Tummy Tuck Stomach NOT Flat at All - Torn Sutures, Swelling, Crappy Job?

so i got a tummy tuck, its been exactly 4 weeks now. it was SO flat at 2.5 weeks. i am a SMALL girl, im not overweight, i had a baby and had BAD loose skin afterwards and i have always had a pot belly my whole life even at 90 lbs. i weigh 110now. when i bend over, there is still loose saggy wrinkles in the middle, i already felt it wasnt tight enough. and the verticle scar is huge. anyways, now, 4 wks PO, took my compression off, and two days later, its a HUGE potbelly. confused. swelling?torn?

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2 Doctor Answers | Asked by ashpinoza in illinois

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Community Comments (1)

Disappointing Tummy Tuck Result

Regarding: "Tummy Tuck Stomach NOT Flat at All - Torn Sutures, Swelling, Crappy Job? so i got a tummy tuck, its been exactly 4 weeks now. it was SO flat at 2.5 weeks. i am a SMALL girl, im not overweight, i had a baby and had BAD loose skin afterwards and i have always had a pot belly my whole life even at 90 lbs. i weigh 110now. when i bend over, there is still loose saggy wrinkles in the middle, i already felt it wasnt tight enough. and the verticle scar is huge. anyways, now,... more

Questions about post-operative tummy tuck result.

IT appears that you have a good result. I would not at all classify it as "crappy" Even a 19 year old with a flat belly can have loose skin when they bend over. In regards to the fullness, it existed prior to surgery and the surgeon can repair the musces but not necessarily improve your muscle tone or address the intra-abdominal fat around the organs. You could have a seroma and this should be evaluated by your surgeon.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

32 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Comments (1)

lynchpins 15 Apr 2013

Hi, I disagree with the comment from the doctor mentioning that you had a fleur de leis tummy tuck. Your vertical incision above the pubis is the result of your doctor not being able to get the circle (made around the belly button) to redrape below the transverse incision. This can happen in younger patients because the upper abdominal skin does not stretch enough as it is so elastic. When this happens, as the skin is redraped, the circle is made into a line. That is what you have. You are still very early after the surgery. Assuming your doctor does not think you have a seroma present, then it may be that the redraped tissue is still swollen (and it will be to some extent for up to a year or so). Time will be able to allow you and your doctor to sort this out. Your surgery is not a crappy job at all. If you can look that good at a couple of weeks, then you can see that this is the direction that you will go as the fluid is absorbed and your tissue readheres in its new position. A lot of your saggyness will be improved as the months go by but it is true that you still may have some looseness. The operation is not perfect but if you were my patient, I would be expecting pretty good things to come judging from your early side view. Good luck with it all and stay close to your surgeon. By the way, that lower abdominal scar will become less obvious as a year goes by. Steven M. Lynch, M.D.

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