The following distinctions between full vs mini for any procedure does not necessarily apply to all doctors. Doctors, like any apprenticeship training model, do what their teachers taught them. And if their teachers distinguished between a full vs mini ‘whatever,’ it doesn’t mean all doctors will make the same distinctions. But hearing from one doctor will guide you in how best to reach your goals and have reasonable expectations.
Full vs Mini Tummy Tuck
As the photos above shows, a mini tummy tuck is truly a very small removal of excess skin. A full tummy tuck includes liposuction, skin removal, repositioning of the belly button and tightening of the abdominal wall. A mini tummy tuck only removes a little bit of skin in a patient with a pretty firm abdomen. This extra roll of skin may develop in a healthy individual after pregnancy. But a mini tummy tuck is not the procedure needed by a majority of patients.
Full vs Mini Necklift
In my practice, a full neck lift includes incisions behind the ears and chin. The determining factor on whether to do a full necklift or mini is how much excess skin there is. If there’s a lot of excess neck skin, then incisions are made behind the ears to remove the excess skin. If there’s not a lot of neck skin, then that skin can be redraped with a mini neck lift that includes only the incision behind the chin. Through this one incision, the neck muscles can be tightened also. Check out these photos to see how the patients differ preop.
Full vs Mini Facelift
A full facelift includes incisions in front and behind the ears to remove and lift very saggy facial cheeks. If the patient only has slight “jowls” (the hanging skin along the jawline), a mini facelift with only the incisions in front of the ears will work.
To check pricing on any of these procedures from a doctor near you, click here.
