Having a trim and flat midsection is a great asset when selecting clothing as it will help you to fit much better. If you have just a mild degree of skin laxity and excess lower abdominal skin, a mini tummy tuck can help you achieve your aesthetic goal of a trim, well-shaped waist. Plastic surgeons in NYC use minimally-invasive technologies such as Smartlipo Triplex (laser), BodyTite (radiofrequency) or VASERlipo (ultrasound) to perform the procedure.
Plastic surgeons offer variants of this procedure such as ‘mini’ and ‘full’ abdominoplasty. It is important to know the distinction between mini and full tummy tuck. While a full tummy tuck addresses excessive fat, skin and soft tissue as well as wrinkled or loose skin, a mini tummy tuck addresses the minor pouching out of the lower belly as a result of stretching of the lower abdominal muscles. A mini tummy tuck requires only a small incision and involves the following steps:
- The surgeon administers an anesthetic to sedate the patient
- A small incision is made above the pubic region
- Excess fat – if any – is removed
- The abdominal muscles are tightened
- Surplus skin is removed
- The abdominal skin is secured firmly in place with sutures
- Small drains are placed to prevent fluid accumulation in the incision area
Though this is an invasive surgery, it is a relatively short duration procedure. For a mini abdominoplasty, the lower abdominal scar is shorter than for a full one, and there is no scar at the belly button. The skin is reshaped to improve the appearance of the navel. When minimally-invasive techniques are used, the procedure is usually performed under local anesthesia.