The mini is a great operation. In my practice, for about half the women who ask for it, it’s the wrong one.

A mini tummy tuck can be the right operation for the right anatomy. Dr. Darren Smith explains how abdominal-wall separation, fat, and the location of loose skin guide the choice between a mini, full, reverse, or selected hybrid approach.

The three-layer framework
Understand the abdominal wall, fat, and skin—and why the procedure name alone does not tell you what is being treated.

Mini, full, reverse, and hybrid
Hear what these approaches aim to address, why upper-abdominal skin matters, and where a limited operation may fall short.

Diastasis and recovery
Why a home finger-width check cannot choose your operation, how muscle repair changes the discussion, and why recovery is individual.

The consultation question
“Which layers are you treating, and where will the scar be?”

Tummy tuck options with Dr. Darren Smith in NYC
BodyTite and its limits
More episodes of Plastic Surgery: Before and After
Consultations: 212-633-0627

ASPS: What type of tummy tuck is right for you?
European Hernia Society guidelines on rectus diastasis

Educational information; an individual examination is needed to determine suitable treatment. Presented using Dr. Smith’s HeyGen avatar and voice from the approved script.