“Go Big or Go Home” No Longer the Case
Plastic surgery procedures are becoming more and more specific as a result of a better understanding of individual needs. As we progress, so does our understanding of the body and our understanding of every individual’s unique composition. With this understanding comes an increased personalization of medical procedures including tummy tucks. Tummy tucks are now an option for patients with moderate excess fat and loose skin.
Mini-Tummy Tucks
Gone are the days of “one size fits all” thinking; procedures are created to address the unique desires of each patient. While this new way of thinking is most clearly seen in rhinoplasty diversity, it is also applied to body contouring. Every body is different and has distinct needs. Mini-tummy tucks are designed for women who have moderate excess fat and loose skin below the navel, as well as a separation of the abdominal muscles (called diastasis), and for whom the extent of a full tummy tuck would be unnecessary.
As a mini-tummy tuck specialist, Dr. Shapiro performs the procedure through an incision just above the pubic region, through the skin and fat layers until it reaches the fascia. The abdominal flap is lifted to below the belly button, where the abdominal muscles are then anchored into a tight athletic alignment. Surgical stitches are placed in the fascia, the super-strong connective tissue that separates the abdominal muscles from the fat and skin layers.
Once the abdominal muscles have been re-aligned, the fat and skin are pulled down to meet the incision site and sutured into place. Any excess tissue is removed and is gone forever. This stretching and removal of extra skin and fat effectively creates a beautiful, stretch mark-free tummy. In a mini-tummy tuck, a new navel may be required but often the old one can be kept.
One of the advantages of a mini-tummy tuck is that the scar is much smaller, roughly 12 cm, and can be effectively hidden beneath the waistline of a bikini and can appear as no more than a cesarean section scar. Dr. Shapiro always works with you to pick the ideal place for your scar, whether beneath your usual swimwear or undergarments in order to ensure the ultimate restoration of self-confidence.
Another enormous advantage to a mini-tummy tuck is the brief and manageable recovery time. Complications are at an all-time minimum and Dr. Shapiro offers a pain pump to his patients that delivers pain relief instantly into the bloodstream for fast relief during recovery. Patients typically return to their normal routines within 2-3 weeks after surgery.
