If you’ve just lost a lot of weight or have just had a baby, it’s likely that your stomach isn’t as firm as it used to be anymore. Usually, in cases like these, a tummy tuck can be a good way to firm it back up. A tummy tuck, which is also known as a complete abdominoplasty, is a cosmetic surgical procedure, where some of the extra skin and fat around your midsection –what some might refer to as a “spare tire”- is removed.

A tummy tuck can do wonders for getting you to slip back into pre-baby weight jeans, but if you want to look good in a bikini or a pair of speedos, the scarring that can come with it can often be a bit of a problem.

Fortunately, there are certain kinds of tummy tucks that reduce this little surgical issue significantly. With a partial tummy tuck, or a mini tummy tuck, a much smaller incision is made, and the subsequent scarring is much less evident. This kind of tummy tuck is sometimes also referred to as a scarless tummy tuck, but if truth be told, it’s more of a “really tiny scar” tuck.

One of the reasons why mini/partial tummy tucks are referred to as “scarless” is because the smaller size of this kind of abdominoplasty’s scar tends to make it much easier to conceal, even if you opt to try on an outfit that’s more than just a little risqué.

There are a number of differences between complete and partial tummy tucks, but general procedure is still mostly the same: excess skin and fat around the lower abdominal area are removed.

With a complete tummy tuck though, instead of a small cut, the incision made is normally from hip to hip, above the pubic area.
There are a lot of ways for a surgeon to make the scar less visible, even with a complete abdominoplasty. Nonetheless, a partial tummy tuck is still much easier to conceal.

Whether you choose to get a complete or a partial one, you will first have to consult your doctor, to make sure that you are a good candidate for the kind of tummy tuck you want to get. For a partial tummy tuck, it’s usually great for people who don’t have as much extra skin or fat to remove. A complete tummy tuck, on the other hand, is a slightly more dramatic procedure, and it’s best for those with a lot of extra belly flab to get rid of.

Because a complete tummy tuck is a procedure that’s considerably more invasive than the scarless kind of tummy tuck, the recovery period tends to be longer, and the risks of complications are higher. However, if you really have a lot of excess skin and fat, this kind of tummy tuck may be your only option.

On the other hand, a partial tummy tuck can be a lot simpler, but may not cover as much area as the complete procedure. Among the benefits of the mini tummy tuck though, is the fact that usually, a patient doesn’t have to go completely under for the procedure. Most of the time, a local anesthetic and a sedative are used together, and the procedure can normally be done in about two hours or less.

If a mini tummy tuck goes well, a patient can usually be released to recover in their own homes a few hours after the procedure is completed. For both complete and partial tummy tucks, it really isn’t a good idea to do anything too strenuous or physically taxing for a few days or even weeks after the procedure. However, for the scarless tummy tuck, a patient can usually go back to work or whatever normal activities they might have, within a few days.

In any surgical procedure where a person with a knife and a mask slices you open and cuts out bits of you and gets rid of them, there will be a bit of pain involved. There are drugs for that. One of the great things about partial tummy tucks is that over-the-counter pain medications are usually enough to help you deal with whatever postoperative pain you might experience.

For both kinds of procedures, it can take three to six months before your body recovers completely, and even though you won’t be able to avoid the scarring that can occur, those scars usually fade over time.

Regardless of the kind of tummy tuck you opt to get though, whether it be the complete abdominoplasty, or the scarless tummy tuck/mini tummy tuck/partial tummy tuck, success isn’t always guaranteed, and sometimes, touch-ups or additional procedures might be necessary before you get the sculpted look you want. Whether or not that happens though, you should never forget to schedule follow-up consultations with your doctor so that they can detect any possible problems and help you manage your recovery.

Tags: Body, Cosmetic Procedures, Weight Issues // Add Comment »