For those looking to lose weight and gain a better figure that they are more comfortable with, the stomach often proves to be an especially difficult area to tone and shape. Diet and exercise are huge components of successful weight loss and fitness but there are thousands of people who experience frustration with tummies that won’t be toned despite their best efforts to eat better, lose weight and exercise regularly. In these circumstances, many people turn to more drastic efforts to decrease their lower tummy pooch and be rid of their sagging stomachs once and for all.
The mini-tummy tuck as a solution to sagging, flabby stomachs has been growing in popularity as it offers many of the same long-term benefits associated with a traditional tummy tuck without many of the same risks. A mini-tummy tuck is performed mainly on the lower stomach region just below the belly button where flabbiness is often most evident, particularly on those who have lost significant weight while their skin has lost much of its elasticity or on women who have given birth and are left with less than toned mid sections as a result. Much like a traditional tummy tuck, an incision is made below the belly button where excess skin is then removed and the remaining skin is then carefully sewn up to create a tighter appearance.
The ideal mini-tummy tuck patient is one who is in relatively good shape and health and engages in regular exercise and good eating habits but who might be experiencing the frustration of a weight loss plateau or a stubborn stomach region that just isn’t responding to all their efforts to tone it up. Patients with a “spare tire” or extra skin and flabbiness just below their belly button region will benefit most from a mini-tummy tuck.
If you’re considering a tummy-tuck procedure, meet with your physician who can help you determine if a mini-tummy tuck option is a good option for your circumstances. Instead of a general anesthesia that is used in traditional tummy tuck procedures, mini-tummy tucks require only a local anesthesia applied to the area where the tummy tuck will take place. This method is less risky and the downtime is less lengthy as well. Mini-tummy tuck patients can expect to return to work somewhere between 2-6 weeks following their procedure and will be required to refrain from strenuous physical activity for up to 12 weeks following their mini-tummy tuck.