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Hanging Skin 4 Months Post-Tummy Tuck

asked 1 year ago by Cleveland3408 in Cleveland, OH
Latest answer by Rod J. Rohrich, MD
Question viewed 689 times
Tags: hanging, results

I had a full tummy tuck 4 months ago. I have had 4 c-sections, a hysterectomy, and lost 150 lbs in the last 5 years. Leaving a lot of excess skin. However, after a full TT I expected to have all the hanging skin removed. I still have two pouches one on either side of my belly button and when I bend forward I have several inches of hanging skin. Is this normal and what should I do about this I am not satisfied.

14 answers to Hanging Skin 4 Months Post-Tummy Tuck

Post Tummy Tuck Skin Laxity

The most common reason is that there is inadequate removal of skin. You usually have to wait six to nine months to see the final result. At that time, one can easily excise more skin in the supra pubic area if needed. To prevent this from occurring, it is prudent at the initial operative procedure if performing a full tummy tuck to remove as much of the skin from the supra pubic area to the umbilicus so that it is somewhat tight upon closure with the patient flexed. The patient will be... more

Rod J. Rohrich, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Probably too early to consider abdominoplasty

If you only had a baby four months ago, it is probably too early to consider abdominoplasty. If you are 20 years old and plan on having additional children, I would wait on having a tummy tuck until you have all your children.

George Weston, MD
Reston Plastic Surgeon

TT after massive weight loss

First of all your tissues are not the same after losing 150 pounds. They will always be looser than a patient whose has not lost a massive amount of weight. It is more the rule rather than the exception in MWL patients that within 6 months of surgery your skin will have stretched and a few more inches could be removed. In your case I think more skin could have been removed initially, but it would have required a longer incision. I cannot see how far around... more

Lori H. Saltz, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

www.ljcsc.com

Massive weight loss

Your surgery is likely the best that your plastic surgeon could do at the time. He was likely looking out for what was best for you but it does appear that you'll be needing a more aggressive second procedure to re-tighten. Stick with your board certified plastic surgeon (or switch to one) as he will know what the proper steps to correct things are and at a second stage your tissues will tolerate the procedure easier. Good luck

Ricardo A. Meade, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

www.DoctorMeade.com

My Tummy is not completely flat after Tummy Tuck

Regarding: "Hanging Skin 4 Months Post-Tummy Tuck I had a full tummy tuck 4 months ago. I have had 4 c-sections, a hysterectomy, and lost 150 lbs in the last 5 years. Leaving a lot of excess skin. However, after a full TT I expected to have all the hanging skin removed. I still have two pouches one on either side of my belly button and when I bend forward I have several inches of hanging skin. Is this normal and what should I do about this I am not satisfied." Everything... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

Hanging Skin 4 Months Post-Tummy Tuck

Thanks for the posted photo series. A very conservative TT to say the least. Revision is in your future plans I assume? From MIAMI Dr. Darryl J. Blinski

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Options for managing redundant skin after tummy tuck

IT is not really fair to assess the results of a tummy tuck by bending 90 degrees at the waist and expecting it to be tight. This doesn't even happen in an 18 year old. Having said that the problem is that your skin was removed using a horizontal incision to conceal the scar and you have so much skin that could be removed with vergtical incision which can leave an undesireable and visible scar. The choice is up to you.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Loose Skin after Tummy Tuck

You appear to have had a tremendous improvement in your abdominal contour and should be quite pleased. You should expect some skin relaxation in the months after your surgery and certainly loose skin when you bend forward at the waist. You may benefit from a revision with skin resection and tightening in the vertical dimension, however this will leave you with a vertical midline scar. That is the trade off.

Leo Keegan, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Massive weight loss and skin issues

Even after a tummy tuck you can not expect the skin to be so tight that you can bounce a quarter off of it especialy when your skin has poor elasticity. Be that as it may, you may wan tot combine a vertical excision to narrow the wasit, because the expansion you underwent is in all dimensions as evidenced by your post-op result

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Massive weight loss leaves damaged skin

After massive weight loss, your skin is not the same as other patients who have not undergone this stretching cycle. In this situation, I think that no matter how tight it is made at tummy tuck, there is more looseness after a few months in every massive weight loss case I have done than we like to see. We cannot stop the skin from loosening up after the fact. If it bothers you then you could have another procedure, but even then it will relax more than you might expect. As the others... more

Victor Au, MD
Chapel Hill Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck

Perhaps your plastic surgeon was trying to avoid a large vertical scar and gave you a lower abdominal scar. In any case, the loose skin is from the very large amount of skin you had following your weight loss. If you to be very tight, then a vertical scar is what you will need.

Shahin Javaheri, MD
San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

Fleur de Lis tummy tuck for extensive skin laxity

I think you prabably received the wrong operation - you clearly have global horizontal and vertical abdominal skin laxity- your TT only treated the laxity in the 'up-down' direction, and not the laxity in the 'side-to-side' direction. A Fleur de Lis abdominoplasty results in a horizontal scar (which you have) and a vertical scar (which you need). I would have recommended a Fleur de Lis patterned tummy tuck.

Scott Sattler, MD
Bellevue Plastic Surgeon

Skin laxity after tummy tuck for weight loss

Looking at your before and after picture, some would say that the transformation has been a miracle. Perfection is hard to come by and excellent should satisfy. Certainly after four pregnancies, surgery and massive weight loss, skin laxity is going to persist after tummy tuck. If the scar would be acceptable to you, you could opt for a vertical, or up and down removal of the skin excess as well. Wait a year to see how things come together. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd more

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Hanging skin after tummy tuck

Looking at your pictures, there is significant improvement compared to before surgery. However, it is common for patients who lost 100 lbs or more to have stretched out skin that still stays a bit loose after a tummy tuck. Ask your surgeon if a revision could be possible, perhaps with a vertical (up and down) incision, to remove the remaining loose skin.