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Why is my Pubic Hairline and Scar Being Pulled Upwards After my Tummy Tuck?

asked 10 months ago by Angela from Florida in Panama City, FL
Latest answer by Christopher L. Hess, MD
Question viewed 728 times
Tags: placement, pubic, scar tissue

I am almost 3 weeks post-op tummy tuck. I am 5'8" and weigh 115 pounds. I chose the tummy tuck to remove stretch marks and loose skin so I could wear a bikini. The scar was made at my pubic hairline but now that I am trying to stand up straight, I have noticed that my scar and pubic hairline are much higher. I still am not even at a full upright position and am afraid of it continuing to pull upward. Now the scar and my pubic hair are visible when I wear a bathing suit or panties. Help?

11 answers to Why is my Pubic Hairline and Scar Being Pulled Upwards After my Tummy Tuck?

The Migrating Scar

Tummy tuck scar migration is due to one thing only, tension. At the start of a tummy tuck the surgeon cuts around the belly button. After the skin is pulled down the hope is that enough skin can be removed so that the top incision is made at the top of the belly button incision, thus removing it. If not then the belly button incision can end up as a small vertical incision. Not such a big deal. In fact none of my patients have ever complained about it. Some... more

Christopher L. Hess, MD
Fairfax Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck scar

When the skin of the abdomen gets stretched out from pregnancy, usually the skin of the pubic region gets stretched out as well. If this is not compensated for by reducing the height of the pubic hairline (essentially cutting out the upper portion of skin containing pubic hair) you can end up with the pubic hairline rising up too high. Without seeing your situation, I cannot determine if this is the case with your outcome.

Ronald J. Edelson, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Scar and pubic hair position after tummy tuck

If the scar was positioned to account for the looseness of the pubic skin (with the pubic skin pulled upward during marking), then the scar should be properly positioned. However, in many patients, this low scar position will mean that the old belly button hole will not move down far enough when the skin is redraped for the hole to be removed, and it must be closed with a relatively short vertical scar. Some surgeons try to avoid this small vertical scar by moving the tummy tuck scar... more

Robert M. Grenley, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Rising Scar

The incision from a tummy tuck will rise after surgery during the healing process. It is crucial to plan the final position of the incision during the marking. Meaning placing the original incision lower so that the anticipated rise when the patient is completely upright the incision is still hidden in the panty line.

Earl Stephenson Jr., MD, DDS
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Abdominal scar and hair bearing area too high following tummy tuck

Without preoperative and postoperative photos, the following answer is somewhat based on conjecture. However, it sounds like the planned incision at your pubis was initially not placed low enough. Add to this possibly a somewhat lax mons pubis (hair bearing area), mobility of this tissue and tension created by removal of the excess abdominal skin and the result was an incision that got pulled up along with the hair bearing area. Depending on how high this has been displaced, it can be... more

Steven Turkeltaub, MD
Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon

www.turkeltaub.com

Upward Migration Of Pubic Hairline From A Tummy Tuck

What you are experiencing is a natural outcome of many full or extended tummy tuck procedures. The pubic area and its hairline will be raised from its preoperative position. This is because the pubic region is not a fixed area so, although most of the final skin closure comes from the upper skin flap being pulled down, a small amount of it comes from the lower skin flap (pubic region) being raised up. This is often not avoidable for many patients. Some of the potential issue can be... more

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD
Indianapolis Plastic Surgeon

www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com

Why is my Pubic Hairline and Scar Being Pulled Upwards After my Tummy Tuck?

From your description I see two issues. First, the pre operative discussion was not clear between you and your surgeon. In other words, you should have requested that the incision be low enough to be covered by your bikini. Second, the experience of the surgeon, maybe he did not or does not know that the incision moves upward in a TT. Well best to allow some more healing than consider a revision.

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Keeping a low tummy tuck incision

Hello, Although it is difficult to know if the incision was placed in the optimum position without seeing photos of the markings I can contribute one additional piece of information in addition to what has already been answered already. When a tummy tuck is close there is tension placed on the incision and this naturally results in a scar that migrates up from its initial location. To prevent or minimize this some surgeons place deep sutures from the soft tissue to the... more

Remus Repta, MD
Phoenix Plastic Surgeon

Pubic hair line elevation after Tummy Tuck

I agree that it sounds as if your scar was placed properly.As the upper abdominal skin is pulled down, it is natural for the skin below the scar to be pulled up. But this will likely relax a bit as you continue to heal. Please communicate your concern with your surgeon now, but try to relax and let yourself continue to heal. By the way- you should be standing upright by now.

William H. Gorman, MD
Austin Plastic Surgeon

www.whgormanmd.com

Probably need another procedure to lower scar, allow time first

It is common for a tummy tuck scar to pull upward with time, even if it is correctly placed low, within the bikini line. I use anchoring sutures to hold down the deep tissue and help prevent this upward tension, and this seems to work for me in keeping the incision line below the bikini line and preventing the upward migration of pubic hair. If it is already too high, it is not going to go back down. The best course of action is to allow time for the tissues and skin to relax... more

Eric Swanson MD
Leawood Plastic Surgeon

www.swansoncenter.com

Scar and Pubic Hairline Tunny Tuck

It sounds like your scar was placed in the correct location. Things are probably very tight at this time. As you heal, these tissues will relax and things should improve. Difficult for me to say for sure since I am not your doctor and you have not posted any photos. Give this time-about 6 months and then reevaluate the situation. Discuss your concerns with your surgeon now.