Why Will my Tummy Tuck Incision Not Heal Up? 8 Weeks Post Op and Frustrated.

Question

I am 8 weeks postop from a TT and I had two places where the incision line opened up on my right side. I was told to do wet to dry packing and my PS removed a couple of sutures coming out through it. Well those two places have fianlly started closing up but it is slooooow! Last week I noticed another area and my PS poked through it and blood came gushing out. I guess it needed to come out but now there is another hole that needs to close up. Why is this happening and will I continue to have these holes?

Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD · Answer

Because of poor blood supply along the incision after abdominoplasty small wounds may take considerably longer to heal than usual. Almost always they do without surgical intervention.

Richard J. Brown, MD · Answer

It is unfortunate but this does happen to many patients. It is hard to predict who will have problems but there are qualities that do make some patients more prone to wound healing problems like diabetes. The wound healing can be a very slow process. It is hard to comment on your wound without seeing it but it does seem that what your surgeon is doing is correct and it does take a long time to heal at times.

Jourdan Gottlieb, MD · Answer

I am sorry here of all the unexpected problems you are dealing with. Photos might help get better opinions from this site. There are a number of things that can interfere with normal healing, including retained sutures, and hematoma (blood collection). I can't tell from the narrative now large these are and how long they have been present. It is probably not very reassuring to say that these problems always end up in healed wounds, but without more info it is hard be more specific;. All the best. Follow up with your surgeon.

Why Will my Tummy Tuck Incision Not Heal Up? 8 Weeks Post Op and Frustrated.

Answers (3)