Summer is almost here!  Soon it will be time for weekends at the lake, trips to the beach, and water parks with the kids.  Lots of fun.  But, also lots of skin exposure in your bathing suit.  Are you ready?  Most women look great and are able to wear what they want with confidence.  Sometimes, though, there may be a little extra skin that creeps over the top of the bikini bottom.  Maybe there’s some loose skin around the belly button, making it almost look like a carnation.   If this sounds familiar and if it is bothersome, it’s not too late to do something about it.  A tummy tuck may be just the thing.  There are different types of tummy tucks, though.  Here’s what you should know.

A Full Tummy Tuck

A ‘full’ tummy tuck is usually done on someone who has loose skin in the abdomen that extends out to the flanks.  If you can pinch loose skin between your fingers over the hip bones, this may be the operation for you.

In a full tummy tuck I make an incision in the pubic hairline (below the c-section scar, if one is present) and then extend the incision out to the hips and flanks.   The skin and fat are lifted off the underlying muscles.  To gain access to the upper abdomen I also make an incision around the belly button.  The tissues are pulled tight and the loose, extra skin is removed.  The “six pack” muscles that extend from the ribs to the pubic bones are typically pulled together in the midline, helping create a flatter appearance.  Liposuction of the flanks is often performed at the same time.  A full tummy tuck is the most common type of abdominoplasty that I perform.  It results in a longer scar than a mini tummy tuck, but that’s because the loose skin extends out to the sides.

A Mini Tummy Tuck

A mini tummy tuck is done for women who have just a little bit of loose skin in the central lower abdomen,  with some fatty fullness.   In this operation I use a shorter incision, typically trying to keep the scar limited to around the pubic hair region.  No incision is made around the belly button, and the muscles are usually not pulled together in the midline.  Fairly aggressive liposuction may be performed.  This is a good operation for a younger woman who has good overall skin tone, few stretch marks, mild fatty fullness, and relatively little loose skin in the lower abdomen.

recovery after a full tummy tuck vs a mini tummy tuck

Recovery after a full tummy tuck is a little harder than after a mini tummy tuck.  Most women undergoing a full tummy tuck spend the night in the surgical facility.  That is not the case with a mini tummy tuck.   Most of those women go home the same day.  A full tummy tuck feels tight and women walk bent over for several days.  A mini tummy tuck feels tight too but not quite like a full tummy tuck.  Women usually take two or three weeks off from work with a full tummy tuck.  It may be possible to go back to work in one week after a mini tummy tuck.

Most women don’t want or need a tummy tuck.  However, if you find yourself camouflaging extra abdominal skin, a full tummy tuck or a mini tummy tuck may be just the thing.   If you are ready to learn more, contact us at our Fort Worth office or call 817.335.5200