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Do My Tummy Tuck Healing Look OK? 5 Wks Post Op, Too Soon To Panic (photo)?

Full tummy tuck/total hysterectomy 7/10/12 (5 wks ago). Don't feel swelling's getting better. (1) drain for FOUR wks. Currently on Bactrim (5 days now)-5 more days to go. Been trying Mederma, Bio Oil, Polysporin on scar. Noticed 2 things-skin breaking (middle/front of incision) & on left side a greenish scab. My swelling is HARD esp on LEFT side. Labia still little swollen. And now there are bad stretch marks middle/front of incision and moving down to labia! Scared/worried! Panicking too soon?

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7 Doctor Answers | Asked by ShreveportChick in Shreveport, LA

Doctor Answers (7)
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Hello

From your picture it looks like you possibly have a hematoma or seroma. That is typical in a tummy tuck case. This is definitely something that you need to see your plastic surgeon for to determine whether it needs to be drained. This can slow down your healing process.

Post TT healing

Hi and Thank you You do have a significant swelling, and as long as you are already 5 weeks and the still have a wound healing issues, thats mean something is wrong. My self I echo all what have been said regarding a presence of a fluid collection( blood or serum), that indicate an urgency to see the doctor, not an emergency but very important to seek medical attention as soon as possible, in case to go through the normal healing process, and avoid any more complications... more

Seroma or hematoma after tummy tuck

I am concerned that you have either a seroma or a hematoma. You should see your plastic surgeon and gynecologist for evaluation, which may include a referral for a sonogram. I am not a fan of combining tummy tuck with hysterectomy and this certainly raises concern about the etiology of your problem. At this point, the scar is still in the inflammatory phase but what you are describing could be symptomatic of more serious issues.

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Too soon to panic after tummy tuck

We cannot tell just what the situation is, however you do appear to have quite a bit of swelling which might indicate a fluid collection called a seroma. Not a cause for panic, but you should see your surgeon right away, and avoid the temptation to self treat with the Mederma, etc.

Post-op TT, now with Swelling

Tough to tell without exam and post/pre picture comparison. would tell you to f/u with your surgeon ASAP and discuss your concerns on that left side, may need to be drained. Good luck and be sure to convey to your surgeon that you are concerned.

Post-op healing

Without seeing you in person, these are difficult questions to answer. Only your plastic surgeon can tell you for sure if what you're seeing is normal. If you have a hard area on the left side, your surgeon may need to assess whether you have blood (hematoma) or fluid (seroma) under the skin causing this. You may need an ultrasound to help with the diagnosis. If your surgeon isn't responsive to your questions, you may want to consider a second opinion. more

Do My Tummy Tuck Healing Look OK

The incision looks OK I will bet that those stretch marks were transposed from higher up on you abdomen and are not new. Without preop photos I cannot tell. What does concern me is the possibility of fluid collection. Sounds like your drain was in for a long time presumably due to persistent drainage. Now I wonder if you don't have a seroma, and you should be contacting your surgeon. Thanks for your question, and for attaching the photos. Best wishes. more

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