Types of Tummy Tuck: Full, Mini, Fleur-de-Lis and Extended

The four main types of tummy tuck are the full (standard) abdominoplasty, the mini abdominoplasty, the fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty and the extended or circumferential abdominoplasty. They differ mainly in the size and shape of the incision and how much of the abdomen they treat. The right type depends on how much loose skin you have and where it sits, not on preference alone, and a plastic surgeon decides this at assessment.

When I started reading about this I assumed a tummy tuck was one operation. It is not, and choosing the wrong type for your body is one of the easiest ways to be disappointed. This guide, checked by a consultant plastic surgeon, sets the types side by side. For the full picture of the operation, start with the tummy tuck pillar.

The types of tummy tuck at a glance

There are four main types, distinguished by their incision and how much of the abdomen they address.

Type	Incision	What it treats	Muscle repair
Full (standard)	Hip to hip, low across the abdomen	Skin and muscle above and below the navel	Usually yes
Mini	Shorter, lower horizontal incision	Below the navel only	Often not above the navel
Fleur-de-lis	Horizontal plus a vertical midline incision	Width as well as height, after weight loss	Usually yes
Extended / circumferential	Round the flanks and back	Skin all the way round, after weight loss	Usually yes

Both the NHS and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons describe the procedure as tailored to the amount and position of excess skin, with the full abdominoplasty the most common form¹.

Full (standard) abdominoplasty

A full abdominoplasty uses a hip-to-hip incision low across the abdomen and treats skin and muscle both above and below the navel. The surgeon lifts the skin all the way to the ribs, repairs the separated muscle, removes the excess skin and fat, and repositions the belly button through a new opening because so much skin is removed. The operation usually takes about 2 to 4 hours under general anaesthetic, with a hospital stay of 0 to 2 nights¹.

This is the type most people picture, and it is the right one when there is laxity both above and below the navel, which is common after pregnancy. It is the type I had.

Mini abdominoplasty

A mini abdominoplasty treats only the area below the navel, using a shorter, lower incision. There is no new belly-button opening and often no muscle repair above the navel, because the skin is not lifted that far. It suits limited lower-tummy laxity only, so it is not a smaller version that anyone can choose; if you have skin or muscle laxity above the navel, a mini will not address it. For the detail on what it can and cannot do, see the mini tummy tuck.

Fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty

A fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty adds a vertical incision to the standard horizontal one, creating an inverted-T or anchor scar. This removes width as well as height and is used mainly after major weight loss, where there is excess skin side to side that a horizontal-only incision cannot take in. The trade-off is the additional vertical midline scar, which is permanent. For who needs it and why, see the fleur-de-lis tummy tuck and tummy tuck after weight loss.

Extended and circumferential abdominoplasty

An extended or circumferential abdominoplasty extends the incision round the flanks and back to address skin all the way round the body. Also called a belt lipectomy or lower body lift, it is again common after major weight loss, where loose skin is not confined to the front of the abdomen. It is a larger operation than a standard tummy tuck, with a correspondingly longer scar and recovery.

How the right type is chosen

The right type is chosen by a plastic surgeon based on how much loose skin you have and where it sits, alongside whether your muscles have separated. Limited laxity below the navel may suit a mini; laxity above and below usually needs a full abdominoplasty; significant side-to-side excess after weight loss often needs a fleur-de-lis or an extended procedure. BAAPS stresses that the choice follows your anatomy and goals, assessed individually, rather than a fixed menu².

Before any of this, it is worth confirming you are a suitable candidate for a tummy tuck, since stable weight and realistic expectations matter as much as the type. Many people also reach this decision through a specific route, whether a tummy tuck after pregnancy or a tummy tuck after weight loss.