What is causing uneven skin contour 8 years after tummy tuck? (Photo)

Dear flybird,     Thanks for submitting your pictures. The irregularities that are seen on your upper left side could have happened due to hematoma that occurred in that area. The other irregularities could be from uneven distribution of your fat cells. That can happen , if you had liposuction with the tummy tuck (I never do that due to the possibility of sever complication) or just by natural unevenness of fat cells distribution.   Correction or significant improvement can be achieved by liposuction. However, not all liposuction procedures are the same, because it depends on the experience, skills and aesthetic eye of the surgeon. It is important that the surgeon perform the liposuction through multiple small incision (I make 11 incision on the trunk - hips, waists. flanks and abdomen) , in order to remove as many fat cells as possible , as evenly as possible.   Always, consult with experienced board certified plastic surgeons who operate in accredited surgery center for your safety. Most importantly, check the before and after pictures in the photo gallery, to make sure that they are numerous, consistent and attractive.                         Best of luck,                                                     Dr Widder

Thanks for reaching out.  These contour abnormalities are like from you skin sticking down to the muscle after your original surgery. As you have aged you skin may have loosened up and sagged a little, while it remains stuck down in certain areas. The result is scattered areas of hanging skin from adhesions points throughout the abdomen.  Options to improve this is to attempt to break up these adhesions with liposuction or to revise the entire tummy tuck.  Without having a lot of extra skin to tighten, this might be a long run for a short slide.  Be sure to consult with a board certified plastic surgeon to have a proper exam in person and to come up with an appropriate plan.I hope this helps :)

Thank you for sharing your question and photographs.  I would recommend seeing your plastic surgeon for an in-person examination.  It is difficult to offer definite advice as this may be due to skin thinning, loss of underlying fat, scar tissue formation, or development of skin laxity.  Through feeling of the tissues a diagnosis can be made and treatment recommended.  Hope this helps.

Skin irregularities can happen after tummy tuck, liposuction, and other cosmetic operations. The main causes are skin laxity or looseness and internal scar tissue. Treatment options unfortunately are limited. 

Non-invasive treatments like Thermage or radio frequency devices can help. But this will be minimal and are expensive. Most people find it is not worth the expense. Surgery can make a big difference for some contour problems. If the irregularity is big, then surgery is worth it. For what I see in the pics, I think this would be a big operation for minimal benefit. I don't think it is worth it.

Manual massage with deep pressure and circular rotation on the skin might help. 30 minutes three times a day. It can't hurt and can loosen scar tissue over time. Try this. I have seen benefit with this easy approach!

Dr Chris Saunders

If you had liposuction or weight changes after lipo of the area, it could be related to that. Hard to say without an exam.