Tummy Tuck Forum
94%
WORTH IT RATING
"Worth It Rating" shows the % of consumer reviewers
that stated the procedure was "Worth It" or not.
See more RealSelf Worth It Ratings
or Add Your Review
View Before and Afters
Average Tummy Tuck Cost: $7,925
Learn about Tummy Tuck
7,711 people and 861 doctors are talking about Tummy Tuck
Get Free Email Updates
African American women who've had tummy tuck surgery
By prissy1 on 23 Mar 2011
I'm interested to know of any other african american women on this site who've already undergone their surgery and what was your healing process like? How is your incision looking and what scar care routine you used. Our skin is so different, I think this could be a help to those visiting the site looking for answers before their surgery.
Comments (113)
Post a Comment Sort:Doctors Nearby
Brent Moelleken, MD
34 recommendations
and
1,328 answers
View Website
S. Sean Younai, MD
10 recommendations
and
311 answers
View Website
William Bruno, MD
32 recommendations
and
1,097 answers
View Website
RealSelf Sponsors
ADVERTISEMENT
I'm AA and I'm 9 days post-op. So far I'm healing nicely. I'm expecting my scar to heal like my c-section scar did. I will be getting scar cream from my PS in at my 4 week checkup, so I think all will be ok. Have you had surgery before? Have you ever keloid before? Interested to see what others say on here. Are you schedule for surgery soon?
Mattie
@Honey-you're right, you being hispanic and a woman of color we have similar skin types and your comments are really appreciated! 4weeks? How are you feeling @ work? Are you still wearing your binder? I went back to work fairly soon after surgery and my binder + spanx saved me being at work because I was so uncomfortable! I was thinking about ordering the silicone strips as well, after reading the article on here about Mederma I decided not to purchase it anymore. Ive been using a combo of palmers and tamanu oil. Keep me posted on the strips, they are a lil expensive but if they work I will make the purchase.
@Terry-I'm glad to hear you are doing well, I'm 10 weeks post op and doing pretty good its just the swelling that causes me issues, I'm going to attempt light exercise next week, i feel like I'm overdue for working out! Keep us posted on your recovery.
@Dreaming- my c-scar healed beautifully as well, I'm praying my tt scar will too, If you search the forum you will see some of the pics I've posted, my 9 weeks post op is here http://www.realself.com/forum/weeks-post-op. I will be looking out for your before and after's!!
I have posted my befores and afters (so far). My PS has used the old C-scar so I have added a photo of how that healed previously.
I have purchased the silicon scar sheet from ebay (from a real self blogger) who used them previously for BA and just recently for TT. They act as a barrier between scar and clothing/binder as well as improve and speed up the healing process. I bought the large sheet which goes right across but can be cut into 1 inch strips just to cover scar. Medical price approx $150 per sheet, but on UK ebay around $39 and can improve and fade the appearance of even old scars.
Keep posting Prissy, as I am following your back to work experience - thank you.
It's intense and killer, lots of cardio but I am doing it at my own speed and I take as many breaks as I need to.
I will post pics in another week or 2 to show my progress again. Talk soon!
I'm back in a size 5/6 and some 5. I do have some pics posted of my work in progress. By the end of the summer I will have my full six pack ;0
Good luck
I don't aspire a 6 pack but I do want a very flat tummy and to be very toned. its funny because my arms are actually the area I have trouble with getting toned!! I know I need to work harder on my diet tho, exercise alone won't cut it until my metabolism speeds up. I would love to see your before and after pics!
I am afro-american I had a ftt/w lipo of my flanks in Feb "09" my skin is prone to keloids so I developed a very thick scar right along my pubic area, also I was never fully satisfied with my tummy for it never flattened out, so I did a scar revision with additional lipo on April 18th 2011 3 days ago all of the consults that I got said not pulling the skin tight might minimize the risk of keloids again. I discussed this with my new ps and hopefully we got it right this time, I know that I will have to settle with some scarring but I will be more aggressive with massage, ointments this time around, I hope this helps,
Have you had c-sections or a big weight loss? Mine was c's. I am day 8 post op, feeling great and can't wait to see under my dressings on Tuesday. I will post updated photo's, any questions ask away.
Thank you Honey72 for sharing your routine...I wondered when to use the strips and when to use the oil.
Prissy1, what did you read about Mederma? Bad? I am using it now on the dark spot that my pain pump left right below my breasts. Not really a scar...more of a dark spot. Will something else fade this?
I am so happy with my scar at 4 weeks post op. Will try and post new photo's tomorrow, the centre area is the thinnest line - like my skin is just scored. Better than I could have dreamed, the edges are still dark and raised, however my PS assures me it will all heal as good as the thin line.
My dressings were removed at 11 days, and scar fully healed at 18 days. PS advised to massage with bio oil for 10 minutes each day - i actually do about 5 mins at one end of the day and 10 mins at the other. Each day the thin bit spreads a bit further. I wear a silicon skin for 8 hours a day, binder all the time I am at home - but have had to take it off for work as it is too uncomfortable to wear with office clothes sitting at my desk.
BB is improving day by day, and will finish really tight and inwards. There are still a few bumpy bits, but these are the stitches that have not yet dissolved and will disappear with time.
I'm 6 weeks po and I have started using the silcone strip, its expensive, but worth every penny, my PS instructed me to use the silcone strip for 6 months. I a very pleased with my scare, its a light pink thin line, and healing very nice. My major problem is the swelling above my BB, after I eat, when I do too much walking or running, it hurts...I tried to us my abdominal work out chair, however, it was so painful, I saw stars...I'm not ready for that yet. By the way the bio oil and the palmer coco butter are excellent for scar treatment as well. Happy healing ladies
lots of pillows (at least 10)
airplane u-shaped pillow for sleeping propped up
a pillow in the car to for the seatbelt
crackers near the bed (to offset meds nausea)
gopher grabber tool (to pick things off the floor)
notebook & pen near to write down med times
stool softner
prunes and prune juice