Drainless tummy tuck in July 2022. Is my tummy tuck scar too high? Is there any way to fix this? (photos)

Abdominoplasty scars can be quite complex, ranging from the simple hypertrophic scar to a multiplane inflamed keloid. Pigmentation, discoloration, chronic inflammation, scar visibility can all occur in the short term. We begin each treatment with combination therapy using Yellow broadband BBL, Vbeam, fractional erbium, intralesional IIT, and scar modulation. Start with a combination of Plato's Scar Serum massaged twice daily after one week of epithelialization followed by Luminase/Exfolase. Scar consultation and revision may be recommended.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon6

Your scar can never be lowered and is way too high. The reason is clear as day: your surgeon, doing what he has dutifully been trained to do, placed your scar that high so that the hole in the abdominal skin where it was attached to your belly button would be excised with skin excess. Given the rule that the hole needs to come out, the alternatives to what you got would have been a mini tuck, a floating belly button tuck, or no surgery, all of which are insufficient or weird looking. Instead, surgeons should not fear leaving the hole behind and closing it vertically leaving an inconspicuous vertical scar in the lower abdomen, and making the long incision very very low, giving you an added benefit of a small pubic triangle. Although your only recourse is careful scar revision using post-operative mechanical tape support, you can provide your surgeon a learning opportunity so that he may break free of this backward thinking and avoid doing this to other people. To be very clear, your surgeon did not do anything considered below the standard of care, in fact, he did what too many other surgeons would have done.

Dear Fierce580021,
I understand your concern. However, without a proper assessment, it would be difficult to determine what went wrong. It is best that you visit your plastic surgeon for further assessment or ask for a second opinion. Only after a thorough examination, you can get proper recommendations and advice.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Dear New Jerseyan,
Thanks for posting your pictures. From observing your pictures, I agree with you that the scar is too high. The possibility of lowering the scar depends on the laxity of the skin above the belly button. It seems from the picture that there is some laxity of the skin near the rib cage. This might allow the scar to be lowered one or one and a half inches. Obviously, you will have to be examined to ascertain it. You have to realize though, that you will have a small vertical scar at the mid lower abdomen from moving the hole of the belly button downward.
Always, consult with experienced board certified plastic surgeons who operate in accredited surgery center for your safety. Most importantly, check the before and after pictures in the photo gallery, to make sure that they are numerous, consistent and attractive with flat stomach, nice belly button, narrow waists , improved body posture and low scar.
All the best,
Dr Widder,
widderplasticsurgery.com

Tummy tuck scars often tend to tide high and pull the pubic area up while stretching it out. Your scar can probably be lowered about an inch depending on how loose the skin is. You may have to wait about a year to let the skin stretch

Your abdominoplasty scar is not too high, but might have been a tad lower. It all depends on the elasticity of the flap and whether it could have been advanced lower. No one can say what your surgeon encountered during your case. Sometimes, a retained umbilical scar is left above the abdominoplasty scar in order to lower the longer scar.
Dr. Taranow

Thanks for the question/posting % photos. I have been seeing this "drain less " TT incisions being placed much higher than in my drained TT incisions. Unfortunately there is no way surgically to correct. Might recommend a decorative tattoo.