Is this swelling or water retention after tummy tuck?

Thank you for your questions. It is hard to say what is going on without a physical exam. However, what you are are describing does not sound like a normal finding 3 years after surgery and may have nothing to do with your surgery. I would recommend you follow up with your surgeon or another board certified plastic surgeon in your area for an evaluation.Best of luck!

Unfortunately, this type of question will need a physical examination and most likely an ultrasound to elucidate whether this fluid, if present, is within the tissues or in the plane of disssection of the tummy tuck, meaning an old seroma. Your plastic surgeon will be your best resource in answering this question. Best of luck.

Thanks for your question; it's impossible to answer without examining you.  It is possible to have a chronic seroma (fluid collection under the skin flap) after a tummy tuck.  These can be limited to above the belly button or the entire abdomen.  An imaging study could help identify this (ultrasound, for example).  It is also possible that a swollen seeming abdomen could be due to inadequate abdominal wall/diastasis plication.  You should revisit this with your surgeon to try to determine what is going on.