J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS

Hello, and thank you for your question regarding an upper abdomen bulge following a tummy tuck on a male patient. Thank you for your history, and thank you for your photos. Since you are only 12 days from your tummy tuck or abdominoplasty, the area pictured above your umbilicus or belly button is swelling. This swelling could be normal, a seroma, or a hematoma; however, a seroma or hematoma would be unlikely. It is too early to tell anything, 12 days postop. You must wear your compression garment and follow your plastic surgeon's instructions. Follow-up with your plastic surgeon is very important to be sure you do not have a seroma or hematoma. Regarding the rectus abdominis muscle repair, it is too early to determine anything 12 days after your abdominoplasty. If you are concerned that the muscle repair is not done, you can request an ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI of the abdomen. These radiographic techniques will help to elucidate if the muscle repair was done, and if any of the sutures have broken. In conclusion, it's too early to tell anything. You must wait at least 6 to 8 weeks until the swelling subsides. Please take a look at the above radiographic studies to investigate whether the rectus abdominis was repaired. However, even 6 to 8 weeks after surgery, most plastic surgeons would not recommend repeat surgery to repair the muscle if the muscle had not been repaired. Therefore, most experienced plastic surgeons recommend you wait at least 4 to 6 weeks before making any determination. Good luck. I hope I've answered your question regarding an upper abdominal bulge 12 days following a tummy tuck on a male patient. I hope this information helps you find answers regarding your tummy tuck or abdominoplasty. If you have any questions regarding tummy tuck or abdominoplasty, please contact an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon. Since the tummy tuck is a big procedure, please seek an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon with significant experience performing the tummy tuck. Do your research. Ensure they have performed at least 150 tummy tuck surgeries and have the before and after pictures to prove it. Please carefully look over their before and after pictures and check their reviews on RealSelf. If you cannot find an experienced tummy tuck surgeon in your neighborhood, consider traveling out of state. Sincerely, Dr. Katzen. (Plastic Surgeon, President of the American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Fellow of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American College of Surgery, and International College of Surgery and member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and RealSelf Hall of Fame.)

Hello, and thank you for your question regarding a painful, tight erection 1.5 weeks post-op a mini-tummy tuck, and whether the pain in the penis is due to swelling or if the skin is too tight. Thank you for your history and your pictures. Ten days after a mini tummy tuck is too early to determine anything. Especially when liposuction is involved, it takes a minimum of 6 to 8 weeks for the swelling to disappear after liposuction. In some patients, liposuction swelling takes longer to dissipate. In addition, if you had a surgical procedure with a drain, the swelling may remain longer. Swelling after a mini-tummy tuck and liposuction can accumulate in the suprapubic or FUPA region. This swelling can lead to pain in the penis and the scrotum. You must follow up with your plastic surgeon. However, in almost all cases, the symptoms you describe go away with time as the swelling dissipates. Ways to decrease the swelling should be discussed with your plastic surgeon. In general, swelling of the scrotum can be minimized by elevation, compression, anti-inflammatories, and ice. Elevation can be achieved by keeping your legs together and placing the penis and scrotum above the inner thighs. Additionally, athletic supporters and compression garments can be used to decrease edema or sweling of the scrotum and penis after a mini-tummy tuck. Another way to decrease the swelling in the pennis and scrotum is by applying ice or frozen peas. You must check with your plastic surgeon whether these modalities are acceptable. Some plastic surgeons do not recommend using ice due to vasoconstrictive properties, leading to poor tissue oxygenation and the risk of frostbite. Therefore, you need to follow up with your plastic surgeon. Thank you for your question regarding regarding painful, tight erection 1.5 weeks post-op, and whether it is due to swelling or if the skin is too tight. Good luck. I hope this information helps you find answers regarding your tummy tuck or abdominoplasty. If you have additional questions regarding tummy tuck or abdominoplasty, please get in touch with an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon. Since the tummy tuck is a big procedure, please seek an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon with significant experience performing the tummy tuck. Do your research. Ensure they have performed at least 150 tummy tuck surgeries and have the before and after pictures to prove it. Carefully examine their before and after pictures and check their reviews on RealSelf. If you cannot find an experienced, lower body lift surgeon in your neighborhood, consider traveling out of state if you must. Sincerely, Dr. Katzen. (Plastic Surgeon, President of the American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Fellow of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American College of Surgery, and International College of Surgery and member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and RealSelf Hall of Fame.)

Hello, and thank you for your question regarding whether you should fix your loose abdominal skin after losing 70 pounds, now that you are a 26-year-old 6-foot-tall male with a fit and healthy lifestyle. Thank you for your interesting question. Thank you for your history and your pictures. Most experienced plastic surgeons would agree that you could undergo plastic surgery now. You should get excellent results with your lifestyle and dedication to clean eating and exercise. Patients who get the best results undergo abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) or 360 circumferential lower body lift, then continue to exercise and lose weight after their tummy tuck or body lift procedure. It is highly unlikely that you will lose so much weight that you would need a revision tummy tuck or lower body lift. Therefore, most plastic surgeons would agree that you could undergo an extended tummy tuck or body lift at this time. You do not need to wait six months. Good luck. I hope I have answered your questions regarding whether you should fix your loose abdominal skin after losing 70 pounds, now that you are a 26-year-old 6-foot-tall male with a fit and healthy lifestyle. If you have more questions regarding the tummy tuck or abdominoplasty, please get in touch with an experienced plastic surgeon. Since an abdominoplasty can be difficult, please seek an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon with significant experience performing tummy tucks. Do your research. Make sure your chosen plastic surgeon has performed at least 100 abdominoplasties. Make sure they have the before and after pictures to prove it. Carefully examine their before and after pictures and check their reviews on RealSelf. Good luck! Sincerely, Dr. Katzen. (Plastic Surgeon, President of the American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons, Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Fellow of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American College of Surgery, International College of Surgery, and American Board of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, and member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and RealSelf Hall of Fame.)

Hello, and thank you for requesting whether you should have aggressive lipo or a bra line lift. Thank you for your history and your picture. Most experienced board-certified plastic surgeons would recommend that you undergo aggressive back liposuction. The back fat is sometimes difficult to remove and is hidden underneath significant tight connective tissue. Therefore, most plastic surgeons use the VASER liposuction technique to get superior results with back liposuction. Most plastic surgeons would suggest you undergo VASER back liposuction. The bra line lift is also called a horizontal torsoplasty or an upper body lift. This is an excellent procedure; however, it leaves a visible scar across your back. Therefore, go with VASER back lipo; I think you will be happy. Good luck. I hope I've answered your question, whether you should have aggressive lipo or a brow lift. Please get in touch with a specialist if you have any more questions regarding horizontal torsoplasty, bra straplasty, or bra-plasty. Since the horizontal torsoplasty, bra straplasty, or bra-plasty, is a big procedure, please seek an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon with significant experience performing the horizontal torsoplasty. Do your research. Ensure they have performed many horizontal torsoplasty surgeries and have the before-and-after pictures to prove it. Carefully examine their before and after pictures and check their reviews on RealSelf. If you cannot find an experienced, horizontal torsoplasty, bra straplasty, or bra-plasty plastic surgeon in your neighborhood, consider traveling out of state if you must. Sincerely, Dr. Katzen. (Plastic Surgeon, President of the American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Fellow of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American College of Surgery, and International College of Surgery and ​member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and RealSelf Hall of Fame.)

Hello, and thank you for your question regarding whether you need a body lift or if there are equally affected non-surgical alternatives. Thank you for your history and your pictures. Due to your 110-pound weight loss, your skin has been stretched. The skin can only bounce back so much, even if you exercise and diet. Therefore, your best option is a 360 circumferential lower body lift. A 360 circumferential lower body lift is called a belt lipectomy or lower body lift. Since the skin has been stretched, the only solution is to remove the skin. There are no non-surgical alternatives to removing skin besides a 360 circumferential lower body lift. Most experienced, board-certified plastic surgeons specializing in the lower body lift would agree that you would get excellent results with a 360 circumferential lower body lift based on your history and photos. Good luck. I hope this information helps you find answers regarding the 360 circumferential lower body lift. If you have any more questions regarding the lower body lift, 360 circumferential lower body lift, belt lipectomy, belt abdominoplasty, or belt dermolipectomy, please get in touch with aa experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon. Since the body lift is a big procedure, please seek an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon with significant experience performing the lower body lift. Do your research. Ensure they have performed at least 150 circumferential lower body lift surgeries and have the before and after pictures to prove it. Carefully examine their before and after pictures and check their reviews on RealSelf. If you cannot find an experienced, lower-body lift surgeon in your neighborhood, consider traveling out of state if you must. Sincerely, Dr. Katzen. (Plastic Surgeon, President of the American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Fellow of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American College of Surgery, and International College of Surgery and ​member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and RealSelf Hall of Fame.)