Tummy Tuck: Q&A

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Unsuccessful Tummy Tuck Centered Around Belly Button?

I'm 5 months post op tummy tuck with full tightening, one midline plication which seemed to hold up. Before surgery had severe abdominal distention but minimal diastasis. Still have distention but now have round bulging contour over belly button plus, to my surprise, a frowny horizontal belly button. Think my belly button stalk is now too short for the amount of distention I still have. The whole situation is bad and I'm uncomfortable. 95 pounds at 5'3" so no signifant fat. What to do???

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4 Doctor Answers | Asked by Jane G. in New York, NY

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Some reasons for the bulge after tummy tuck.

Dear KeyLimePie, From your photos and question, it's not totally clear whether you had a mini of a full abdominoplasty. This makes a difference because if you had a mini, there is no plication done above the umbilicus, and sometimes this causes bulging in the upper abdomen. If this is the cause, then plication of the rest of the upper abdomen may be needed. You mentioned that you have no fat in the tummy, and this is why I am questioning what type of tummy tuck you had, since... more

Several Possibilities

I can detect a slight bulge of your abdomen. This could be; Residual skin, or Fat around your midportion, or The muscles tightening was not adequate, or You have a generalized weakness of your abdominal wall. A weak abdominal wall; muscles and fascia gives way to the abdominal content and creates a generalized protrusion... more

Liposuction will help

You have central fat pocket and I would recommend liposuction with possible tummy tuck revision. The quality of your mid abdominal tissue will dictate the need for revision. The combination of the liposuction and tummy tuck would have been better choice for you.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD

28 reviews

New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

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Unsuccessful tummy tuck?

Thank you for your photos. Without preoperative photos it is hard to make a judgement how much improvement you attained from surgery. What I see is a supra umbilical, epigastric bulge. I would talk to your surgeon about liposuction of this area to improve your results and will also reshape your belly button to a more vertical direction. Good luck.

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