Just Did a Tummy Tuck, I'm Not Flat Why is It?

In abdominoplasty is commonly associated with a sizable amount of swelling of the abdomen. As this subsides the abdomen will flatten. This is going to take a number of weeks.

Dear Breyes1005,
Every time I see a patient on their first visit after tummy tuck before they even ask the question, I point out that the two questions everyone asks are (A) Is my tummy going to get flatter? and (B) Is the incision line going to smooth out? In both cases, the answer is yes. However, it routinely takes six full months for all of the swelling to subside, and so you should not really fret over this until the full six months have passed by.

The second issue is normally the upper skin flap is longer than the lower skin flap when a tummy tuck is performed, and so we have to kind of scrunch the skin inwards and take advantage of the skin’s elasticity to even up the two sides. Typically, after two months the incision should be just as smooth as can be.

There is one other issue in that often times the thickness of the skin and the fat flap coming from above downwards is thicker than the fat immediately above the privates. As plastic surgeons, we purposefully try to undercut that advancing flap thickness to make it match. However, if there is still a mismatch, and that is different from person to person, liposuction may be required.

I hope this has helped you. Best of luck.