Hyperpigmentation After Tummy Tuck

asked 1 year ago by marijr in Florida
Latest answer by Jeffrey M. Darrow, MD
Question viewed 676 times
Tags: belly button, female, hyperpigmentation, incision, options

I Am Hispanic It's 11 Months After Tummy Tuck Both Belly Button and Bikini Line Incision Are Dark , What is the Best Treatment? Although I am happy with my tummy tuck I am extremely upset with the color of my scars. My belly button in particular looks really dark and I feel a slight when I touch it. I have gone to my surgeon several times and he says it’s perfectly normal , I went to a gastroenterologist and he said I just have a very good tummy tuck. How can I treat it? I have thought of putting in a piercing, getting laser treatment or revision surgery.

10 answers to Hyperpigmentation After Tummy Tuck

Topical treatments and time should improve dark scars.

Patients with olive colored skin or dark skin have a greater risk of their scars darkening after surgery. This is due to the melanocytes (the cells in the skin which give it its color) increasing their production of pigment in the "area of injury", ie your scars. As the scars mature, the scars become less active and softer and the pigmentation will become less dark. You may be able to accelerate the fading of the scar by using a topical treatment like Solaquin... more

Jeffrey M. Darrow, MD
Boston Plastic Surgeon

Needs to be evaluated by an experiensed plastic surgeon

Bruising and swelling normally occurs following abdominoplasty. The skin in or near the surgical site can appear either lighter or darker than surrounding skin. Although uncommon, swelling and skin discoloration may persist for long periods of time and in rare situations may be permanent. You can try bleaching creams, laser or steroid injections

Gregory Turowski, MD, PhD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Laser is effective for raised, pigmented scars from plastic surgery

It can be very difficult to get topical bleaching products (such as hydroquinone) to penetrate scar tissue since scars are very dense. Laser procedures are a wonderful way to jumpstart your results and are very effective in softening and fading your scars - a MicroLaserPeel will precisely remove the top layers of skin cells so that your bleaching treatments can absorb easily and effectively (I recommend that you wait 2-3 days after the laser procedure and then start a combination of... more

Ariel N. Rad, MD, PhD
Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

Hyperpigmentation in Hispanic after Tummy Tuck. (OR ANY PROCEDURE IN ANY SKIN TYPE)

Hyperpigmentation is treated with a probram of Hydroquinone, Retin A, Hydrocortisone, Sun Screen, and Kelocote to help intensify the effect and speed it along. Every surgeon knows this and so should your surgeon. Go back and discuss this with him. It takes one year on the program to remove the pigment by melanocyte suppression. I start all patients on this 2 months prior to their surgery and go on one year afterward and this greatly reduces pigment... more

George Commons, MD
Palo Alto Plastic Surgeon

www.pacfps.com

Scar Hyperpigmentation

I reccomend you ask your surgeon to prescribe a hydroquinone gel. If you place it on your incision regularly, you may see an improvement in your pigmentation.

Vishnu Rumalla, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Hyperpigmentation of Scars

Without seeing before and after pictures, it is impossible to give you specific advice. However, skin bleaching creams such as Hydroquinone cream can sometimes be helpful. Other creative options would be to get get a tattoo which covers the areas. Good Luck.

David Shafer, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

www.ShaferPlasticSurgery.com

Great results but hyperpigmentation of scars after a tummy tuck

What you have experienced is expected to occur in individuals with darker complexions and is known as post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. A skin bleaching agent even at this point in time may help lighten the areas up. You would have to apply it for several months. Typically, I start my patients on this a few weeks after their surgery to help lower the risk or extent of this occurring. Laser treatment might help but you would need to find someone with a lot of experience with this... more

Steven Turkeltaub, MD
Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon

www.turkeltaub.com

Hyperpigmentation After Tummy Tuck

It is not unusual for individuals with darker skin to develop scars which are somewhat hyperpigmented. Even at eleven months following your tummy tuck, you may still see some resolution with time. The simplest thing which you can do to try speed this process along would be to massage the scars with a scar reduction product containing silicone. If this does not lead to improvement, there are certain lasers which may improve the hyperpigmentation.

John Whitt, MD
Louisville Plastic Surgeon

Hyperpigmentation after tummy tuck

Thick scar and hyperpigmentation are often related to skin type, and also can be affected by the tension of the closure in the belly button and the transverse scar. Scar massage is of benefit, however after a year if the scar is still thick and ropey, scar revision may allow healing under less tension and a more favorable circumstance than during the original procedure. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Dark tummy tuck scar

It seems like you got a good contour from the tummy tuck! Is your scar raised or widened (keloid or hypertrophic scar)? If your scar is thin and not raised, I would wait couple more months for the scars to mature. In next couple months, you can try laser; however, you should get a spot treatment before getting the whole scar treated. I don't think revision surgery will make the scar better.