Why Is My Scar Widening 4 Months Post-Op?

Scarring tendency varies from patient to patient.  While technique does have an impact on the final outcome, biology also plays a strong role.  You should continue with scar management with silicone sheeting. Seek further consultation with your surgeon.  Early intervention can sometimes mitigate the scarring.  All the best.

You should continue to use your silicone sheets and follow up with your plastic surgeon as scheduled. Most interventions for scars won't be done within the first 6-12 months because of how much your body will change the scar in that time period.

Redness in scars is due to new blood vessel growth, and this decreases over 1-2 years. Silicone sheets and other interventions can sometimes help this process.

If the skin was pulled very tight in the tummy tuck (which is usually what people want), the scars can widen slightly. This won't get better as time goes on, but the color may fade so that it's less obvious. If it bothers you, a scar revision might be done as long as there is enough skin looseness to allow this.

Scars can widen for up to 6 months if there is tension on the scar, and after a tummy tuck the skin is brought back together under tension.  Some suturing techniques work better than others in preventing scar widening.  Without pictures it is difficult to know whether your widening is more than normal, but a scar revision is sometimes necessary.  Silicone sheeting or silicone gel can be useful as long as the scar is still pink, although usually 3 months is sufficient. If it is still helping you, then I would continue to use it, and consult again with your surgeon.

Photos would help. What you consider wide, surgeons might consider excellent, or might think is worse than you do.

Silicone sheeting is a good scar treatment when done properly--worn almost all the time for months.

Your scar will continue to mature over the course of a year. When anything in your outcome is less than pleasing to you, ask your surgeon. Talkative or not, you deserve an answer. Post op care is part of the package you purchased. 

How your scars look after a tummy tuck depends primarily on your genetics (people with darker-skinned genetic backgrounds tend to form worse scars than people with lighter-skinned genetic backgrounds, for instance) and on the technique used during your surgery.  When you pay for a tummy tuck you pay for 'tight' so your surgeon removes enough tissue to make the incision closure 'tight'.  Some surgeons use lots of internal sutures to take some tension off of the scar line and some surgeons do not.  Even when surgeons do use a lot of internal sutures, sometimes the scars widen anyway.  The internal sutures most surgeons use dissolve sometime around 4 months after surgery.  That's when scars tend to widen, which is what sounds like is happening to you.  You won't be able to do anything to help with how wide your scars are.  However, you can help control how 'raised' or 'thick' they are.  Silicone sheets are probably the most effective treatment for this, but only if they're worn 23 hours a day for an extended period of time.  The sheets are inconvenient and some women only wear them 3 or 4 days out of 7, or only at night.  It's pretty common for scars to itch while they're so pink.  Have hope, however.  Usually scars begin to fade a bit around 5 months after surgery and the itching begins to subside then too.  It will take quite a while for you to see your final scar result.  Your 'fancy plastic surgeon that doesn't talk much' should be able to help you through this.  Visit with him/her and ask about it.  His/her staff may also be very helpful.  Hopefully you'll love your look despite the scar!

Thanks for the question .I am sure this is the vascular phase of he scar therefore its wide and red and all it needs is the treatment. You should ask  for the treatment with your PS for the treatment and net may not be the best place to help you. He may be a quite person will respond to you if the message reaches him. Wishing you good luck.

After tummy tuck surgery, it is very important to follow up with your Plastic Surgeon regarding scar management.  If you are uncomfortable with your surgeon, you should seek a second opinion.  Best wishes!