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Dog Ears After Tummy Tuck

asked 1 year ago by Bronx7oval in Bronx, NY
Latest answer by Mark Preston, MD
Question viewed 1,304 times
Tags: hips, 170-189 lbs, 5 ft 4 in to 5 ft 7 in, dog ears

Ive had a breast lift with implants, tummy tuck. Ive ganied weight to have a fat transfer to the buttocks weight now 175 5"6. Ive notice since day one that I have had this extra skin that stood out on the left side of my hip. where the scar stops now Ive gained weight n its worst. Q: how can I get it removed? I went back to my doc ask him what this he said i need a hip lift.??? fuuny i didnt need one when i frist came in. thank you for reading

16 answers to Dog Ears After Tummy Tuck

Weight gain increases visibility of lateral "dog ears" after tummy tuck.

Do you really want fat grafts to your buttocks? If you gained weight (for whatever reason), your buttocks gained more fat than can usually be transferred via grafting (and gained it way more evenly), but what happens when you lose weight? You will be left with lumps, bumps, and scar tissue unless you are at ideal or at least stable and healthy weight when you have fat grafting procedures! You are asking for trouble IMHO, but that is not your question, so I will answer that. The... more

Richard H. Tholen, MD, FACS
Minneapolis Plastic Surgeon

www.mpsmn.com

Dog aers after tummy tuck

"Dog ears" after tummy tuck are not rare, and can usually be corrected by a minor revision in the office. A small amount of liposuction may also be of benefit. If you are planning to return to the OR for a fat transfer that would be a convenient time to deal with this issue as well.

Mark Preston, MD
Columbus Plastic Surgeon

Dog ears are easily corrected.

The excess tissue you see is known as a "dog ear" and is simply some excess tissue which was not removed at the initial tummy tuck. This is relatively common in spite of the best attempts to contour all tissues at the first operation. Correction can be done with local anesthesia and a small re-excision. If you wish to have that area with slightly less bulk, some liposuction can be done at the same time, again with only local anesthesia. Your surgeon should... more

Jeffrey M. Darrow, MD
Boston Plastic Surgeon

Tummy Tuck Dog Ears Can Be Easily Revised

Dogears at the ends of a tummy tuck incision are not rare. While manuevers are done during the procedure for their prevention, they can still occur. If it is just the small fold of skin that is a concern, this can be easily removed under local anesthesia in the office. If you want reduction of the fat fullness and the dogear, then a slightly more extensive procedure may be needed. Either way, you have a realtively minor problem that can be easily remedied.

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD
Indianapolis Plastic Surgeon

www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com

Need removal of dogear

If you are concerned with the dogear itself I believe your surgeon can address this with a minor procedure to improve your incision. If you are concerned about the fullness laterally, I believe your surgeon is right that a lateral thigh lift with direct excision may be required to get rid of all the loose skin and fat. You and surgeon need to set your expectation on this revision.

Vishnu Rumalla, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Dog Ears After Tummy Tuck

A simple procedure under local anesthesia can smooth the dog ear for you. You could benefit from liposuction to your hips too, but if you are going to loose the weight, then I would recommend waiting until you have reached your goal weight.

Amy T. Bandy, DO
Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon

Dog ears or hip fat after tummy tuck

A dog ear is a skin fold where your tummy tuck incision stops, and revision by following the scar out to side can improve the contour. The scar line of course is lengthened. Often liposuction is helpful in the hip to smoother the transition from the abdomen. Lose the extra weight and consider liposuction to reduce the hip roll. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Revision after a tummy tuck

The specific problem you are describing is a "dog ear". It can occur with any type of scar. Basically, some excess tissue is left behind in the region of the end of the scar. This extra tissue causes the scar to bunch up and stick out. It can occur with tummy tucks more frequently if the closure of the incisions is not performed meticulously. Revision of this "dog ear" is performed relatively easily in the office under local anesthesia. more

Naveen Setty, MD
Plano Plastic Surgeon

Dog ears are easy to fix

A dog ear is a pleat of skin and fat created when the tummy tuck flap is removed and skin is sutured closed. These pleats can be removed with liposuction, skin removal and or direct fat and skin removal. It can usually be done with local anesthesia.

Dev Wali, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

Dogears after tummy tuck

Sometimes dog years occur after tummy tucks, and may be asymmetric. These can be improved with a small additional excision of fat and skin.

Jeff Scott, MD
Everett Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck dog ears

Dog ears need to be corrected with further surgery with skin excision and liposuction which should help with contour.

Lawrence C. Lin, MD
Long Island Plastic Surgeon

Dog ear correction

A hip or trunk lift will improve the contours of this region, but represents a fairly extensive procedure with significantly increased scarring. Overall appearance and correction of the dog ear could be improved with liposuction of both hips and possibly excision of a limited amount of skin from the left side.

David A. Bottger, MD
Philadelphia Plastic Surgeon

Dog Ears after Tummy Tuck

Dog ears are common after a Tummy Tuck and frequently respond to a minor revision done in the office under a local anesthesia. These become more noticable if there is a weight gain. A hip lift can be used to further improve your contour. Liposuction of the hips as well can improve your contour, and these are frequently performed in conjunction with a tummy tuck if desired. These are separate issues from the dog ear.

Beverly Friedlander, MD
Short Hills Plastic Surgeon

Dog Ears after Tummy Tuck

A tummy tuck addresses the tummy, however many times we have to extend the tummy tuck to effectively contour the adjacent areas. Although I do not see preoperative pictures, it would seem likely that you had full hips which might require an extended abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) to give you the hourglass shape that women desire. This could be easily corrected by extending your incisions to remove the dog ears and possibly performing some liposuction as well. You may incur an... more

Luis Zapiach, MD
Paramus Plastic Surgeon

www.artplasticsurgeons.com

Dog Ears After Tummy Tuck

Your pre-op photos show a good bit of fat in the hips. It appears that your surgeon extended the tummy tuck incision farther laterally than usual to try to deal with this. A hip lift would improve the excess skin in your hips and lateral thighs, but the dog ear can be corrected fairly easily if this is your main concern. This is something that I often do in my office OR under local anesthesia.