Which kind of tummy tuck is right for me?

Tummy Tuck Surgery

The way that fat is distributed across the body is different for everyone, particularly when it comes to fat on the stomach. You might have a slight ‘pouch’ of fat at your lower abdomen, or maybe you have a significant amount of excess skin and fat due to weight loss. Discover which type of tummy you might have below.

Post-pregnancy

Affectionately called the ‘mum tum,’ this kind of tummy will be lower down, typically falling below your waistline. Pregnancy and childbirth can cause the abdominal muscles to stretch. Sometimes the muscles don’t realign, and this is what causes the ‘mum tum’, or pouch of fat on the lower tummy.

Post-weight loss

Losing a significant amount of weight can leave you with excess skin across your stomach. This excess skin can happen when you lose fat that has stretched the skin out and weakened its elasticity.

Hormonal

The production of certain hormones can cause weight gain and stubborn areas of fat. For example, menopause can cause you to gain weight around your tummy.

Types of Tummy Tuck

Just as there are different kinds of belly fat, there are different tummy tuck techniques that our surgeons can use to tighten and tone your stomach.

Mini tummy tuck

This kind of abdominoplasty removes skin and fat from the lower tummy only, with the incision made above your pubic area. It can also involve tightening of the lower abdominal muscles, and can change the shape of the belly button.

The mini tummy tuck is ideal for addressing a post-pregnancy ‘mum tum.’

Full tummy tuck

The full or ‘standard’ tummy tuck is the most common type of abdominoplasty. It can remove more fat and skin than a mini tummy tuck, as a bigger incision is made, extending from one hip to the other and around the belly button. In this kind of tummy tuck, your surgeon will tighten the muscles above and below the belly button.

If you’ve lost a lot of weight and have been left with loose, excess skin on your tummy, a full tummy tuck might be the best option for you.

Fleur-de-lis tummy tuck

If you have a lot of excess skin on your upper and lower stomach, you might benefit from a fleur-de-lis tummy tuck. In this kind of abdominoplasty, your surgeon makes the standard horizontal incision to remove tissue from the lower tummy, and also a vertical incision to target above the belly button. The name ‘fleur-de-lis’ comes from the shape of the scar, which looks like a fleur-de-lis symbol, or an anchor.

Liposuction or Tummy Tuck?

Liposuction and a tummy tuck can both result in a flatter tummy, but they use different methods to achieve this.

The main difference between the two procedures is that liposuction removes excess fat, while a tummy tuck removes excess skin and can repair the abdominal muscles. So, if you are simply looking to get rid of a stubborn area of fat from your tummy, you might opt for liposuction. But if you have a lot of excess skin and lax tummy muscles, you might benefit from a tummy tuck.

Our surgeons have a wealth of experience in both procedures, so they can talk you through your options to make sure that you get the results you want, no matter the procedure.