Mini Tuck or Lipectomy

Mini Tuck or Lipectomy

Occasionally, patients (and even doctors) will confuse a mini tummy tuck with a lipectomy. A lipectomy(actually a dermatolipectomy) is simply the removal of overhanging skin and fat. There is no tummy tuck. This is a verylimited procedure. Recovery is in 1-2 days. Since the fascia is not tucked (plicated) the waistline and the stomach are not reduced.

Lipectomies are typically given to post-partum women who want to eliminate a skin flap.

Case 12: The patient here had a mini-tummy tuck-not a lipectomy. In a lipectomy, only the oval area would have been removed. In a tummy tuck, all the skin from above the navel to the pubis is removed.That’s why the patient’s C-section scar and stretch marks are now gone. Unlike the conventional tummy tuck, the mini tuck requires drains and two weeks for recovery. The main difference is that the incision of a mini tuck is 1/3 the length of a conventional tuck. However, while the mini-tuck gives you a smaller incision, it prevents the surgeon from removing excess skin along the flanks and love handles.