Mini Tummy Tuck
This is a 39-year-old woman who was concerned about her abdominal contour. She has had two pregnancies. She said that she was at her ideal target weight. She works out her abdominal muscles extensively and still feels as if her tummy is protruding, especially when she is bending over. (She said when she bends over, “everything falls out.”)
The two pregnancies and the passage of time have caused a laxity of the abdominal fascia. This fascia is supposed to “hold things in,” but the flatness of youth has been taken away through the stretching associated with the pregnancies.
A mini tummy tuck was done through the same incision that was used for her cesarean section. She had an umbilical float procedure, where the belly button was disconnected and lifted up so the fascia could be repaired. This procedure tightened the stretched out fascial material, giving the abdomen more strength and flatness. A small amount of liposuction was done in addition to skin removal, though those were not the major issues. She now feels she has more of a flat tummy, and that she has regained more of her previous body shape and appearance.
Tummy tuck incisions are hidden below the swimsuit line whenever possible. Tummy tuck incisions vary in size, depending on the amount of excessive skin that needs to be removed.