Mini abdominal lift

The aim of a tummy tu ck is to remove excess tissue and restore it to its original position. The tummy tuck removes excess skin and fat, while also re-tensioning the muscles if necessary.

It's the perfect opportunity to restore a flat stomach for both men and women.

The abdominal mini-lift will only treat the area below the navel, removing excess fat and skin without affecting the muscles.

It's a solution for reshaping the lower abdomen, to slim and firm it.

Dr. Christelle Santini recommends this technique to treat moderate tissue excess, to reshape the area between the pubis and the navel, provided you have a stable weight.

The mini tummy tuck allows you to lose weight:

• in men, with abdominal belly after forty;
• in women, on a moderate abdominal apron, e.g. after age-related weight gain, pregnancy or menopause.

A frequent indication is slim patients who have gained weight after pregnancy, with sagging skin that has not regained its elasticity.

Dr. Santini advises that the patient's weight should be stable for at least 6 months, and that he or she should not be obese.
There are two advantages over conventional abdominoplasty:

• There is no incision around the navel, and the scar is concealed in the suprapubic area, i.e. under the underwear;
• the procedure is less invasive, with faster recovery.

An initial consultation with Dr Santini is necessary, so that she can carry out a clinical and aesthetic analysis of your tummy.

In particular, it assesses the extent of skin distension and excess skin on the abdomen, as well as the extent of associated excess fat. It also assesses muscle tone, with the possibility of using CT scans in case of doubt.

If there is no excess skin, but only excess fat with skin distension, Dr Santini may be able to offer you other medical body-shaping solutions, without surgery.

If there is significant excess skin with diastasis-type muscle damage, a more extensive procedure, such as an abdominal lift, is often required.

If the indications for the mini-lift are well defined and correspond to your expectations, Dr Santini will take medical photos and, if necessary, suggest associated procedures such as the mommy makeover which combines a tummy tuck and a breast lift after pregnancy. A legal waiting period of 15 days is always observed before the mini tummy tuck operation.

Dr. Santini will schedule an appointment with the anesthesiologist no later than 48 hours before the mini tummy tuck, to allow the professional to perform additional tests if necessary.

Dr. Santini will also prescribe a tummy-containing girdle to be worn as a bandage for 4 to 6 weeks.

Any medication containing aspirin should be stopped 10 days before the procedure. Progestin-based contraception should also be stopped 1 month before the abdominal mini-lift to reduce the risk of thromboembolism.

Smoking cessation is required 1 month before and 1 month after the tummy tuck, to optimize healing and abdominal remodeling.

You must not eat, drink or smoke for 6 hours before the operation.

The procedure is performed in a clinic, either as an outpatient or with an overnight hospital stay. It is usually performed under general anaesthetic, lasting from 45 minutes to 1h30.

Dr Santini outlines the contours, stopping just below the navel.

There are two main operating stages:

• a liposuction step to remove excess fat;
• a skin resection stage, to remove excess skin. The transverse scar stops below the navel, and its length depends on the amount of excess tissue to be removed. Dr. Santini then reshapes the slimmed tummy, so that the skin regains its volume, without excessive tension.

Once the skin has been sutured, drains are inserted if necessary and a shaping dressing is applied.

The drains are removed after 24-48 hours and the dressing is redone.

As soon as there is no more serosity, the shaping dressing is replaced by an elastic girdle, to be worn at all times, even at night, for 4 to 6 weeks.

Pain is usually moderate, and analgesic treatment is systematically introduced and adapted if necessary.

It takes 10 to 15 days off work, not covered by the CNAM, and an average of 6 weeks off sport.

The result is immediately visible, but altered by edema and bruising. All is resolved in 2 to 4 weeks, with a definitive result in 3 to 6 months.

The scar is first red, then pink, before turning pearly white between 6 and 12 months: it must be perfectly protected from UV rays until it is definitive.

• Remodelling of the lower abdomen.
• Mini tummy tuck less invasive than abdominoplasty.
• Outpatient or overnight hospitalization.

What to do before the mini tummy tuck?

• 1 to 2 cosmetic surgery consultations with a quote and photographs.
• It is advisable to stop taking anticoagulants, the pill and smoking.
• Consultation with the anaesthetist.

How is abdominal mini-lift surgery performed in Paris?

• Hidden scar in pubic area.
• Liposuction and skin resection.
• Surgery from 45 to 1h30 .
• Can be combined with other procedures (hip liposuction, mommy makeover, etc.).

What are the after-effects of a mini tummy tuck?

• Wear compression girdle for 4 to 6 weeks.
• Rest 10 to 15 days after a mini tummy tuck.
• Visible results quickly, stabilized between 3 and 6 months to lose belly fat.
• Tummy tuck scar stabilized between 6 and 12 months.
• Slimmer, younger figure.