Is this swelling at 5 months post-op tummy tuck & would revision help? (Photo)

Question

Had a tummy tuck 5 months ago. Lower abdomen seems to still be protruding? My dr says I’m still about 15% swollen and that area is last to drain. His nurse said it may be scar tissue behind the incision. I had spitting stitches early on in the middle and caused that area to heal wider. I’m considering scar revision closer to the one year mark but wondering if a revision would help this area get flatter?

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear jsmaher,
I understand your concern. However, without a proper assessment, it would be difficult to determine what is 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, MDCertified, American Board of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Connie Hiers, MD, FACS · Answer

An examination is needed to see if you have any residual fat which could be removed with liposuction, or if it is still swelling. EMSculpt Neo at this time could be helpful to help tone and tighten your muscle more and help decrease residual fat.

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

Though healing is unique to the individual, swelling has largely resolved by five months post op.  Do you notice changes to the area throughout the day?  For example is it flatter in the morning or fuller after you have been on your feet for prolonged times?  If so it may be that healing is still progressing.

Douglas Taranow, DO, FACOS · Answer

While the lower abdomen is the last area for swelling to totally resolve, at five months post-op, your belly should be almost completely flat.  
Does your abdomen look better in the morning before you get up and around? 
Do you get a depression along your abdomen after wearing pants or a belt?   If so, that leads me to think it is swelling still resolving. 
If not, then you are just about done healing and a revision might be considered.  The other possibility is that it is fat from above your umbilicus that was pulled down with the flap and this is normal and would require liposuction (for additional fees).
Best wishes,
Dr. Taranow

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

At five months, your results should be fairly finalized with the exception of what your skin incision looks like. I don’t think there’s a lot of swelling this far out from surgery. Do you want to come actually looks good with a very natural contour of your torso. To make an assessment on the outcome of a plastic surgery procedure we always need to see proper before and after pictures. If you don’t mind before, and after pictures and ask your surgeon to forward the ones they took.
Without knowing what you look like before surgery, it’s hard to assess your candidacy for the procedure and hands what could be expected as an outcome.
The shape of the abdomen is generally always made up of four different addition components.
If somebody doesn’t like the way, the abdomen looks, it is usually because of one or more of these poor tissue variables. Those four variables are abdominal skin laxity, Texas, seven cutaneous, fat, bulging of the muscle, while typically due to muscle separation from previous pregnancies or excess visceral fat.
And natural looking abdomen, should have a slight protrusion of that lower abdomen. This is seen even in lean athletic individuals.
Visceral fat may be contributing to some degree and if it is weight loss should give direct improvements. Consider taking pictures and try repeating pictures if you go up or down and wait and see if this has an impact on the contour of your abdomen especially bulging.
See if the contour improved significantly when laying on your back. If it does, then, visceral fat is probably not contributing.
It’s a little hard to make an accurate assessment based on one single picture.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom, MD

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