Tummy tuck not healing as much as expected - is this normal after 6 months? (Photo)

Hello Brave196071 from Evergreen Park. Thank you for your question regarding the healing of your tummy tuck incision.

The presence of white discharge from your tummy tuck incision six months post-operation is certainly concerning and not typical. It’s essential to determine the nature of this discharge, which could be related to an unresolved infection, a cyst, or a reaction to non-absorbable sutures, among other possibilities.

Infection: If it's an infection, treatment might include oral antibiotics or topical antibiotic cream, and possibly an antiseptic like Betadine to manage the area.
Cyst: A cyst might need to be surgically removed if it is causing ongoing problems.
Suture Reaction: If the issue stems from sutures that are being rejected by your body, those would need to be removed by your surgeon.
After addressing the underlying issue, to improve the appearance of your scar, you can use silicone gel or silicone scar sheets, which help to flatten and fade the scar over time. For persistent or problematic scars, options like surgical scar revision or treatments such as FRAXEL laser might be considered. These are typically done under local anesthesia if performed in a clinical setting.

It's crucial to have a thorough evaluation by your plastic surgeon to address these issues effectively and prevent any further complications. Good luck, and I hope this resolves soon for you.

Sincerely,

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FASMBS, FICS
Plastic Surgeon

Hello, my name is Igor Burko, and I am a Plastic Surgeon at SY Aesthetics in NYC. The history of repeat wound infections likely led to suboptimal healing as well as scar formation. It is best to follow-up with your plastic surgeon or seek the opinion of a trained plastic surgeon for their best recommendation. There are options to improve the appearance of scars that may be available to you.

Breathe 196071,

Thank you for your pictures. I'm sorry that you had to deal with this. If you still have drainage out of areas of your incision, this needs to be managed completely. That may require additional antibiotics and/or removal of those drainage areas surgically, and leaving them open to heal naturally. This may be the best option. The reason I say that is your scars are slightly wide, and in my opinion with the significant revision in the future to chief anesthetic result. Definitely visit with several board certified Plastic Surgeons to get your best treatment options.

Best wishes,

ESJ

#TruthAndTransformation.

Hi there,
Sorry to hear you are having trouble after your tuck. I would recommend you return to your operating surgeon and show/discuss this. They look like areas of suture infection and can be dealt with in the office.
All the best

At this point in your recovery, there shouldn't be any fluid draining out of you, not to mention holes along your incision line. Please see your surgeon for any assessment.

Hello; normally, Abdominoplasty surgery; it heals up in 15 days. At 1 month, it looks pretty good. However, as far as I can see in your photos; there is a stitching reaction. It is placed under the skin and used by the body; during the biological process of healing; in suture materials, that need to be absorbed without problems; if the suture is placed superficially or even if, it is not superficially stated; if the hydrolysis event cannot be carried out sufficiently; it's like, it's filled with inflammatory fluid; small cystic areas are formed. When these are pierced and emptied; they will heal up quickly. Because, you have an infection; that may happen differently and longer period for you.

It's not typical to have three infections after a tummy tuck. The small "holes" that you mentioned may be suture abscesses. Your surgeon should be able to address them in the office. Once the suture material is removed they tend to heal well with minimal home care. It does appear your scars are hypertrophic. They can be revised if desired about a year after surgery.

Yes, based on your few posted photos it appears you had a underwhelming tummy tuck performed with severe postoperative complications. Best to virtual consult with. Recommend ultrasound or MRI of abdomen ASAP to rule out residual seroma hematoma or infection pockets. Revision of full tummy tuck if approved for surgery at this time would be $10-$20,000. Again best to virtual consult with.

Your healing process is going to be different if you had complications after surgery.
If you still have openings that are draining, then you have contaminated tissue or suture material.
This may heal up on its own or you may need further surgical intervention.
Your situation is complex, and I don’t think it’s appropriate to expand too much into postoperative management without having full context to your surgical history.
Some plastic surgeons may take a weight and see approach, and others may want to be more proactive ordering tests and trying to understand Where the source of contamination is coming from.
It sounds like your history is quite complex and without having access to the full story, we can’t really give you any significant insight.
For a proper second opinion consultation, you will need a complete copy of your medical record, including all previous operative reports, before, and after pictures and progress notes explaining what has happened to Date.
Your best option is most likely to continue working with your provider and ask him or her to assist you if you have questions or concerns.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom, MD