Everybody would like to have a smooth and flat stomach but for some of us even if we eat healthily and exercise regularly we just cannot seem to get rid of that stubborn extra area of fat, usually in our lower abdomen. Or perhaps we have also lost a lot of weight and have ended up with stretched or excess skin that no amount of exercise can remedy.
Quite often we find that a patient might be a little bit reluctant to consider a full tummy tuck because they appreciate that this is major surgery with a considerable recovery time and residual scarring, and we understand this completely. The good news is that, Tummy Tuck Clinic in Turkey provides professional service to get natural appearance for patients from UK who require mini tummy tuck treatment.
We would not say that this procedure is not a substitute for having a full tummy tuck which will always remove larger amounts of fat and more excess skin and will also include the repair of muscles in the abdominal wall. A mini tummy tuck will never deliver the full tummy tuck's dramatic results, but it can be very useful in providing very effective contouring, a much shorter time to recover and scarring that is considerably less.
Another difference between the mini and the full tummy tuck is it with the latter the belly button will normally have to be moved and stitched back into place whereas with a mini tummy tuck it will be left in situ. That is not to say that re-siting in the belly button is detrimental, it is not at all and one glance at our before and after photos will convince you of that.
When a surgeon is doing a mini tummy tuck he or she will make an incision that is about four to 8 inches over your lower abdomen (about the size of a caesarean section scar). In fact if you have had a caesarean section at some point, your surgeon will very likely use the same scar to carry out your procedure.
During the operation your surgeon will make sure that he or she tightens up any loose muscles and will remove excessive skin giving you a smoother and flatter stomach. For the best results you should be close to or at your normal weight and not planning to put on or take off any dramatic amount of weight or to get pregnant.
As the name suggests, in a mini tummy tuck it is the tummy that is targeted, especially the lower part of the abdomen, the part between your pubic area and your belly button. As we said before, the belly button won't be moved, although it would be if you had a full abdominoplasty. If the issues you have mean that you're looking at flattening the entire area from your rib cage downwards, then a full tummy tuck will be the best option for you.
Because when you have a mini tummy tuck, skin will be removed the operation has to be customised for each patient. One example would be where a patient had stubborn fat deposits that might do well if liposuction was combined with the procedure to get the best results. As with all plastic surgery realistic expectation is everything.
You will also be asked about your general health and your lifestyle so that the surgeon can alert you to any possible lifestyle or health changes that might help you get the best out of your procedure and avoid risks. He or she will also evaluate whether the mini tummy tuck is the best procedure for you and if it is not they will suggest another treatment that might be.
There are several things that are surgeons will want to make you aware of in preparation for your mini tummy tuck. One precaution that could be very important is cutting down or ideally stopping smoking six weeks before you plan to have your surgery. This is because smoking can have an adverse effect on recovery.
You will also be advised to lose weight if you're intending to, so that you are as close to the normal weight for your height as possible before you come for surgery. You will also be advised about taking aspirin and any other herbal supplements or anti- inflammatory medicine. This will be discussed with you in more detail at the time of your consultation.
As your surgery is likely to be done and general anaesthetic you will be asked to fast for around six hours before you come for surgery. You can expect to feel some discomfort and soreness after you've had your surgery, as the anaesthesia wears off, but you will be given painkillers for this and over the counter painkillers should be fine after that. Everybody is different and each person will recover at their own rate from having surgery but following this particular surgery it is recommended that you take at least a fortnight off work so that you can make a full recovery.
The length of your surgery will depend very much on how much excess requires removal. In this procedure it is normal to remove only a minimal amount of skin and because of this the surgery takes around 90 minutes.
To commence your surgery the surgeon will make an incision around your pubic area just below the belly button and the amount of tissue that will be removed will be determined by this incision. The benefit of the mini tummy tuck when it's compared to the more radical full tummy tuck or the abdominoplasty Fleur De Lis, is that scarring is much less because less skin is being removed.
Once the anaesthetic has worn off and you are back in the ward you will be able to drink and to eat again and you'll be given pain relief so that any pain is subdued. There are certain things you would be advised to do to enhance your recovery:
Another reason for its popularity is because it is a much more affordable option. At Tummy Tuck Clinic the mini tummy tuck comes in at around £2000 which is a saving of about £1500 on a full tummy tuck procedure. We are also offering finance options for people who want them. We find, however that patients generally do not resent this investment in themselves and appreciate that the self-confidence they will enjoy after their procedure is well worth the outlay.
At our Tummy Tuck Clinic, we are very proud of our team of highly qualified and experienced reconstructive and consultant plastic surgeons, who perform our tummy tuck procedures here in Turkey. But you don't have to take our word for it because if you click here you will be able to see before and after photographs from some of our past patients and find a record of their personal accounts of the surgery they had.
Anyone who is left with excessive skinfolds is a good candidate for a mini tummy tuck procedure. Anyone considering this procedure should have a stable body weight that is as close to the normal weight for their height as possible. Those people who find themselves with excess skin left after weight loss or pregnancy, due to genetics or age or from a previous surgery may all benefit from this procedure.
someone would be considered unsuitable for this procedure if:
The scar that you have following the surgery will be at the site where the surgeon has made the incision. Surgeons will make every effort to make sure that this scar is below your bikini line so that it will not be visible in underwear or when you are in swimwear. The scar will fade in time and eventually will be hard to detect against your usual skin tone.
For the first three to five days after your surgery you are likely to feel moderate discomfort and pain but you should be able to resume your normal activities after about three days while you make sure to avoid strenuous activity or exercise for a period of about six weeks. You'll be given a support garment that you have to wear for the first three weeks both day and night and then in the second three weeks you will need to wear this garment during the day only. Most of the swelling will go down within about three to four weeks and everything will be finally back to normal in about three-months.
There is no getting away from the fact that every surgical procedure carries some amount of risk and of course a mini tummy tuck is no different. Some of the things that patients experience could be numbness swelling or bruising particularly around the area in which the incision has been made. Less commonly occurring complications will be infection, subcutaneous bleeding, a thickened scar or a burning sensation that lingers after the surgery. A degree of numbness is to be expected after tummy tuck surgery and although nerve damage can mean permanent numbness results, this is extremely rare. The scarring left by the surgery will alter its colour and this is quite normal. Eventually the scar will fade away and become a thin barely visible white line.