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Can I Get A Full TT With No Vertical Scar?

asked 10 months ago by aaa3 in Anaheim, CA
Latest answer by Wilberto Cortes, MD
Question viewed 557 times
Tags: loose skin, options, vertical scar

I am 5'4 and weigh 120lbs. I have had 3 babies and a very disciplined workout regimen. I want a tummy tuck since I have some loose skin and relaxed lower abdominal muscles. I am a candidate for a full TT. I had two surgeons say my insicion would be hip to hip w/a vertical incision. However, one surgeon says he would give me a full without the vertical, and although my scar may be initially higher, he would bring me back in 6 months later to do a revision and lower my scar. Is this true?

25 answers to Can I Get A Full TT With No Vertical Scar?

Vertical scar is rarely necessary with tummy tuck

This is a difficult question to answer without examining you in person. If you have enough excess skin; and this should be determined with you in a seated, flexed position; then a traditional tummy tuck can be performed without the need for a vertical extension. I would be skeptical of going back to the operating room to "lower" the scar as this is typically not met with much success. Consult with a few more board certified plastic surgeons to get more opinions if... more

William Bruno, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

www.williambrunomd.com

When you have little excess skin, a tummy tuck requires a short vertical scar.

Hi. 1) You do not have much loose skin. Your main problem is muscle separation that needs to be repaired. To expose the muscles, you need to make a little belly button incision. When there is a lot of skin, that incision is simply pulled down and removed. But in your case, it will have to be closed as a short (one inch) scar above your pubic area. 2) Whatever you do, do not have a "mini" tummy tuck. This will not correct the upper... more

George J. Beraka, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck without vertical scar

The components that need to be addressed and taken into considerations in a tummy tuck are the following: 1. Amount of excess skin 2. Degree of abdominal muscle diastasis (muscle separation) 3. Excess abdominal skin 4. Location of abdominal scar, if any 5. Location of belly button Although without a physical exam I cannot give you a final recommendation, your main problem is diastasis of the muscle. I cannot tell if the excess skin is in the lower abdomen or around the... more

Wilberto Cortes, MD
Houston Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck scar and making it as small as possible

In the majority of the tummy tucks I do, there is only the lower horizontal scar and not a vertical one. I try to make as few cuts as is necessary and achieve the best result. With vertical scars, it would be difficult to wear a two piece bathing suit.

Edward J. Domanskis, MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon

Abdominoplasty incision choice

A tummy tuck is not a one standard procedure. Every patient requires a unique approach. You do have a rather unique situation, namely high umbilicus, more loose skin in lower abdomen than upper abdomen, relatively thin body habitus and loose abdominal muscles. You are an ideal candidate for a modified abdominoplasty with “umbilical float”. This is not a mini-tummy tuck. It involves repairing all the muscle damage, tightening your loose skin and still... more

Boris M. Ackerman, MD
Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck scar

It is difficult to determine if a vertical scar would be necessary without it fizzles emanation. In general, however, with your body type the options are: 1.No surgery. 2. Abdominoplasty with higher incision to avoid vertical scar (with 2nd stage lowering of scar if desired). 3. Abdominoplasty with lower incision and use of vertical incision (to close umbilical opening). I hope this helps.

Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

www.poustiplasticsurgery.com

Full tummy tuck with no vertical scar

This is a very difficult question to answer with just photos, as the question comes down to how much extra skin you have and how lax it is . Having said that, there are several points to consider. First of all it is imperative to keep the abdominoplasty scar as low as possible. Your first operation is the best chance to get this correct. As for the possible vertical scar- two of the plastic surgeons who did examine you felt that they could remove enough skin so as to avoid... more

Donald M. Brown, MD
San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

How to avoid the vertical scar and risks of too high a transverse scar

Most of the revision tummy tucks I have done are due to the original transverse scar being too high, and often accompanied by an umbilicus that is too low. This is a situation that is hard to correct, and can be due to an effort to remove the umbilical donor site that would otherwise be closed as a small vertical scar. It is better to have a small vertical scar than a transverse scar that is too high and visible. There has to be at least 10-12 cm between the umbilicus and the lower... more

Robert M. Lowen, MD
Bay Area Plastic Surgeon

www.enhanced-you.com

TT without vertical scar

From your photos it doesn't look like the skin at the top of your navel os going to make it down to your lower abdimnal crease (suprapubic crease). If it doesn't than you have a few options. 1. Accept the lower vertical scar. 2. have the surgeon raise the whole horizontal scar. Not my preference since now your entire scar will be too high. 3. have a modified tummy tuck. this is where the entire skin can be lifted, the muscles tighted and the belly button either lowered or... more

Ronald Schuster, MD
Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

www.drschuster.com

Tummy Tuck Scar

In agreement with the surgeons you saw, because of your relatively short xiphoid to umbilical distance and longer umbilical to symphysis (pubis) distance, and the type of string bikini you like (which demands a lower scar), your situation is not routine, and begs for a less conventional solution. There are always trade-offs. I agree with Dr. Khoobehi that floating your belly button to avoid the vertical scar may be the best choice.

Steve Laverson, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

feelbeautiful.com

Abdominoplasty

Each patient needs to have his or her surgery customized. Your anatomy needs to be broken down into its components (i.e. muscle, fat, skin, stretch marks, etc). Your surgery should address your anatomy in order of priority. It is impossible to give you a recommendation without examining you or discussing all the different components, risks factors, goals, and options. It would be exceedingly rare that a vertical scar with it's potential for unacceptable visibility might be chosen by a... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Tummy Tuck with or without a vertical scar

From your photos, you appear to have very little excess skin below the belly button. A traditional tummy tuck ususally removes all the skin between the belly button and the "bikini line". That would not be possible with your anatomy. However, your tummy tuck could be completed without a residual vertical scar by not cutting around the belly button, and freeing its stalk from the abdominal wall. The muscles could be repaired (if needed) and the excess skin... more

Ricardo Izquierdo, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Yes you will need a small vertical scar.

Judging by your pictures you will need a vertical scar. This usually heals very well. It's preferable to elevating the entire abdominoplasty scar. Yes it can be revised later but your horizontal scar might get pulled up a bit. Be aware, based on the distribution of your stretchmarks, you will still have stretch marks throughout the lower abdomen; but your skin will be tighter. The ONLY reason for you to have a full TT is to make your entire abdominal skin... more

Daniel Yamini, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

Concerns about a high abdominoplasty incision

It is extremely improbable that a potentially higher incision will be able to be lowered down significantly after 6 months or even much longer for that matter. Instead, the incision should be kept low as in the bikini line. The cause of the vertical scar would be from the old site of insertion of the umbilicus as it needs to be repaired. Given your anatomy as seen by the photos, it is highly unlikely that all the skin from your pubis to the umbilicus would be able to be removed... more

Steven Turkeltaub, MD
Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon

www.turkeltaub.com

Can I get a full tummy tuck without a vertical scar?

The vertical scar that oftentimes is necessary after a full tummy tuck is from closing the round small belly button "hole" if it can not be brought down low enough to below the level of the incision so it can be removed. The scar is rather short, and is preferable to raising your whole tummy tuck scar to a much higher location than ideal just to avoid this short vertical scar. I have seen surgeons do this, and I have never understood it. The tummy tuck scar heals best... more

Robert M. Grenley, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

You would benefit from tummy tuck with umbilical transposition

You carried your babies low and this caused the belly button to shift too high. You would benefit from tummy tuck with no belly button incision. I would lower your belly button without making incision around belly button. You can check my web site for examples This patient had same problem as you and I did lower the belly button.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD
New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

With a "high" belly button, a small vertical incision might be the preferable option

Based upon your frontal photo view, your belly button location is higher than most patients. Full abdominoplasties or tummy tucks usually remove the skin between the pubic rim and the belly button and place the "hip to hip" scar at the pelvic brim, where swimming sportswear can conceal the scar, simultaneously making a new opening for the belly button in the midline. Since you have such a high belly button, the distance from your pubic rim to the belly... more

David N. Hing, MD
Ann Arbor Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck without a vertical scar

Tummy tuck without a vertical scar depends on the amount of skin laxity present which allows the skin from the belly button area to move all the way down to where a C-section scar might be. If the skin will not reach, a very small vertical scar perhaps an inch or less will be present on the lower tummy. The key to the best tummy tuck is to keep the hip scar very low, where it is easy to conceal under clothing or underwear. The vertical scar will be a minor problem. A high tummy tuck... more

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck

Great question! Looking at your photos shows me 2 things: you have little excess skin and you are long waisted. You would probably benefit from a mini tummy tuck with a shorter scar. It's difficult to lower a scar, especially when the original one was already placed under some tension. Get a second opinion. Good luck!

Richard Chaffoo, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Most tummy tucks only require bikini incision

Your described situation and posted photographs of your abdomen are suitable for a standard bikini line tummy tuck. I see no reason for any secondary surgery after you recover from a properely done Tummy Tuck.

Vasdev Rai, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck, scar

It would be nearly impossible to lower the scar significantly later if the first TT was done to max tightness. Do NOT get a scar higher than you can hide under your swim wear on the first surgery.Better to have a small vertical scar (1-2") and keep the long scar LOW.

Ronald V. DeMars, MD
Portland Plastic Surgeon

www.drdemarsmd.com

Unlikely that you will need a vertical scar with your tummy tuck

In my opinion, it is usually not necessary to have a vertical scar with a full tummy tuck. We do make a circular incision around the belly button, leaving it attached to the abdominal wall. Then we make another circle higher up on the abdominal skin after pulling the skin and fat down to bring the belly button out. Rarely is it necessary to make a vertical scar with the tummy tuck. But individual plastic surgeons may vary in their technique, and some may feel that a... more

James Tang, MD
Houston Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck with vertical scar

There are mulitple variations of the tummy tuck to achieve the optimal aesthetic of the abdomen. The formal tummy tuck removes all the skin from the belly button to the pubic hairline. When there is not enough skin to allow this you must evaluate how much skin there is and decide between two options. You can leave the belly button within the abdominal skin and lower it on the abdominal wall. This is a limited option as the umbilical position should not be lowered more than about 2-3... more

Robert W. Kessler, MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon

www.drrobkessler.com

Vertical scar probable in your case

Dear aaa3, I do believe you will have a vertical scar for several reasons. You really don't seem to have a lot of excess skin even though you have stretch marks. You seem to be in great shape. You have a high belly button making it harder to get out the scar when doing a TT. Finally, once the scar is high, it is always high. If you pull too much you can have wound healing complications as well as elecvating the pubic area too high. So I do believe you... more

Steven Schuster, MD
Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck scar design is individualized

The only way to assess and discuss your options is in person. However, I find that patients are more appreciative of the results from a tummy tuck when the lower abdominal scar is below normal garment line. Your pictures suggest that it will be difficult if not dangerous to try and stretch the skin from above your belly button down far enough for the horizontal scar to be optimally placed. For patients with your anatomy and features the option are a tummy tuck with muscle tightening... more