I have an open wound that is healing indented. Can this be repaired or revised? I don’t want a “second” belly button. (photo)

Question

TT on 4/4/19 my incision opened in the center about 2 wks later. I’ve been going to wound care and using wound vac for past 3 wks. The wound dr says I have one more wk on vac and hopefully it will be healed. The problem is the wound bed did not raise up & has healed as what he called a divot. Said it will just look like a 2nd BB which I don’t want! Can it be revised to match the rest of the scar and not be a hole or I am just stuck with it? Advice please!!

David Shifrin, MD · Answer

It looks good. Healing appropriately. After it’s filled in and healed give it 3 months and go back to your original surgeon for a scar revision. They should be able to remove that entire area of scar / indent under local without any issues.

Vishnu Rumalla, MD · Answer

Thanks for your inquiry, I would wait at least six months to allow your body to heal and let the scar settle.  You might find it improves on it own, otherwise a scar revision usually under local in the office can be performed.

Nikesh K. Patel, MD · Answer

Some scars take up to a year to mature, so expect to see noticeable improvements over the next 12 months. A revision procedure may be able to improve your scar but you should wait till you are finished healing. Continue to follow your surgeon’s advice about treating your scar schedule a follow-up appointment if your scar does not improve. Best of luck!

Ankur Mehta, MD · Answer

Hello and thank you for posting photos along with your question! You appear to have had a very nice result from your tummy tuck! Wound healing problems can arise in the center as you have experienced because that is where the blood flow is the weakest. From your photos alone it appears as though a scar revision should be quite simple to do but I would wait at least 3-6 months and sometimes even 1 year depending on what the tissue feels like. You want everything to be mobile and soft and healed before revising the scar. You should discuss this with your plastic surgeon and see what they have to say. Hope this helps and congrats on your new tummy!Ankur Mehta MD
Board Certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery
Instagram: @ankurmehtamd

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

Hello. Great question. Sorry for your post op difficulties. I will suggest waiting until your incision is healed and a couple of months after. Your scar may fade overtime. If you are still uneasy about your scar, you can consider a scar revision. Good luck with your recovery.

Stefan Mark Szczerba, MD · Answer

Have your surgeon look at the area for remaining internal sutures that may be coming to the surface.  Once the wound has been cleared of that, let everything heal for about 3-6 months.  If the area is still indented then revision is quite easy at that time.  Best Wishes!!  You look great!!

Dana Goldberg, MD · Answer

This can be fixed. I recommend waiting as long as possible (a year or more after healing is best) so that the tissue will have normal stretch. That's hard for many patients to do, but you will get a better result in the long run by being patient with it.

Dallas Buchanan, MD · Answer

Thank you for your pictures and questions. The answer is wait, wait, and wait. A scar revision is going to be a great option for you, but it would be best to wait until a year after the wound heals to revise the scar.Hope this helps!Dallas R. Buchanan, MD, FACSOwner & Board-Certified Plastic SurgeonVIVIFY plastic surgery

Nelson Castillo, MD · Answer

Thank you for sharing your question and photographs and I am sorry to hear of your surgical wound.  I would allow your incision site to fully heal, and the skin return to normal pliability over the next 12 months.  At that time a small revision can be done in your surgeon’s office to remove the scarred area and replace it with a scar similar to the rest of your tummy tuck.  Hope this helps.

Anthony Barabas, MBBS, FRCS (Plast) · Answer

Your scar looks to be healing in well but may leave a small dent that can be tidied up later. I don't think VAC dressings will add anything here, unless there is a lot of fluid coming out of the wound. Otherwise I would use simply dressings alone.

I have an open wound that is healing indented. Can this be repaired or revised? I don’t want a “second” belly button. (photo)

Answers (17)

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