Is There Anyway to Predict if Someone Will Have Dog Ears Before a TT?

I've been reading about a lot of patients who experience dogears (hip bulges) after a TT. Is there any way to predict in advance who will experience this? (I am 5'4", 125 lbs w/a good amount of padding on my hips and fairly small waist) I can't really afford to do lipo too, but understand its cheaper to do at same time as TT than as a separate procedure done later on. I would be very unhappy to spend all this money and then have dogears after. Thanks for your advice!

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age 25-34 dog ears 5 ft 4 in to 5 ft 7 in 110-129 lbs

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17 Doctor Answers | Asked by 3coolcats in Tampa, FL

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Incision after tummy tuck

In general, thinner patients with less hanging, loose skin are less likely to have significant dog ears after the procedure, and it sounds like you may fall into this category. However, if for some reason after the procedure you end up with excess skin or a poor scar on the lateral edges of your incision, in most cases this can be revised by your surgeon with local anesthetic in his office, so it should not be costly and may even be very inexpensive. Speak with your surgeon about... more

Dog ears after tummy tuck

Dog ears can occur when there is excess skin of the flanks and the incisions are limited to the front of the abdomen. The more abdominal skin you remove from the abdomen the longer the incision needs to be to prevent formation of a dog ear. Your surgeon can demonstrate the expected length of your incision during your consultation. When significant excess skin is present in the thigh and buttock an incision going completely around the body will be necessary to achieve the best... more

Dogears after Tummy Tuck most often a matter of design

Hi there- While there are certainly patient factors that may contribute to the risk of needing to have a dogear managed after surgery, including being overweight at the time of surgery, having lots of stretch marks in the hip area, etc..., there are also technical and planning details (that your surgeon controls) that can contribute to the risk... In other words, provided you are a good candidate for the surgery (and it sounds like you are), you should remember that aesthetic surgery more

Preventing Dog-Ears after Tummy Tuck

We always try to prevent dog-ears (excess skin and fat at the end of a scar line) from occurring. A well designed incision is important; if we try to limit the length of the incision too much, dog-ears will result. Still, even in the best of hands, dog ears can sometimes lead us to do a little "touch-up" with local anesthetic, in the office to remove the dog ear.

Dog ears after tummy tuck

I work very hard to try to avoid dog ear formation after a tummy tuck, but inevitably once in a while I have to adjust the corners a few months later in some individuals.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Dog ears with tummy tuck

A small dog ear at either end of the incision at the conclusion of the operation is normal. Ensuring equal lengths to the upper and lower incisions will reduce the tendency for do ears as well as gentle de-fatting of the wound edges. Attempting to shorten the incision will likely result in a greater likelihood of dog ears.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

33 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Dog ears after tummy tuck

Dog ears actually occur as a result of excess fatty tissue more so than excess skin. One way to avoid this is it to perform a thorough liposuction of the flanks and hips at the time of the abdominoplasty. If the corner of the lateral incision has too much subcutaneous fat at the end of the procedure, you will get dog ears. Since I almost always aggressively liposuction this area, I rarely experience these pesky bulges. Ocassionally, we see what I call dog tags, which is just a... more

Avoiding "Dog Ears" with tummy tuck.

Thanks for your question - In our San Francisco area practice we frequently perform abdominoplasty. The biggest factor causing dog ears (think triangles of extra tissue at the ends of the incision that stick out somewhat) is performing abdominoplasty in people that are a bit overweight. Techniques like liposuction or extending the scar can be used to avoid this in patients that are a bit heavy. With your weight it would be unlikely that you wound have this as an issue.... more

Dog ears after tummy tuck

If your surgeon carefully measures the upper and lower incisions at the time of your abdominoplasty, dog ears can be avoided. They may occur if the patient limits the length of the incision, but your surgeon should guide you as to what is necessary. Liposuction of the hips can help as well.

Re: Dog ears after tummy tuck?

Generally speaking someone of your body size should not have dog ears following an abdominoplasty. I typically make liposuction of the hip region an integral part of the procedure to allow a better transition from the now flat abdomen to the anterior hip area. An experienced plastic surgeon should really be able to avoid dog ears with slight adjustments to the incision at the time of closure. If it does happen a small revision can be easily done in the office afterwards under local anesthesia. more