From a Mini Tummy Tuck to a Full Body Lift, Here’s How to Tell What’s Right for You

Weight loss and pregnancy often leave behind stubborn pockets of fat and sagging skin that no amount of diet and exercise can fully address. After achieving a healthy, stable weight you are happy with, a tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is an excellent body contouring option for both men and women to restore a firmer, more youthful shape. 

Offering more than just aesthetic benefits; tummy tuck improves your quality of life, supports an active lifestyle, and promotes a positive self-image. Available in a range of techniques to achieve your specific goals and personalize your look, we’ll explain the different tummy tuck techniques to help you determine which body contouring procedure may be right for you. 

The best candidates for a tummy tuck are non-smokers in good health who are at or near their ideal weight and have realistic expectations about the results cosmetic surgery can achieve. 

Mini tummy tuck

You may be a good mini tummy tuck candidate if:  

• You are in general good health. 
• You have a small amount of sagging skin or “pooch” below the belly button. 
• You have good underlying muscle tone or only need lower abdominal muscle repair. 

A mini tummy tuck—also referred to as a micro tummy tuck or short scar tummy tuck—requires a short, horizontal incision placed between the hips just above the pubic area. This allows your cosmetic surgeon to tighten lower abdominal muscles and remove excess skin. Liposuction may complement a mini tummy tuck by refining the midsection contours and also reduce the rate of seromas—the most common postoperative tummy tuck complication. The belly button is not altered with a mini tummy tuck and patients enjoy a shorter recovery with this technique.

Recovery timeline: Full recovery at 6+ weeks with final results visible after 2-3 months.

Mini tummy tuck snapshot:
‣Improves the lower abdomen only
‣Requires only one incision
‣Trims and tightens skin
‣Leaves a shorter scar
‣Drain-free recovery option

Traditional tummy tuck

You may be a good traditional tummy tuck candidate if: 

• You are in general good health. 
• You have excess skin and fat on both the upper and lower abdomen. 
• You have separated, weakened abdominal muscles (diastasis recti).

Traditional tummy tuck is the most common technique and requires two incisions—potentially assisted with small access points for using liposuction to enhance your results. The main abdominal incision is placed between the hips just above the pubic area where it is easily concealed by underwear or a swimsuit. An additional incision is made around the belly button; this scar will be incorporated into your naval. During the procedure, the surgeon repairs and tightens abdominal muscles, removes excess fat, and pulls the skin taut, trimming the excess for a pleasing contour. The belly button is repositioned and reshaped for a natural appearance. This technique is commonly included in a mommy makeover procedure.   

Recovery timeline: Full recovery at 6+ weeks with full results visible after 3-6 months.

Traditional tummy tuck snapshot:
‣Improves the upper and lower abdomen
‣Requires 2+ incisions
‣Trims and tightens skin
‣Reduces stretch marks
‣Repositions the belly button
‣May allow a drainless recovery
‣Leaves an easily hidden lower abdominal scar

Extended tummy tuck

You may be a good extended tummy tuck candidate if:

• You are in general good health. 
• You have separated, weakened abdominal muscles.
• You have considerable amounts of excess skin and fat on your upper and lower abdomen, hips, and sides of your lower back (flanks). 

Recovery timeline: Full recovery at 8-12 weeks with full results visible after 6-12 months.

Extended tummy tuck is a more extensive version of a traditional tummy tuck. A horizontal incision stretches across the lower abdomen and extends around the hips to accommodate skin and fat removal from multiple areas. A second incision is made around the belly button to shape this area. A vertical incision may also be recommended when removing a large amount of skin between the pubic area and belly button to ensure a pleasing pubic area contour. 

The surgeon will repair and tighten the abdominal muscles and remove excess skin and fat from the treatment areas. The remaining skin is pulled taut over the stomach and the belly button is repositioned for a natural appearance. 

Extended tummy tuck snapshot:
‣Improves the upper and lower abdomen
‣Improves the hips and flanks
‣Requires 2-3+ incisions
‣Trims and tightens skin
‣Reduces stretch marks
‣Repositions the belly button
‣Leaves more visible scarring

360 body lift 

You may be a good 360 body lift candidate if:

• You are in general good health. 
• You have weakened abdominal muscles. 
• You have excessive amounts of excess skin and fat in your midsection, hips, flanks, back, and groin area—typically after a massive weight loss (100lbs or more).
• You have realistic expectations for what this procedure can achieve. 

Recovery timeline: Full recovery at 8-12 weeks with full results visible after 6-12 months.

360 body lift—also referred to as lower body lift, 360 tummy tuck, or circumferential tummy tuck—requires two separate incisions around the torso: one along the lower abdomen that continues around to the lower back and the another encircling the hips and buttocks. This technique allows the surgeon to remove a circumferential apron of skin and fat to tighten the abdomen, waist, groin, and thigh area. Liposuction is commonly used to optimize body lift results. The belly button will also be shaped and repositioned to complete your refinement.

360 body lift snapshot:
‣Improves the upper and lower abdomen
‣Improves the hips and flanks
‣Improves the buttocks, thighs, and groin area
‣Requires 2+ incisions
‣Trims and tightens skin
‣Reduces stretch marks
‣Repositions the belly button
‣Leaves multiple scars that fade in time

Choose a board certified cosmetic surgeon

When performed by a highly-experienced, board certified cosmetic surgeon, a tummy tuck or body lift procedure can achieve safe, natural-looking body contouring results. The American Board of Cosmetic Surgery requires its diplomates to demonstrate the highest standards of patient care, safety, and expertise in their specialty. To find an ABCS board certified surgeon near you, search our directory here.