Mini-Abdominoplasty

A mini-abdominoplasty is not an abdominoplasty at a bargain price. While it is a lesser procedure, it provides fewer benefits or results. Therefore, patients need to be chosen carefully to ensure that they are happy afterwards. The following describes the ideal candidate:

• Patient relatively thin
• Vast majority of problem (sag) is below the umbilicus
• Little or no bulging of the true abdominal wall

A mini-abdominoplasty does remove sagging skin; however, there is no plication of the true abdominal wall. If the sagging skin is low on the abdomen and not excessive, then a mini-abdominoplasty might be a good choice.

There is usually less discomfort post-operatively with a mini-abdominoplasty than with a full abdominoplasty. However, Dr. Loffredo and Dr. Jones provide the same narcotics post-operatively for all mini-abdominoplasty patients as they do for the full abdominoplasty patients.*

Sometimes, a patient is a candidate for either a mini-abdominoplasty or a full abdominoplasty, and our surgeons will ask the patient whether she wants the best possible result (full abdominoplasty) or whether she is willing to accept a lesser result (mini-abdominoplasty) in return for a smaller surgery. Our surgeons at Cape and Islands Plastic Surgery always provide options if they feel they can provide a reasonable result with either choice.*

We require all mini-abdominoplasty patients to take two weeks off for recovery.

*Individual results may vary from person to person.