Mini Tummy Tuck

It's more than just tightening skin

DISCOVER

What is a Mini Tummy Tuck?

The mini-tummy tuck is a surgery with a quicker recovery and more natural result than the old-fashioned tummy tuck. The old-fashioned tummy tuck is a skin and muscle tailoring operation with a long scar, but it is still a great operation for those with poor skin quality.

The new paradigm in body contouring is about sculpting for the curves. It requires less skin removal by combining a mini-abdominoplasty (mini-tummy tuck) with liposuction to completely narrow the waist and flatten the stomach. New advances allow the use of liposuction to shrink the skin, so less skin removal is required during the tummy tuck. This results in a shorter and lower scar and preservation of your own belly button. A mini-tummy tuck deals with the excess skin in the front, and the liposuction along the sides, back, and hips deals with everything else. The contours and curves using this approach are unparalleled. Sometimes, you may also benefit from some of the suctioned fat being added to other areas of the body in order to fully sculpt the entire torso.

Differences between a mini tummy tuck and a full tummy tuck

Let's clear up some facts on one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures

Scarring

Typically, a full tummy tuck will result in a longer scar than a mini tummy tuck and the mini tummy tuck scarring will be lower down on the abdomen.

What Can It Address?

A mini-tummy tuck can mean different things. In people who just have a little skin looseness below the belly button, this operation can address that.

However, in women who have had pregnancies, the 6-pack muscles can separate from one another (rectus diastasis) and may require suturing back together (plication).

Effect on Belly Button

With a full tummy tuck, a scar is placed around your belly button since it is sutured in a new area on the skin. This can sometimes make your belly button look unnatural.

With a mini-tummy tuck, your belly button is undisturbed and left with a natural appearance since no incision is made around it.

Recovery Details

Recovery from a full tummy tuck is about 2 weeks. You will likely need to walk bent at the waist for approximately 7-10 days. You are not allowed to lift anything heavy for 6 weeks while your rectus plication heals. You will likely have drains for 1 week that will be removed in the office.

Recovery from a mini-tummy tuck can be shorter and the heavy lifting and exercise restrictions are less

What is a mini tummy tuck not good for?

Future pregnancies

Those planning future pregnancies should wait until their last planned pregnancy before planning a tummy tuck. Note that after childbirth, it is important to wait for some of the skin looseness and laxity of the abdominal wall to resolve before a mini tummy tuck

Weight loss

A mini tummy tuck is not a substitute for weight loss. An abdominoplasty is not able to treat fat that is around the organs in the belly. It can only treat fat and excess skin that can be pinched with your fingers. Weight loss as part of diet and exercise is the best way to lose fat around your organs.

Stretch marks

Stretch marks are areas where the deeper layer of skin has thinned. A mini-tummy tuck may be able to remove some stretch marks below your belly button, but it cannot remove the stretch marks elsewhere. Currently, there is no cure for stretch marks.

Prior energy-based lipo

Those individuals with a history of laserlipo or Smartlipo o the abdomen have had heat introduced to the abdominal area. This can cause increased scar tissue and changes in the blood flow to the tissues treated by a tummy tuck. Therefore, caution is urged before undergoing a mini-tummy tuck in these individuals, and this should be discussed with your plastic surgeon.

01 Consultation

Complimentary consultation with Dr. Kordestani to discuss YOUR goals, benefits, and risks

02 Analysis

You will have preoperative photos taken at our office. In addition, we will then review with you the areas of the body you are interested in addressing as well as our recommendations.

03 Surgery date

You select a convenient surgery day. You will stay overnight in the hospital and go home the following day.

04 Day of Surgery

You will be seen by myself and your anesthesiologist on the day of surgery. The length of your mini-tummy tuck surgery will depend on how much liposuction is also performed with your procedure.

05 Recovery

You will be in the recovery area for 1-2 hours then possibly staying at the hospital. Your recovery at home will be approximately 1-2 weeks. Your liposuctioned areas may leak some fluid, be bruised, and feel sore, but you will be able to move about. You can resume light exercise in 3 weeks.

06 Follow-up

You will be seen until 6 months postoperatively to ensure you have no complications

Interested in Mini Tummy Tuck with 
Dr. Kordestani?

If you would like to learn more about the mini tummy tuck procedure with Dr. Reza Kordestani, contact either of his cosmetic surgery centers in Fairfax, VA or Chevy Chase, MD. We want to provide you with the ideal body contours that you have always dreamed of.
Book an appointment
McLEAN, VA
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