About
- Mini abs tighten the stomach area between the navel and pubic area.
- They are most effective for people who are within the recommended weight range but have a small dog—perhaps from pregnancy or rapid weight gain—that doesn’t seem to settle down with diet or exercise.
Security
- Mini abs are usually considered safe.
- However, risks include infection, irregular scaror fluid accumulation under your skin.
Ease
- Mini tummy tucks are an in-office procedure that should only be performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon.
- Recovery may take 6 weeks or more.
Cost
- A mini tummy tuck in the United States typically costs between $3,500 and $8,000.
- This cost depends on the surgeon and where you live.
Effectiveness
- Mini abs are an effective way to straighten and tighten your lower stomach.
- The results are usually permanent.
A mini tummy tuck is less invasive than a full tummy tuck, also known as a tummy tuck.
Mini abs target the area of your stomach below your belly button. They are often effective for people who are within the recommended weight range, but have extra skin or fat, sometimes called dimpling, that is difficult to get rid of with diet and exercise alone.
The price of a mini tummy tuck will vary depending on the surgeon you see and where you live.
Generally, a tummy tuck in the United States will run somewhere between $3,500 and $8,000. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the average cost for a tummy tuck in 2019 was $6,092.
So, you may want to get multiple opinions to find a plastic surgeon that fits your budget. Because it is an elective cosmetic procedure, a mini tummy tuck will not be covered by your insurance.
A mini tummy tuck straightens the lower abdomen and can help eliminate the sagging that often occurs in the lower abdomen.
During the procedure, the muscles in your lower abdomen may be sewn together, but this is not visible from the outside. Excess skin will be trimmed and spread.
In some cases, liposuction will be performed to remove excess fat.
A mini tummy tuck can also get rid of some stretch marks. Whether or not your stretch marks will be removed really depends on where they are placed on your body and how much excess skin you have.
Dissection rectus, the separation of the abdominal muscles, often occurs during pregnancy. It affects your full stomach above and below your belly button (think six-pack muscles), so a full tummy tuck is a better course of action to correct this.
During a mini tummy tuck procedure, an incision about 4 to 8 inches long will be made in your lower abdomen.
This is approximately the length of the average C-section scar. In fact, if you’ve had a c-section, they’ll likely use the same incision for a mini tummy tuck, although it may be larger.
The surgeon can tighten loose muscles and remove any excess skin, resulting in a flatter lower stomach. Results are best if you are close to your starting weight and are not planning to get pregnant again.
As you probably guessed from the name, a mini tummy tuck targets your abdomen, specifically the lower part of your stomach between your belly button and pubic area.
Your belly button won’t change with a mini tummy tuck, whereas with a full tummy tuck, it would.
If you want to straighten your entire stomach from the chest down, a full abdominoplasty is probably the best option.
You will likely wear an abdominal binder for several weeks to support your abs as they heal.
You will see some results immediately, but you will see the full results once the swelling goes down, about 6 weeks.
The results should be permanent, except for weight gain or pregnancy.
When deciding whether the procedure is right for you and your body, it can be helpful to see before and after photos of real people who have had a tummy tuck. Below you will find some before and after photos.
Days before your scheduled mini tummy tuck, you’ll likely need to have a blood group drawn to make sure you’re in good health.
You may also be told to:
- stop smoking
- limit alcohol
- avoid taking anti-inflammatory drugs (such as aspirin) and certain herbal supplements, which can make bleeding worse or prevent proper clotting
During a full tummy tuck, your doctor will put you under anesthesia. They will then make a horizontal incision above your pubic hairline.
If your muscles are stretched, they will be stitched together to tighten. Sometimes liposuction will also be done to remove excess fat.
The skin will then be stretched around your abdomen to create a flat stomach. Excess skin will be trimmed. In some cases, a surgeon will reshape your belly button.
A full abdominoplasty can better correct abdominoplasty, a breakdown of the abdominal muscles that often occurs during pregnancy.
The difference is that a mini abdominoplasty is done only on the lower abdomen, while a full abdominoplasty is done on a larger area of the stomach.
A mini tummy tuck should only be performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon—and if the price for the procedure seems too good to be true, it probably is.
You may want to meet with the surgeon beforehand to talk about desired results and what to expect from the procedure, as well as to see before and after photos of real clients.
You can use the American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ surgeon finder to find a list of board certified plastic surgeons near you.
