MINI TUMMY-TUCK
– NEWPORT BEACH, CA –Many women want to achieve a great figure and work hard for it — they exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet. But when their body changes permanently due to pregnancy, it can be difficult to bounce back to their ideal figure.
Sure, you might be able to sculpt your waist and thighs through vigorous cardio and strength training. But the skin laxity on your lower abdominal area could be harder to get rid of and might even be irreversible.
But that doesn’t mean you’re out of options.
A Newport Beach mini tummy tuck or partial abdominoplasty from one of SoCal’s top plastic surgeons like Dr. Siamak Agha can help you smooth out your lower abdominal area and give you the last boost you need to reclaim your dream body — even if you’ve already had a baby.
In this article, find out how you can fine-tune your figure with a mini tummy tuck.
Mini Tummy Tuck vs. Full Tummy Tuck:
What’s the Difference?
These days, many women are taking careful measures during pregnancy to avoid gaining excessive weight and even working out hard afterward.
That is why many moms find themselves having only minor skin looseness above their pubic area and mild sagging of their mons pubis. Some of them might only develop mild to moderate abdominal muscle laxity.
In these patients, a full tummy tuck isn’t possible since they don’t have a significant enough skin excess. A full tummy tuck removes close to half of the abdominal skin — way too much for those who only have 2-3 inches of lower abdominal skin excess.
Instead, a short lower abdominal incision would suffice in removing the excess skin of the lower abdomen — exactly what happens in a mini tummy tuck.
What is the Standard Mini Tummy Tuck?
The standard mini tummy tuck involves getting rid of excess sagging skin in the lower abs. This procedure is typically performed for those who do not need abdominal muscle repair.
In this procedure, your plastic surgeon makes a short incision above your pubic bone, much shorter than the incision used in a traditional abdominoplasty.
Through the incision, your surgeon elevates the lower abdominal tissue off of the abdominal muscles. He then pulls down the lower abdominal skin and removes the excess. Finally, he closes the incision using a layered technique.
The standard mini tummy tuck usually takes 1½ to two hours to complete, unless other procedures are performed, too.
What are the Benefits of a Mini Tummy Tuck?
Compared with a full tummy tuck, a mini tummy tuck will let you enjoy the following benefits:
Do You Need a Mini Tummy Tuck?
Dr. Agha recommends the mini tummy tuck to women who were able to maintain their weight during pregnancy and don’t suffer from severe skin sagging and abdominal muscle separation.
If you’re not yet sure if you’ll benefit from a mini tummy tuck, try answering these questions:
- Does the skin on your lower abdomen look or feel looser than on your upper abdomen?
- Do you feel self-conscious about clothes that show off your lower abdominal area?
- Are you close to your ideal figure minus the loose skin on your lower abs?
- Are you close to your ideal weight?
Answered YES to any of these questions? Then, you may be a good candidate for a mini tummy tuck.
But take note that if you’ve had multiple pregnancies, abdominal muscle looseness, or massive weight loss, you might be better off getting a full tummy tuck instead.
What are the Different Mini Tummy Tuck Types That Dr. Agha Offers?
Most plastic surgeons just perform the standard mini tummy tuck.
However, Dr. Agha offers modified versions of the standard mini tummy tuck to address the specific needs of his patients. These include:
Dr. Agha is an ingenious artist! My tummy tuck looks like a million bucks, and it makes me feel amazing. I’m a huge fan, and I would recommend him and his staff to anyone who wants to be taken care of.
Josephine P.
How Does Dr. Agha Do a Mini Tummy Tuck?
There may be different variations of the mini tummy tuck, but they all follow generally the same procedures.
Here’s how Dr. Agha does a mini tummy tuck.
Preparation
First, Dr. Agha marks certain sites in your abdomen and flanks as a guide for the location, direction, and length of your incisions. He will also orient you with what will happen during the surgery.
Anesthesia
For this procedure, Dr. Agha will put you under local anesthesia with mild sedation or general anesthesia.
To reduce the odds of bleeding and bruising, he will inject a tumescent solution in the incision site, abdominal area, and specific areas where fat deposits will be removed.
The tumescent solution consists of a mixture of lidocaine and epinephrine, which numbs the surgical site and constricts your blood vessels, respectively.
Excess Skin and Fat Removal
Dr. Agha will create a small incision within your pubic area that won’t be visible even when wearing a two-piece bathing suit.
Through the incision, Dr. Agha will raise your skin and fat tissues to reveal the muscles of your abdominal wall.
If abdominal muscle tightening is needed and planned, the muscles will be stitched closer with stitches in a seam down the center of the abdomen to give you a firmer abdominal wall and a smaller waistline.
He will then remove excess skin and underlying fat and redrape the remaining abdominal tissues over the muscles.
Finally, Dr. Agha uses liposuction to further define your waist and abdominal definitions.
Post-Surgery
To minimize scar healing and discomfort, Dr. Agha uses the layered closure technique in closing your incisions. Each layer is closed individually instead of at the surface. The sutures are gradually absorbed by the body, so there’s no need to remove them.
Accumulation of fluid can delay your recovery. To drain excess fluid, a small drain may be placed underneath the incision.
Once the incisions are closed, you will have a sterile dressing over them. You also need to wear a compression garment or abdominal binder to support your abdominal wall while healing and decrease swelling and bruising.
Get Your Mini Tummy Tuck in Newport Beach, Orange County
A mini tummy tuck can make your lower abdominal area look firmer and more toned, giving you more confidence to show off your body.
That is why you should trust only experienced and qualified plastic surgeons like Dr. Agha for your mini tummy tuck. And to ensure your satisfaction, he can help you choose the procedure that would give you optimal results based on your condition.