Mini tummy tucks address situations where the muscle elasticity is lost in the lower abdomen wall only. A mini tummy tuck concentrates on the area below the bellybutton"�?the most frequent site of elasticity loss. Mini tummy tucks are especially effective in correcting problems resulting from pregnancy.

Like a full abdominoplasty, the mini tummy tuck addresses muscle laxity and excess skin and fat in the stomach area. Ideal candidates for mini tummy tuck will have problems that are not severe enough for a typical abdominoplasty, and a mini tummy tuck can get rid of issues that liposuction alone will not eliminate. In a mini tummy tuck procedure a small incision is made just above the pubis, allowing the mini tummy tuck muscle repair and redraping of the excess skin. Another key component of the mini tummy tuck is the use of liposuction to eliminate fat and reshape the abdomen. In most mini tummy tucks, the bellybutton is detached from the underlying tissue, then relocated and reattached. This means most mini tummy tuck patients will have lower bellybuttons, but this allows the skin of the upper abdomen, which mini tummy tucks are not designed to take care of, to redistribute in more pleasing fashion.

The mini tummy tuck provides a good alternative to abdominoplasty (the "full"? tummy tuck) and liposuction alone. Usually, mini tummy tuck patients experience quicker recovery times than with a full tummy tuck, as the mini tummy tuck addresses a more isolated area and involves a single, smaller incision. More information about mini tummy tucks is available from certified plastic surgeons; individuals interested in learning more about mini tummy tucks should contact a doctor to discuss their individual situation.