Ledge after tummy tuck? Normal swelling? Very worried, belly button too shallow? 30, 4 kids, piercing stayed? Revision? (Photo)

You are very early in the healing process. Those areas should calm down over several months.Close follow up with your plastic surgeon is recommended during this settling time.

Thanks for reaching out.  The shelf may still be do to swelling in your abdominal skin.  I would wait a full six months before any revision. The same goes for the pleating.  Are you using any scar cream to help with the scarring?  If not I would definitely recommend that.

Thank you for your question.

You are still quite early in the recovery process and many of the concerns you are seeing will improve as your post operative edema resolves and some skin tightening occurs.  Hang in there and maintain contact with your plastic surgeon they will be most interested in seeing you have the expected results.  Given your preoperative photo it is not surprising that the old belly button piercing was not able to be removed based on low position of scar (that is desirable) and the moderate skin excess you had before surgery.

All of these concerns can be addressed with minor touch up work if they do not resolve with more time.  I advise all my patients that we will wait 9-12 months before touch up work like dog ear excision, spot liposuction, or scar revisions.

Best Dr. L