Mini vs. Traditional vs. Extended Tummy Tuck

Body contouring surgeries are a great way to enhance your figure and look trimmer, fitter, and healthier. This is especially true with tummy tuck surgery (abdominoplasty), which helps reduce the appearance of loose skin and sagging in the abdominal region. What you may not realize, though, is that there are different kinds of tummy tuck surgeries which can be tailored to meet the more drastic or less drastic needs of a patient. The team at our Bala Cynwyd plastic surgery practice would like to briefly discuss the differences between the three types of tummy tuck surgeries: mini tummy tuck, traditional tummy tuck, and extended tummy tuck.

Traditional Tummy Tuck

In order to show just how different the two other kinds of tummy tuck procedures are, let’s first look at the standard tummy tuck surgery. During a traditional tummy tuck, you cosmetic surgeon will make an incision that spans from one hipbone to the other along the lower abdomen. An additional incision is made around the belly button then leading down to the primary incision. Through these incisions, excess skin and tissue is removed to improve the overall body contour.

Mini Tummy Tuck

A mini tummy tuck is used in cases there the amount of sagging skin is not so drastic. In these cases, the mini tuck is better than a traditional tummy tuck since there will be less scarring involved. The incision for the mini tummy tuck will be along the lower abdomen, but not from hipbone to hipbone. No incision around the belly button with be needed either. Excess skin and tissue is removed as needed.

Extended Tummy Tuck

An extended tummy tuck, as you may have guessed, is more extensive than the traditional tummy tuck. This is a good option for people who have lost a dramatic amount of weight. (For example, those who have undergone surgical weight loss to combat obesity and morbid obesity will be ideal candidate for this surgery.) The incision for the extended tummy tuck will span from the back of one hip to the back of the other hip along the lower part of the abdomen.

Which Type of Tummy Tuck is Best for Me?

It’s hard to say which tummy tuck surgery is best for you online, of course, so it’s important that you come into our office to discuss this with our team. We can also discuss other body contouring and enhancement options such as Bala Cynwyd breast augmentation and breast lift.

To schedule an appointment, please contact our plastic surgery office in Bala Cynwyd today.