An Alternative to Tummy Tucks

Mini Tummy Tucks: Ideal for Body Shaping and Retouching

The term ‘mini tummy tuck’ refers to an abdominal surgical procedure that is easier and less invasive than the traditional, more complex abdominoplasty, a full tummy tuck. Mini tummy tucks are ideal for people who do not need a high degree of correction. They are also performed when a prior cosmetic abdominal surgery requires an update. If you have minimal tummy flab and desire a bit of muscle tightening, a mini tummy tuck may be the appropriate surgical option for you.

The benefits of a mini tummy tuck are great: the incision is smaller, the recuperation time is shorter, and less pain is experienced by the patient, when the procedure is compared to abdominoplasty.

Surgery Overview
A mini tummy tuck may be performed with the use of general anaesthesia, but is usually completed with a local anaesthetic with the patient mildly sedated. The procedure consists of making a short incision from which excess fat will be drained and abdominal skin removed. This will give the appearance of a tighter lower abdomen. A temporary drainage tube may be placed in the incision site. Because the length of the incision is minimal, the procedure is also known as a ‘scarless tummy tuck’. In most cases, the navel does not have to be repositioned. The area will then be bandaged and, within a few hours, the sedative will have worn off and the patient will be released from the hospital or the medical clinic.

Partial tummy tucks are recommended for people who are within ten pounds of their ideal body weight. If your weight is more than 20% of your ideal body weight, you are most likely better suited for a full tummy tuck.

After the birth of a baby…
Mini tummy tucks are starting to catch on with moms. For women that have given birth, weight gain has stretched their bodies, and after several pregnancies, diet and exercise may no longer be enough to restore their pre-pregnancy shapes. Extra steps may be necessary to return to them, not only their physical self, but also their self confidence. Before the surgery is booked, plans for more children should be weighed as additional pregnancies will affect the long-term effectiveness of a tummy tuck.

"For women, the lower abdomen tends to be resistant to toning in the first place, but after pregnancy these problems only worsen," explains Dr. Timothy Treece, a plastic surgeon in Columbus, Ohio. He adds, "Pregnancy stretches and tears the muscles, damaging the tissues in ways that no amount of crunches will fix. While each case is unique, many of our younger, active moms find that a mini tummy tuck offers a very effective way to correct this problem, with a reduced amount of downtime." Plastic surgeons at Columbus Aesthetic & Plastic Surgery in Columbus Ohio comment that mini tummy tucks are most effective when mothers already practice healthy eating and follow an exercise program.