Tummy Tuck
Conveniently located to serve the areas of Eau Claire and Wisconsin
A tummy tuck is a procedure that removes excess skin and fat from the abdomen. Pregnancy, weight changes, hormonal fluctuations, aging, and weakened abdominal muscles can cause your abdomen to lose definition. With a tummy tuck, we can help you achieve a smoother, tighter abdomen for a more athletic appearance.
Dr. Dax Demaree is a triple-board-certified cosmetic surgeon with decades of experience helping patients sculpt their bodies with customizable procedures. He performs abdominoplasty tailored to each individual’s cosmetic goals. This cosmetic treatment at Premier Surgical Arts allows men and women to sculpt their bodies and restore their confidence. Premier Surgical Arts is well-known for helping patients enhance their figures with customizable treatments that provide lasting results.
Contact our office or call (715) 575-5800 to schedule a consultation and learn more about how a tummy tuck can help you achieve your aesthetic goals.
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Before and After Photos
About Tummy Tuck
If you have loose, hanging abdominal skin, we can enhance the appearance of your midsection with a tummy tuck. As you age, the levels of collagen and elastin–proteins in your skin that help it maintain its elasticity–begin to decline, resulting in a droopy appearance. This laxity can also result in chafing and make individuals more prone to rashes and hygiene issues. Loose skin and stubborn excess fat in the abdominal region can be frustrating when attempts to eliminate it on one’s own are unsuccessful. A tummy tuck is a body contouring procedure that redefines the abdominal region, helping patients achieve beautiful results that last.
Removing excess skin and tightening the abdominal muscles during a tummy tuck can also improve your core strength, self-esteem, and quality of life. (1)
Tummy Tuck and Liposuction
Liposuction is a procedure that removes excess fat with gentle suction while preserving the surrounding tissue for lasting results. Exercise-resistant fat can be difficult to reduce with diet and lifestyle changes alone. Oftentimes, these bulging deposits even remain after significant weight loss. During the tummy tuck procedure, we can incorporate liposuction techniques to target stubborn fat deposits before removing the excess skin with excisional techniques.
Benefits
A tummy tuck is an effective procedure for men and women who wish to remove excess skin from the abdomen for a slimmer, more athletic appearance. A tummy tuck includes several benefits:
- Improved core strength: If you have loose abdominal muscles (diastasis recti), (2) we can tighten them to improve your core strength.
- Hernia repair: Depending on your needs, we can also address hernias while repairing weakened muscles.
- Smoother midsection: We can remove excess skin to sculpt your midsection for a smoother appearance.
- Balanced proportions: Removing loose, hanging skin can help balance your body proportions for a smoother, curvier appearance.
- Improved mobility: Removing excess skin can make exercising easier and improve mobility, leading to a better quality of life.
Candidates
Suitable candidates for a tummy tuck typically want to address excess abdominal skin to achieve a smoother appearance. If you recently underwent massive weight loss, you may also benefit from hernia repair and muscle repair during your tummy tuck.
Candidates should maintain a stable weight, as weight fluctuations can affect results. If you are planning to become pregnant, we recommend waiting until after you have children to consider a tummy tuck, as pregnancy stretches the skin of the abdomen.
It is also important that you have realistic expectations about what you can achieve with the procedure. It is important to keep in mind that a tummy tuck is not a weight loss procedure; however, we can effectively remove excess skin to sculpt your figure for a smoother, more athletic appearance.
Consultation
During your consultation, we will ask about your aesthetic goals, medical history, medications, and lifestyle to determine the most effective treatment plan for you. If you have a significant amount of loose skin in other areas, we can also discuss additional body contouring procedures to help you achieve your goals.
To learn more, see the blog!
Preparation
Dr. Demaree will provide you with helpful preparation instructions during your initial consultation. To prepare for a tummy tuck, you will most likely need to take the following steps:
- Stop taking medications that thin the blood
- Refrain from smoking at least 6 weeks before your tummy tuck
- Refrain from drinking alcohol 24 hours before and after your procedure
- Schedule time off work and other commitments
- Arrange for a trusted individual to drive you home
- Prepare a comfortable place in your home to recover
Procedure
To begin your procedure, we will cleanse your skin, and your anesthesiologist will administer the proper anesthesia. Dr. Demaree will make an incision along the underwear line to remove excess skin. He can also remove pockets of excess fat with liposuction during this procedure for a smoother, more athletic appearance. If you have separated abdominal muscles from past weight fluctuations, Dr. Demaree can also tighten them to improve your core strength. He will then close the incision with sutures.
Recovery
After your procedure, we will monitor you in our recovery room, and you will be released to continue your recovery at home. We will provide you with a compression garment, which will help to reduce swelling.
Walking and standing will be uncomfortable initially, so you should prioritize resting for a few days. Walking becomes easier once the tightness subsides and the incision begins to heal. Most patients can resume a normal routine around two weeks, depending on the physical demands of their job. You can resume exercise later, closer to two months or earlier, if approved by a member of our care team. Your surgeon will let you know about the best time to return to high-impact activities.
During your recovery, you should take any medications as prescribed. You will need to continue to wear a surgical compression garment for 4-6 weeks to reduce swelling and improve blood circulation.
If you have any questions during your recovery, please do not hesitate to reach out to our office so that a member of our staff can provide you with the information you need.
Results
After a tummy tuck, you can enjoy a smoother, more athletic-looking midsection with lasting results. Removing excess skin can effectively balance your body proportions and improve your overall self-esteem. Many patients also find that their quality of life improves as a result, and that exercising is easier afterward.
If you maintain a stable weight and practice a healthy lifestyle, you can enjoy long-lasting results. If you experience subsequent changes to your figure due to aging, weight fluctuations, pregnancy, or other factors, you may be able to return for a touch-up appointment.
Body Contouring After Weight Loss
If you recently experienced significant weight loss, it is common to notice droopy skin in multiple areas of the body, an experience colloquially known as “Ozempic body.” Many patients are not prepared for the amount of excess skin that they experience after weight loss, and it can feel as though they aren’t able to complete their weight loss journey. Excess skin can also result in uncomfortable rashes or chafing, especially in areas like the thighs or arms. Sagging skin is also typically more susceptible to infections and hygiene complications. To address these issues, we can perform a combination of customizable body contouring procedures to remove droopy skin from multiple areas.
To learn more about body contouring, see our guide!
The Cost of a Tummy Tuck in Wisconsin
The cost of a tummy tuck depends on your treatment plan and whether you would benefit from additional procedures to achieve your goals. During your consultation, we can provide an all-inclusive quote to help you achieve your goals. We also offer financing to make your procedure more accessible.
Contact our office or call (715) 575-5800 to learn more about how a tummy tuck can enhance your figure.
FAQ
Can I have a tummy tuck if I still need to lose weight?
We recommend that patients be at or near their ideal weight before considering a tummy tuck. Losing a significant amount of weight after a tummy tuck can cause loose skin to reoccur and obscure the results.
How long do the results of a tummy tuck last?
If you practice a healthy lifestyle, you can enjoy lasting results. A healthy diet and exercising often will be important for maintaining your results and preventing significant weight gain.
Can a tummy tuck address stretch marks?
We can reduce the appearance of some stretch marks on the abdomen during a tummy tuck. During your consultation, we can answer any questions you have about stretch mark removal.
References
- Saariniemi KMM, Salmi AM, Peltoniemi HH, Helle MH, Charpentier P, Kuokkanen HOM. Abdominoplasty Improves Quality of Life, Psychological Distress, and Eating Disorder Symptoms: A Prospective Study. Plastic Surgery International. 2014;2014:197232. doi:https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/197232
- Orr Shauly, Goel P, Gould DJ. Painless, Drainless Lipoabdominoplasty: A Retrospective Study of Pain Following Lipoabdominoplasty Utilizing Liposomal Bupivacaine and a Modified Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocol. Aesthetic surgery journal. 2022;4. doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/asjof/ojac049