Tummy tuck scar healing?
I had a tummy tuck 5 years ago. The surgeon did not place a tummy bandage over the surgery afterwards because " the nurse" forgot to order it? He made shift a dressing bandage . It had jagged edges from the tear. It embedded into the incision site. I had to to return 1week later. I had a hole as big as a quarter. It tooks 1 year to heal completely closed. Scr tissue was thick. I never complained. Just been dealing w/it.
It is a lot less....still..hurts when I stretch/walk/bend. Will it ever go away? Scar tissue is still felt under the the umbilical area. Does the scar tissue ever breakdown on its own after a tummy tuck?
Answers (3)
After 5 years the scars aren't going to change much without surgery
After 5 years of healing, the scars are pretty well fixed in position and won't change much regardless of more time, massage etc. The only real way to address them is with a surgical scar revision. Please visit another surgeon and see if this is possible. It may be that enough laxity has developed over the 5 years that a revision could be feasible.
Scar tissue after 5 years may require a scar revision procedure if it is uncomfortable.
Dear skincaredoctress, Kileen, TX,
From reading your question your current concern appears related to an area that healed from within, or referred to as 'Secondary Healing". That type of healing is usually how most plastic surgeons treat any wound/incision seperation that may occur after the abdominoplasty.
Typically the type of scar that forms from this type of healing may be tighter, and firmer than the scar tissue that healed from the initial surgical closure of the wound. It may also be thicker, or wider.
In my practice I also often allow this type of healing to take place if an area along the incision line seperates. This can occur from a localized infection, undue tension, or from underlying medical problems. In the event that the final scar, after fully healed, is unslightly or firm I will then sometimes offer to surgically remove that area of scar. This involves excising the scar,and performing a fresh primary closure of the uninvolved skin edges. This is otherwise known as a "scar revision".
I hope this helped with your question.
Best wishes,
S.P. Maggi, MD, FACS
Tummy tuck scar tissue
It's a little unclear from your description about how your wound was cared for post-operatively, but it appears that you had some wound healing problems post-op (which occurs in about 5-10% of patients depending on factors like smoking, diabetes and the method used to close your wound). You appear concerned about some of the scar tissue and a bit of pain that resulted from your tummy tuck.
At five years post-op, the scar you do have is likely 'mature' and will not soften or fade with time. It probably won't get any worse either. The scarring around your bellybutton can be troublesome if it has narrowed your belly-button diameter to the point that it makes keeping that area clean a challenge.
In the early post-op period, things like scar massage can do a lot to minimize the bulk of a scar, but it's too late for that.
I think the scar you have is there to stay.
Most Kindly,
Scott Sattler MD FACS
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