Pregnancy, aging, weight fluctuation, and significant weight loss can all affect the appearance of your midsection. Whether you've had multiple pregnancies, experienced weight gain, or have noticed excess skin and fat in the midsection despite maintaining a stable weight, a tummy tuck in West Palm Beach could be the right solution for you. At Palm Beach Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, our Board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Fredric M. Barr, M.D., F.A.C.S., has been performing a complete abdominoplasty — commonly referred to as tummy tuck surgery — for over three decades, prioritizing patient safety while providing five-star service.
As West Palm Beach plastic surgeons know, the tummy tuck procedure is a transformative solution for patients seeking to achieve a sculpted, contoured abdomen. The benefits of a tummy tuck include:
As a complete abdominoplasty is considered major surgery, Dr. Barr performs tummy tuck procedures in our outpatient surgery center, with the patient under general anesthesia. As an aesthetic surgery, a tummy tuck generally takes between two and five hours, depending on the patient, and if they choose to have a complementary cosmetic procedure, such as liposuction or a breast lift, performed simultaneously.
Our plastic surgeon begins the tummy tuck procedure with an incision above the pubic hairline that goes from hip to hip to access abdominal muscles and tissue. This incision will be a little shorter if there is not much skin and fat to remove, and longer if extra tissue is involved. Dr. Barr takes care to make the incision low enough to conceal it with pants or underwear.
He then lifts the skin and soft tissue off your abdominal muscles all the way to your ribs, cutting the skin around your belly button so it stays attached to your muscles the whole time.
Dr. Barr uses stitches to tighten and shape the abdominal muscles to narrow the waist and flatten the stomach. Next, he stretches the skin back down and removes all of the extra tissue. His final step in the tummy tuck is to make a new hole for the belly button. When there is not enough skin above the belly button to stretch back down, he will make a small vertical incision just above the pubic hair (where the belly button was cut out).
Dr. Barr can tighten loose muscles, which often occur as a result of pregnancy, if the patient requires it. After removing excess skin and excess fat deposits, he recontours existing tissues and may reposition the belly button to sit higher on the abdomen, if necessary, to create a naturally beautiful result.
Generally, good candidates for tummy tuck surgery have maintained a stable weight for at least a year and have excess skin, stubborn fat deposits, or weakened abdominal muscles. Furthermore, patients seeking to undergo this procedure should be non-smokers committed to maintaining good health, with no plans for future pregnancies or to lose weight. The longevity of a tummy tuck results relies on a patient's ability to stay in shape with proper diet and exercise.
During your consultation with our patient counselor, we will review your medical history, discuss your unique needs and goals for your tummy tuck procedure, and determine if a tummy tuck is right for you.
After your consultation, you will undergo a comprehensive medical evaluation to assess your overall health and identify any potential risk factors that could impact the tummy tuck surgery or the healing process post-surgery. Dr. Barr's commitment to listening, understanding, and treating his patients with compassion underscores the importance of patient well-being throughout the entire process.
Dr. Barr and his plastic surgery team will provide specific preoperative instructions to help patients prepare for the procedure, including guidelines for medication use, dietary restrictions, and lifestyle adjustments leading up to the surgery date.
We encourage patients to prepare themselves physically and emotionally for the tummy tuck procedure by adopting a healthy lifestyle, maintaining a stable weight, and mentally preparing for the surgery and recovery period.
Understanding the recovery process is crucial for patients preparing for a tummy tuck. Dr. Barr's more than three decades of experience in plastic surgery emphasize his commitment to exceeding patient expectations, which extends to providing thorough guidance on postoperative care, activity restrictions, and follow-up appointments.
Each patient's preparation for a tummy tuck with Dr. Barr may be unique. When you choose a tummy tuck at Palm Beach Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, you will receive specific instructions and recommendations directly from Dr. Barr and his team during your consultation.
The recovery process involves several critical stages and considerations:
Recovery time depends on the individual patient, but can generally take up to a month. In the first week following surgery, we cover the site with gauze and a compression garment to promote wound healing. We advise bedrest for a few days before gradually returning to normal activity. Most patients can return to work four weeks after a full tummy tuck; however, a complete recovery and the full benefits of a tummy tuck can take up to three months to manifest.
A tummy tuck procedure primarily addresses excess skin and weakened abdominal muscles, usually resulting from pregnancy, weight loss, weight gain, or aging. It's best suited for individuals with loose, sagging skin and weakened abdominal muscles that diet and exercise cannot adequately address. It results in a flatter, more toned abdomen and an improved appearance of stretch marks in the abdomen. On the other hand, liposuction focuses on removing localized, stubborn pockets of fat from various areas of the body, including the abdomen. It's suitable for individuals who are close to their ideal body weight, but are struggling with resistant fat deposits.
Yes. When tailored for women, we often call this combination approach a "mommy makeover." We can address multiple aesthetic concerns in a single surgical session. During your consultation, we can discuss your medical background and aesthetic goals to determine the right course of action for you — whether it includes liposuction or a breast lift.
General anesthesia ensures you do not feel any pain during the procedure, which involves extensive tissue manipulation, muscle repair, and skin removal. General anesthesia allows for a controlled and consistent state of unconsciousness for the duration of the surgery.
Because health insurance generally views tummy tucks as elective procedures, they usually do not cover them.
The cost varies, depending on the needs and goals of each patient. During your consultation, we will discuss costs based on your unique circumstances. For your convenience, we accept CareCredit®, cash, checks, and credit cards.
As with most surgical procedures, you can expect some scarring. However, rest assured that Dr. Barr employs meticulous surgical techniques to minimize scars and achieve optimal aesthetic results. During your consultation, we will address all your concerns.
Are you ready to remove stretch marks and hanging skin from the abdominal area to reveal a more youthful appearance? Contact us at (561) 833-4122 or complete our online form to schedule a consultation with our patient counselor.
At Palm Beach Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, we prioritize your safety while offering you five-star service to look and feel your absolute best.
The answer depends on multiple factors, including the specific combination of procedures, your recovery rates, your age and health status, and your behaviors or habits. More invasive surgeries typically require recovery time ranging between 6 and 12 weeks to 6 months, and surgeries to the same area of your body will also generally require recovery time between procedures.
However, if you are in good health and the combination of procedures in question will be performed on different parts of your body and are not especially invasive, a combination of procedures could potentially be approved together on a case-by-case basis. It is imperative that the combination of procedures does not compromise your healing, and your attention to prescribed pre-operation and recovery habits also plays a significant role. Schedule a consultation for an assessment and guidance regarding the procedures you are considering.
While aging affects us all, there are steps we can take to put forth a more vibrant appearance. We seek to perform subtle adjustments to address imperfections and the wear of time while retaining your natural look. While you should notice an improvement, the glaring changes or distortions in appearance you are concerned about and may have seen from other surgeons’ work do not meet the standard of quality plastic and cosmetic surgery we perform in our office.
Dr. Frederic M. Barr is a board-certified Plastic & Cosmetic Surgeon with over 30 years of experience performing Plastic Surgery in South Florida. We enhance and refine your appearance according to your goals. Review our Gallery of Before & After Photos to see some examples of our work.
For patients with Breast Implant Illness (BII), which can include allergy, auto-immune, and thyroid hormone issues, this has been an emerging topic with significant press coverage in recent years. Although numerous medical professionals have demonstrated varying responses to these women’s concerns, we believe in addressing these women’s experiences and symptoms. In response to this phenomenon, we have also chosen not to perform new breast implant surgeries. We perform Total Capsulectomy on patients with breast implants, which involves the removal of both the saline or silicone implant and the capsule around it.
Removal of the implants and surrounding scar tissue has been shown to improve women’s health concerning these symptoms. While some women choose no further procedure following Breast Explant Surgery, some patients elect to have a Mastopexy procedure that involves reshaping the breast tissue for a pleasant cosmetic breast appearance. We welcome your specific questions regarding these procedures and their anticipated effects for your situation. See our Breast Implant Explantation (Total Capsulectomy) page for more detailed information, including before-and-after photo examples.