How much excess skin do I need to qualify for a tummy tuck?

Some patients come to my office complaining of laxity, or looseness, of the skin around the belly button. This is called mid-abdominal skin laxity. Usually in this situation there is not enough extra skin in the lower abdominal area for them to undergo a full tummy tuck. Just because you have loose skin on the abdomen doesn't mean you're a candidate for a tummy tuck.

In theory, in order to do a full tummy tuck, there should be enough loose skin so that it can stretch from just above the belly button all the way down to the incision above the pubic hairline. If there isn't enough skin and there's too much tension, it may be impossible to close the wound, and this could have disastrous results.

The decision on whether you have enough skin must be made by a qualified board-certified plastic surgeon. Again, the amount of skin and the location of that skin will determine whether or not you are a candidate for a full tummy tuck.