What to Do for Little Dog Ears That Appear at the End of Incisions Both Sides from Recent Tummy Tuck?

Those little dog ears typically do not occur in a tummy tuck unless the scar length is too short for the amount of skin that was removed.  If they are small enough, waiting several months for scar maturation may alleviate the problem.  Redness around an early incision is normal due to the inflammation that occurs at the wound edges.  This is a necessary side effect of healing.  On the other hand, redness can also be a sign of infection although it typically is not unless the redness has spread further from the incision.  Always check with you doctor if you are not sure.  Finally, scar appearance can be helped by the use of local massage and sometimes silicone sheeting.  Many of the so called “scar creams” have little science to back up their claims so I really don’t recommend them.  When a scar is really out of hand, treatments such as steroid injection, lasers, or even excision and re-closure can be used.

This happens on occasion with abdominoplasty. There are options. A completely non invasive option would be CoolSculpting. This can freeze the fat and deliver an improved contour. More traditional options are some liposuction, or resection of skin/soft tissue. This is a much smaller procedure than the original surgery and is usually well tolerated. The cost will depend on the extent of the surgery, the method used, the cost of the surgery center, and if the original surgeon is doing it. Please speak with your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. Together, you will figure out a plan.

With very careful planning and execution, “dog ear" occurrence can be minimized. Occasionally (despite best efforts), after tummy tuck surgery surgery, patients will have excess skin or adipose tissue at the very end of their incision lines. These may be referred to as “dog ears”. "Dog ears"  refer to a bunching up of tissue at the end of a incision line/scar. Generally they occur  because a surgeon,  in his/her attempt to keep the scar as short as possible,  has a discrepancy between the lengths  of the upper and lower tummy tuck incision lines. They can be avoided by extending the incisions and removing additional skin and subcutaneous tissue. Most patients will much prefer a longer incision line than  the bunching up of tissue and contour elevation, which is visible and palpable with and without clothing.  Often, excision of the dog ear, if it's still a concern roughly one year postoperatively can be corrected easily under local anesthesia. The procedure is relatively minor, and associate with minimal discomfort/recovery time. Your plastic surgeon will be your best resource when it comes to returning to specific activity/exercise. Best wishes.