You gained weight, you lost weight. With age, the skin stretches. These are all normal life events that can cause excess saggy skin on the tummy. An Abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, is a cosmetic procedure that can tighten loose skin on the belly after weight loss, remove some of the stretch marks after pregnancy, and help get rid of stubborn belly fat (a mummy pooch) with Mini abdominoplasty procedure.
After pregnancy, you may also have split tummy muscles or diastasis recti. A full abdominoplasty includes a split tummy muscle repair whereas a mini abdominoplasty is a procedure to just remove excess fat & Skin below the belly button only.
A mini abdominoplasty surgery is similar to a full abdominoplasty except that it targets the stretched skin and extra fat in the lower belly area only. A mini abdominoplasty can also be combined with other procedures, like liposuction and breast surgery to maximise the cosmetic results and also address the fat build-up above the navel.
For some people, the excess skin and fat are limited to the area below the belly button and they don’t have a lot of it. A mini tummy tuck/ abdominoplasty, or mini abdominoplasty, is ideal for those individuals who are thinner and have less extra skin and fat they want to get rid of.
UPDATE – NEW 30175 MEDICARE ITEM NUMBER – The Australian Government has a NEW Medicare Item Number for Tummy Tuck/ Abdominoplasty for some eligible post-pregnancy patients with 3cm+ Diastasis Recti (Split Tummy Muscles) if you are eligible and meet the new medical criteria. This new 30175 Medicare Item Number – is effective from 1st July 2022. Read the 30175 Medicare Item Number factsheet.
If you qualify for the 30175 Medicare item number you may also get a subsidy from your Health Fund. There will still be a significant out-of-pocket GAP as Private Tummy tuck/ abdominoplasty surgery is NOT FREE.
Dr Hunt and Dr Maryam are both Specialist Plastic surgeons with an interest in cosmetic surgery for the body. Dr Hunt has years of experience in performing mini-abdominoplasty for patients in Wollongong and Sydney.
Our surgeons tailor each mini tuck surgery to meet the cosmetic goals of the patients. A mini tuck can tone the lower belly, get rid of mummy pooch, and improve the stomach contour with a less invasive approach compared to a full abdominoplasty. Do you want a skin-only tummy tuck/ abdominoplasty or do you need a muscle repair too?
A mini tummy tuck is an abdominoplasty that removes lax skin and accumulated fat mainly in the lower abdomen. It is considered a less invasive procedure than a full abdominoplasty. A full tummy tuck/ abdominoplasty surgery can fix your postpartum mummy pooch, abdominal hernia, and muscle laxity in the lower abdomen.
After pregnancy or weight loss, you can lose muscle tone and skin elasticity in your abdominal area. For some people, the problem area is restricted to the lower part of the abdomen:
The mini tummy tuck/ abdominoplasty is considered the best cosmetic procedure to sculpt the stomach area beneath the belly button, tone the lower abs muscles, and fix the stretch marks and sagginess in the lower part of the belly. You trade a well-hidden tummy tuck/ abdominoplasty scar that fades over time for a smoother tummy contour.
Both the full abdominoplasty and mini abdominoplasty are designed to remove loose skin and fat build-up from the stomach area. They both tighten the abdomen and make it flat again.
However, unlike a full tummy tuck/ abdominoplasty, a mini abdominoplasty:
In general, a full abdominoplasty works on a larger area of the stomach than a mini abdominoplasty, which focuses on the lower parts of the stomach. In addition, a full abdominoplasty involves a longer incision and more skin and fat removal than a mini abdominoplasty.
A mini abdominoplasty procedure is ideal for people who have lost weight or given birth but are not able to lose stubborn lower belly fat with diet and exercise.
This procedure works very well for candidates who:
Over the years, Dr Hunt and Dr Maryam have performed mini-abdominoplasty surgery to help patients get their stomachs back in shape after losing weight or giving birth.
In case you have minimal loose skin in your lower abdominal region, a mini tummy tuck/ abdominoplasty procedure can offer the following advantages over a full abdominoplasty:
Despite being a less demanding procedure, a mini tummy tuck/ abdominoplasty needs great surgical skills to perform successfully.
A mini abdominoplasty surgery can be performed under local or general anaesthesia. During the procedure, Dr Hunt or Dr Maryam will do the following:
A mini abdominoplasty surgery usually lasts between one and a half to three hours. After your surgery, your wound will be covered by wound dressing and you will be transferred to the recovery room.
Mini abdominoplasty is less demanding than a full abdominoplasty, hence it often has a shorter recovery time. During your postoperative recovery from a mini tummy tuck/ abdominoplasty you can expect:
Every patient will have a slightly different recovery timeline after their tummy tuck/ abdominoplasty surgery depending on the extent of removed skin, age, body weight, and overall health condition. Nevertheless, full recovery after a mini abdominoplasty usually takes about 4-6 weeks.
Your surgeon will follow up with you for a couple of months after your mini-abdominoplasty surgery to make sure your wound is healing nicely and your scar continues to improve.
Just like a full abdominoplasty, a mini abdominoplasty can have some complications including:
To avoid possible complications after your surgery, it’s very important that you carefully choose the right plastic surgeon for your mini tummy tuck/ abdominoplasty. Our surgeons use their surgical skills and experience to meet the patient’s desired outcomes.
Yes, a mini abdominoplasty can be combined with other procedures to get the best possible results. A mini abdominoplasty does not usually improve the appearance of the upper abdomen. It can be combined with liposuction to get rid of fat accumulated around the love handles and further contour the belly. Liposuction can also help further tone the lower belly, hips, and pubic area (mons or FUPA). Read our blog on How to Get Rid of FUPA – A Fat Upper Pubic Area.
A post-pregnancy mini tummy tuck/ abdominoplasty can also be combined with breast augmentation, reduction, or lift surgery as part of a full Post Pregnancy Surgery. Dr Hunt frequently performs this kind of combined surgical procedure to restore the pre-pregnancy body with one recovery period. Dr Maryam can also combine Tummy Surgery with Labiaplasty.
During your consultation, your surgeon will give you an estimation of how much your abdominoplasty surgery will cost. In some cases, Medicare covers abdominoplasty after significant weight loss. So you might be eligible for a rebate and partial health insurance coverage.
Dr Jeremy Hunt is specialist plastic surgeon performing breast, body, face and nose surgery in Australia. He is a member of FRACS & ASPS and has over 20 years of experience providing plastic surgery in Sydney.
Careful, considerate and honest, Dr Jeremy Hunt works with you to find a solution that is optimal for your body and your lifestyle. Every patient is unique and, through his guidance, can achieve good results.
Dr Hunt’s personal, one-on-one service and attention to detail have given thousands of women and men from the Sydney & Wollongong NSW area and across Australia the aesthetic results they desire.
Dr Jeremy A Hunt MBBS FRACS graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine degree from Sydney University in 1990 and is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and member of ASPS – the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons. He completed a Fellowship at the prestigious University of Texas in the United States, where he learnt from some of the world’s very best plastic surgeons.
Want more information before scheduling your consultation?
If breast reduction is something you’re considering, Dr Hunt can thoroughly explain all the options to you in a one-on-one consultation.
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health professional.