Drainless Tummy Tuck for St. Louis, MO
Having a flatter, toned stomach can seem unattainable if your skin is stretched after pregnancy or weight loss. Even exercise and dieting aren’t enough to produce visible changes.
That’s why many women and men choose to undergo abdominoplasty, often called a tummy tuck, at our practice in Glen Carbon. Tummy tuck surgery helps patients from Maryville, Edwardsville, and the St. Louis area restore confidence in their bodies after having children or losing a significant amount of weight. At MidAmerica Plastic Surgery, Dr. Ryan Diederich is a board-certified plastic surgeon who combines experience and advanced training with a friendly personality to create a positive experience for patients.
What Is a Tummy Tuck?
A tummy tuck surgically removes excess skin from the abdomen. This also tightens abdominal muscles that may have separated during pregnancy, known as Diastasis Recti. This can create an abdominal profile that is smoother and firmer. Tummy tucks are not a substitute for weight loss through diet, exercise, or surgical means.
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Tummy Tuck Before & Afters
Tummy tuck results can vary considerably depending on a variety of factors, including your age, height, and weight. Below, we have included an image gallery of MidAmerica Plastic Surgery tummy tuck patients that show before and after photos of their results.
Who May Benefit From a Tummy Tuck?
There are many reasons people come to see us about tummy tucks, including:
- After pregnancy, often as part of a Mommy Makeover.
- After weight gain or loss, whether it be through diet and exercise or through surgical procedures such as gastric bypass or gastric banding.
- Following other surgical procedures.
- As a result of aging.
What Are the Types of Tummy Tuck?
The tummy tuck procedure can be divided into three major types:
Mini Tummy Tuck
This procedure is for those with a minimal laxity of the abdomen. It only addresses some of the laxity below the belly button and does not repair the separated abdominal muscles.
Full Tummy Tuck
This is the most common type performed by Dr. Ryan Diederich and often the procedure of choice after pregnancy. All skin and stretch marks below the belly button are removed, the rectus muscles (6-pack muscles) are repaired if they have separated, and we remove as much tissue as possible.
Fleur-de-lis Abdominoplasty
This is a type of tummy tuck that leaves a vertical scar, in addition to a horizontal scar. Because Dr. Diedrich creates a vertical scar, he is able to tighten both in the vertical direction but also side to side. This procedure is used primarily if the patient already has a vertical scar or for massive weight loss patients.
Can Men Get Tummy Tucks?
Yes! More and more male patients are coming to our practice for abdominoplasty to restore a flat midsection.
This procedure is especially beneficial for men who have lost a significant amount of weight; it may be combined with a lower body lift. Dr. Diederich performs the procedure for men using a low vertical incision and a second incision hidden inside the navel. Tummy tucks for men usually involve the removal of excess skin and pockets of fat and may involve abdominal muscle repair.
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Before Tummy Tuck Surgery
- Get lab testing or a medical evaluation, as needed.
- Take certain medications or adjust current medications, as recommended.
- Stop smoking 6 weeks or more prior to surgery.
- Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, and herbal supplements as they can increase bleeding (if approved by primary care physician).
- Review pre- and post-surgery checklist.
- Pick up prescriptions so they are ready on surgery day.
Our Technique
How is Dr. Diederich’s Technique Different From Many Others?
Dr. Diederich works hard to provide the latest techniques and innovations which has led him to progressive tension abdominoplasty.
This method uses sutures to close any open space in the abdomen that has the potential to collect fluid. Dr. Diederich has refined this technique using rows of progressive tension sutures to evenly distribute the tension across the abdomen.
The results? Tighter, flatter tummies with a statistically significant decreased rate of hematoma, seroma, wound breakdown, and complications! Also, drains are not needed with this technique which makes for an easier recovery.
The Day of Surgery
- Completed typically with hospital stay but could be outpatient depending on your particular needs.
- Nothing to eat or drink the day of surgery.
- You will need someone to drive you home from the hospital and stay with you for the first 24 hours.
Recovery
How Long Does It Take To Recover After a Tummy Tuck?
Recovery varies from patient to patient and depends on the extent of the procedure, your overall health, and other factors. Here’s a typical timeline for tummy tuck recovery:
- First week: Sleep with your upper body slightly elevated and take brief walks hunched over
- 2 to 3 weeks: Return to work that doesn’t require physical activity (extend time off if you have a physically demanding job)
- 3 weeks: Start taking longer walks, up to 20 minutes, twice a day
- 4 to 6 weeks: Gradually increase the duration of your walks
- 6 to 8 weeks: Resume regular exercise that includes aerobic activities
- 8 to 12 weeks: Start abdominal exercises
You should avoid lifting anything heavier than 20 pounds for the first 6 weeks following your procedure. Seek medical attention immediately if you have any of the following:
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pains or unusual heartbeats
Possible Tummy Tuck Complications
As with any procedure, there are risks. Fortunately, with tummy tuck, these risks are minimal. These include but are not limited to:
- Unfavorable scarring
- Bleeding (hematoma)
- Infection
- Asymmetry
- Poor healing of incisions
- Anesthesia risks
- Fluid accumulation
- Blood clots
- Pain, which may persist
- Deep vein thrombosis, cardiac and pulmonary complications
- Possibility of revision surgery
- Pregnancy, weight loss, and menopause may influence the appearance of your body over the course of your lifetime.
For more information see the American Society of Plastic Surgery topic Tummy Tuck.
Southern Illinois residents considering tummy tuck surgery find our Maryville location more convenient than driving into St. Louis for the procedure. We invite you to request a consultation with Dr. Diederich or give us a call at (618) 288-7855 to schedule an appointment. A $200 consultation fee will be collected to reserve your appointment. That fee is then applied to the cost of the procedure.
*This article is intended as a guideline only. This is not intended as medical advice. There are no guarantees written or implied from the information presented here. Only a consultation can provide an appropriate evaluation and discussion regarding any procedure. Refer to your physician for medical decision making and advice.
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Ryan Diederich
Dr. Diederich is a Southern Illinois native realizing his dream of giving back to the community. He helps patients feel and look their best with his surgical skills and compassionate care.
Tummy Tuck Videos
Drainless Tummy Tuck
Common Questions
Some abdominal liposuction can be completed at the same time, however, too much liposuction in the area can increase risks. It is safe to do liposuction in other body areas, such as the love handles, at the same time.
In many cases, we can also combine a tummy tuck with procedures that address the physical toll of having children. Dr. Diedrich customizes this combination of procedures, known as a Mommy Makeover, to suit your specific goals. Besides a tummy tuck and liposuction, Mommy Makeover surgery typically includes a breast lift, breast augmentation, or combining a breast lift with implants.
Thanks to progressive tension abdominoplasty, Dr. Diederich does not use drains with this tummy tuck technique.
During your initial phase of recovery, light walking around the house is encouraged. As you gradually heal, you may be able to increase your walking distance. You should be able to resume your regular exercise routine in about 6 weeks or at a time advised by your doctor.
Dr. Diederich takes several steps to allow the scar to heal as well as possible! Some of the healing process is simply how your body heals so if you have scars from another surgery, that can be a good indication. Many of the after photos in our gallery were taken 6 weeks after the procedure so they are still red but will continue to heal for up to a year after the procedure. If you are unsatisfied with the appearance after a year, The Spa at MidAmerica has some options that could help!
This very much depends on the type of job you have. If you have a desk job or something that doesn’t require much physical activity, you can typically go back to work after about 2-3 weeks. A job that requires more physical activity, such as lifting items, would require more time off. We can discuss specifics during your consultation.
The main restriction associated with the tummy tuck is no lifting more than 20 pounds for the first 6 weeks. This is especially important for the repair of Diastasis Recti (the 6 pack muscles).
Although this procedure does remove skin and can make a dramatic change in the appearance of the body, the number on the scale doesn’t really change. This is not a weight loss method and we highly recommend being at a consistent goal weight before a consultation.
Even though a tummy tuck isn’t designed to significantly reduce weight, you’ll wear a smaller dress size that fits your new contours. Research shows that most tummy tuck patients wear dresses that are 1 or 2 sizes smaller after they recover.
Most of our patients do spend the first night at the hospital. This makes for a much more convenient and comfortable recovery. Dr. Diederich is also able to see the patient in the hospital the next morning before they go home which eliminates the need for the next-day follow-up appointment at our office.
