Mini Tummy Tuck in Tampa FL

Want to get a mini tummy tuck in Tampa? Dr. Temmen, M.D. offers mini tummy tuck which has a smaller incision, and shorter scar that is perfect for some patients. Nobody wants big, visible scars following any surgery, but those considering cosmetic surgery may be even more concerned about their resultant scar. Fortunately, some patients considering a tummy tuck may actually be able to undergo a mini tummy tuck or short scar tummy tuck performed through a small incision placed low on the abdominal wall. A mini tummy tuck scar can often be shorter than a C-section scar and hidden within the pubic hair.

If you’re a candidate for regular tummy tuck, visit our regular tummy tuck page.

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Dr. Traci Temmen is a specialist in tummy tucks and short scar mini tummy tucks in Tampa, Florida. She is known by her patients for her perfectionist nature, discerning eye, expert surgical skill, and easy bedside manner. On the forefront of mini tummy tuck and three-dimensional body sculpting techniques, Dr. Temmen is able to perform a life changing, mini tummy tuck with a fast recovery, minimal downtime, short scars, and dramatic results, all in the comfort of her boutique plastic surgery suite. If you are finally ready to get the body you have always dreamed of, call Dr. Traci Temmen, mini tummy tuck specialist, today!

Mini Tummy Tuck (Mini Abdominoplasty) Surgery

The standard tummy tuck generally involves an incision around the belly button and another incision that extends from hipbone to hipbone and is placed as low as possible on the abdominal wall but high enough to allow for a large amount of skin removal and muscle tightening. However, some patients with excess skin and muscle laxity limited to the lower abdomen (i.e. below the belly button) may get the same results of a full tummy tuck through an incision that is much shorter and lower on the abdominal wall.

During a mini tummy tuck, Dr. Temmen may first perform liposuction of the upper and lower abdomen, iliac rolls or “muffin top,” and back, giving each patient a tight, cinched-in waist. The liposuction not only sculpts a narrow waist and hips, but also helps reduce the amount of surgical dissection necessary during the mini tummy tuck portion of the surgery, allowing for an even shorter, lower mini tummy tuck scar. After liposuction, if performed, Dr. Traci Temmen then makes a small incision in the lower abdominal wall and removes any excess skin. Through this same incision, she is able to tighten and reconstruct stretched and loose lower abdominal muscles.

Unlike with a full tummy tuck, patients undergoing a mini tummy tuck do not require an incision around the belly button and do not require tightening of the skin or muscles above the belly button. This refined mini tummy tuck technique ensures that Dr. Traci Temmen’s eligible mini tummy tuck patients get the same results as a full tummy tuck without unnecessary scarring.

Who is a Candidate for a Mini Tummy Tuck (Mini Abdominoplasty)?

Of course, every patient who wants a tummy tuck wants a mini tummy tuck performed through a short scar! Unfortunately, most patients benefit more from a full tummy tuck than a mini tummy tuck, and only a select number of patients are truly good candidates for a mini tummy tuck. The best candidate for a mini tummy tuck is a patient with a small to moderate degree of excess, lax abdominal skin and stretched abdominal muscles limited to the area below the belly button. Mini tummy tuck patients candidates should be generally pleased with upper abdominal area and belly button, because these areas will be minimally affected with a mini tummy tuck or short scar tummy tuck.

Additionally, mini tummy tuck patients should be at or near their ideal body weight and be in good health. Women considering having additional children may want to wait to have a mini or full tummy tuck until they are finished expanding their family. Patients who have had a tummy tuck elsewhere and wish to revise their results may also be good candidates for a revisionary, mini tummy tuck by Dr. Traci Temmen.

To guarantee each patient the best and safest tummy tuck surgery possible, Dr. Traci Temmen performs a thorough history and physical examination on every patient considering body-sculpting procedures. During each mini tummy tuck consultation at Temmen Plastic Surgery, Dr. Temmen and her staff take the time to explain the surgery in detail, describe expected results, listen to patient desires, and answer every possible question. Because of this, Dr. Temmen cannot and will not offer a mini tummy tuck to every patient requesting one if she knows it will not provide the results they are expecting and hoping for. Dr. Temmen truly wants every patient to get the best abdominal contouring surgery possible, whether that be no surgery, liposuction alone, a mini tummy tuck, or a full tummy tuck with liposuction.

Who is Not a Mini Tummy Tuck Candidate?

Like we said above, not everyone is a good candidate for a mini tummy tuck or other body sculpting surgery. Patients with excess fat, skin laxity, and stretched abdominal muscles above and below the belly button are not candidates for a mini tummy tuck or short scar tummy tuck. Only those with limited amounts of fat, skin laxity, and loose abdominal muscles below the belly button will fully benefit from a mini tummy tuck. Additionally, patients that smoke, have complicated medical problems (e.g. heart disease, diabetes, blood clots), or are considered obese with a BMI >30 are not candidates for a tummy tuck. Dr. Traci Temmen requires that patients stop smoking for at least 9-12 months, have medical conditions well controlled, and have reached their ideal body weight before proceeding with body contouring or a mini tummy tuck surgery. To obtain the best results possible, women who have recently had a baby should postpone surgery for at least 9 months to let their skin and soft tissues contract before undergoing a mini tummy tuck and/or liposuction surgery.

Mini Tummy Tuck Scars

As the name suggests, the greatest benefit of a mini or short scar tummy tuck when compared to a full tummy tuck is that the scar is shorter! Using the mini tummy tuck technique, Dr. Traci Temmen is able to tighten lower abdominal skin and muscles through an incision the same length or shorter than a C-section scar. A mini tummy tuck scar can sometimes be placed lower on the abdominal wall than a full tummy tuck scar, often within the pubic hair line. A mini tummy tuck scar never goes beyond the hipbones and should not be visible in a bikini. Another potential advantage of the mini tummy tuck is that there is no second scar around the belly button. On the other hand, the belly button is not reshaped or repositioned during a mini tummy tuck.

Mini Tummy Tuck Recovery

Dr. Traci Temmen performs her cosmetic mini tummy tuck and body sculpting surgeries in an accredited, private surgical suite, custom-made for plastic surgeons. Depending on the patient and need for additional surgeries, Dr. Temmen usually performs mini tummy tucks under general anesthesia, and rarely under local anesthesia with light sedation. Mini tummy tuck surgery takes 1-2 hours to perform, depending on the complexity and size of the patient. Patients recover in the luxury of a private recovery suite with a recovery room nurse dedicated solely to them and their comfort.

Dr. Temmen’s mini tummy tuck patients may have one to two drains placed in the lower abdomen and those areas treated by liposuction, if performed. These drains help speed recovery, decrease postoperative complications, and are generally removed in one to five days after surgery. A postoperative compression garment is worn for six weeks to aid in healing and shaping of the body following a mini tummy tuck and compression stockings must be worn for two weeks following surgery to decrease the risk of blood clots and promote circulation. Patients are prescribed oral pain medications, antibiotics, and anti-nausea medicines postoperatively. Most of Dr. Temmen’s mini tummy tuck patients are able to return to work within 3 to 5 days, drive when they are no longer taking narcotic pain medications, and return to full exercise by six weeks.

Mini Tummy Tuck Cost

Like all cosmetic surgery, cost should not be the determining factor when choosing a mini tummy tuck surgeon. Because of the high level of skill required to select the right patient population and perform this surgery well, only plastic surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery should be considered. Dr. Temmen is proud to be one of the few female board certified plastic to offer advanced tummy tuck, mini tummy tuck, and liposuction surgery to her patients.

The cost of a mini tummy tuck varies by plastic surgeon and by region of the country but is generally less than the cost of a full tummy tuck. The average price of a mini or short scar tummy tuck starts  around $8,900 including surgeon fees, anesthesia fees, facility fees, and garments. The cost of a mini tummy tuck may increase with the necessary liposuction, complexity, revisionary surgery, and increases in planned surgical time.

Dr. Temmen offers convenient payment options for tummy tuck, mini tummy tuck, and all other cosmetic surgery. They accept check, credit, card, and CareCredit, a credit card that offers special financing and low monthly payments for cosmetic surgery procedures.

Mini Tummy Tuck Risks and Problems

The most commonly encountered problems following a mini tummy tuck are residual excess skin, loose muscles, and upper abdominal bulging. The cause of these problems is improper preoperative evaluation and patient selection. With a complete and careful preoperative history and physical exam and with discerning patient selection, Dr. Traci Temmen is able to keep mini tummy tuck risks, complications, and patient unhappiness to a minimum.

However, there are still risks and known problems associated with a mini tummy tuck not associated with improper patient selection that cannot be completely eliminated. Other risks associated with a mini tummy tuck are postoperative blood or fluid collections that can usually be managed with prolonged drains or minor in-office procedures. Occasionally, superficial infections may occur following a mini tummy tuck that can be managed with antibiotics in the clinic. Rare, more serious infections of the deeper soft tissues may require hospitalization for intravenous antibiotics and additional surgeries.

The most serious risk of a mini tummy tuck is a blood clot in the legs or lungs. Fortunately, because of the less invasive nature of a mini tummy tuck, these potentially life-threatening complications less common than in patients undergoing a full tummy tuck. To help prevent blood clots in the legs and lungs during a mini or full tummy tuck, all of Dr. Traci Temmen’s patients are fitted with sequential compression devices (SCD’s) during surgery and turned from side to side to keep the blood moving and circulating. Additionally, immediately after surgery, patients are dressed in and required to wear lower extremity compression stockings and encouraged to walk as much as possible even on the night of surgery.

All the risks of a mini tummy tuck are increased in patients that smoke, have poorly controlled medical problems, or are overweight. Thus, Dr. Traci Temmen, and most other credible plastic surgeons, will not perform a mini tummy tuck on patients who have high-risk medical problems, smoke, or are extremely over weight. Plastic surgeons like Dr. Traci Temmen, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, are trained not only in mini tummy tuck surgery and body contouring techniques, but also in diagnosing and appropriately treating the complications and risks associated with cosmetic body sculpting procedures. You can be sure that you are in caring and safe hands when you choose Dr. Traci Temmen and Temmen Plastic Surgery to perform your mini tummy tuck surgery.

Mini Tummy Tuck Before and After

Everyone wants to see before and after mini tummy tuck photos. Dr. Traci Temmen knows she performs one of the best tummy tucks, including mini tummy tucks. She is proud to let her before and after tummy tuck and mini tummy tuck pictures speak for themselves. Dr. Temmen encourages her patients to scour the internet and try to find before and after mini tummy tuck photos that can match theirs!

Feel free to look through the Gallery section of this website and print off your favorite before and after tummy tuck photographs to discuss with Dr. Temmen at your free consultation. In addition to those on the website, Dr. Temmen has many more before and after tummy tuck photos available for viewing during your consultation.

Please note that many of our tummy tuck before and after photos are taken six weeks to three months after surgery, thus areas of swelling and scar visibility will continue to decrease for up to one year following surgery.