Bulge Above Belly Button 6 Weeks Post Tummy Tuck? (photo)

Six weeks after surgery this area of localized prominence could be fluid beneath the skin flap, such as a seroma. It could also represent soft tissue swelling that is now more evident since you stopped wearing your garment. Lastly, it could be an area of muscle weakness like the hernia beneath your belly button. I would resume wearing your compression garment and discuss your concerns with your surgeon.  

It appears as though you may have a fluid collection or some of the stitches have loosened.  I would recommend returning to your plastic surgeon to make sure everything is okay.

Thank you for your post. Seromas can be painful and cause a cosmetic deformity, as well as sometimes leak. The whole point of drains is to keep a seroma from happening in the first place. If a drainless procedure was performed, and you had a seroma, or you had drains that were pulled and you subsequently had a seroma, then you should be drained, otherwise a capsule builds around the fluid making it permanent. If a capsule builds around the seroma (pseudo bursa or encapsulated seroma) then the only way to remove the seroma is to surgically open the areas and excise the capsule, and close over drains to prevent another seroma from happening. If the seroma is encapsulated and is tight and painful, then it can be confused with just swelling or fat. An ultrasound is useful in distinguishing these and identifying the extent of the seroma. If the seroma is not yet encapsulated, then it is usually loose and has a 'fluid wave' or water bed type feel. Occasionally, a seroma can also become infected, especially if a permanent braided suture was used. This will have a hot, red appearance, and will eventually open up. I have never seen an infection from sterile aspiration of fluid.Best wishes,Pablo Prichard, MD