Hello. My name’s Adrian Richards. In this short video, I’m going to be talking you through differences between a full tummy tuck and, in particular, discussing a mini tummy tuck, why it’s different from a full tummy tuck and who is suitable. In the next video, I’m going to be talking about actually how a mini tummy tuck is performed.

What is a mini tummy tuck? A mini tummy tuck differs from a full tummy tuck in that a full tummy tuck removes all the tissue from where a Caesarean scar would be, which is just above your pubic hair normally, the pubic line to the tummy button. All that tissue is removed.

Now, in some people, you physically couldn’t remove that amount of skin because they would never be able to stand up and you wouldn’t be able to sew it up because they haven’t got that mound of loose tissue. This particularly occurs on people with a minimum excess of skin with quite a high tummy button. Because the tummy button actually varies, on very tall skinny people, the tummy button is much higher than on people who are slightly shorter with a lower abdomen.

If you’re very tall and you’ve got a high button, there might be quite a long distance between your pubic hair area and your tummy button. There may not be enough skin to remove to perform a full tummy tuck. In that case, you’re ideally suited to a mini tummy tuck.

In a mini tummy tuck, the skin removed is low, just above your pubic hair area. We normally do a very flat sort of scar at the moment, because the clothing has changed. Whereas in the ’80s people favoured a high-cut scar because of swimwear and things, people are now favouring a much sort of lower scar.

The scar for a mini tummy tuck or a full tummy tuck is in a similar position. Mini tummy tuck is probably slightly shorter as it goes out to the sides. The area of skin removed is the portion between where your Caesarean scar would be and to eight centimetres normally below your tummy button. That area of skin is removed. Everything is pulled down, and in a mini tummy tuck, your surgeon can repair your tummy muscles as they would in a full tummy tuck.

Essentially, if you would like to know and understand whether you would benefit from a full tummy tuck or a mini tummy tuck, just follow these instructions. Look at your tummy. If your tummy is carrying excess weight but doesn’t have excess skin, doesn’t have that sort of loose skin and you’re relatively young with thickish, elasticated skin, liposuction may be appropriate for you. Liposuction is not going to remove excess skin. It’s going to remove the stuffing beneath it, the fatty tissue, and if you’ve got thick enough skin, the skin will retract.

If you haven’t got that fatty tissue and you’ve got excess skin, the only real option is a tummy tuck. When you bend slightly forward, if you can squeeze your tummy button skin down to the area above your pubic skin area, a full tummy tuck might be appropriate for you.

If when you lean slightly forward, you can’t, a mini tummy tuck would be probably be appropriate for you. In a mini tummy tuck, the skin is brought down, muscles are repaired, and the tummy button stalk is divided from the inside. So, no cut around the outside of the skin. The tummy button is released from inside and drawn downwards. We’ve got video showing me performing that procedure.

In a full tummy tuck, the stalk of the belly button is kept intact and the skin is brought down. The old hole where your tummy button came through is removed, and a new hole is made for your tummy button.

The differences between a mini tummy tuck and a full tummy tuck are the amount of skin removed. They’re both suitable for people with excess skin rather than excess fatty tissue, in which case liposuction is appropriate.

If you’ve any confusion about whether you’d be best for a mini tummy tuck or a full tummy tuck or you’d like to discuss the benefits, the pros and cons of both, please have a look at our website where we discuss the procedures. It probably would be best to come in and see one of our surgeons. We’re very friendly and we can discuss the pros and cons of each of these procedures, why one might suit you better than the others, your recovery period and your likely results.

Thanks very much for watching the video. I hope you’ve enjoyed it.