Which Type of Tummy Tuck Do I Need?
Abdominoplasty is not one operation. The mini, full and extended versions differ in incision length, in whether the abdominal muscles are repaired, and in recovery time. This page explains which anatomy each is designed for.
Abdominoplasty removes excess skin and fat from the abdomen and, where indicated, repairs the abdominal muscles. It is usually considered after pregnancy, after significant weight change, or where age and heredity have left a contour that does not respond to diet or exercise.
There are three versions, and they are not interchangeable. Which one is appropriate depends on where the excess sits.
Mini tummy tuck
Also called partial abdominoplasty. It addresses the area below the navel only.
A shorter incision is made just above the pubic area, and excess skin and fat below the navel are removed. Muscle tightening or repositioning of the navel may be included depending on the case.
Recovery is approximately six weeks, with swelling and bruising through the early part of it.
It suits patients who are at or near a stable weight and whose excess skin and fat is confined to the lower abdomen.
Full tummy tuck
The incision runs from hip to hip above the pubic area, and a second incision around the navel is usually required so it can be repositioned. Excess skin and fat are removed from the whole abdomen and the abdominal muscles are tightened.
It produces the most substantial change of the three and correspondingly the longest recovery — approximately eight weeks, again with swelling and bruising early on.
It suits patients with significant excess after massive weight loss, and it is the version most often included in a combined post-pregnancy procedure.
Extended tummy tuck
Also called circumferential abdominoplasty or belt lipectomy. The incision extends from the pubic area around the flanks to the lower back, and excess skin and fat are removed from the full circumference of the midsection.
It is the appropriate operation where the excess is not confined to the front — where the flanks and hips carry it as well. That is most commonly the case after massive weight loss.
How the choice is actually made
Not from a list. The decision follows an examination: how much excess skin there is and where, whether the abdominal muscles have separated, your weight history and whether it is stable, and what you want the result to be.
Bring your history to the consultation, including any planned future pregnancy, which changes the recommendation.
The procedure this relates to
Removal of excess skin and fat from the abdominal wall, with repair of the abdominal muscles where they have separated. Performed after pregnancy, caesarean section or weight loss, where the skin no longer retracts and the muscle layer underneath has weakened.
Before you act on this
Everything here is general. What applies to you depends on your anatomy, your history and what you are trying to achieve, and none of that can be assessed from a page. If a question here is yours, bring it to a consultation.