How Many Months Post Op Until I Can Get my Dog Ear Revised? (photo)

It is reasonable to wait at least six months to repair a "dog ear" from a tummy tuck. In your case it appears as though it may just need liposuction to improve the contour. Your surgeon may not want to do it until it's been closer to one full year-which is also very reasonable. You should trust your surgeon and follow up with him or her at your scheduled intervals.

Best wishes,

Dr.Bruno

Six months to a year is the usual….I think anytime in that window works for most patients and surgeons. I usually do this type of revision in the office and under local anesthesia and at no charge but remember to pick a time when you are not going snowboarding or jet skiing 5 days later!!!!

 

I think that any time after 6 months is probably ok to fix a dog ear. it depends on your own healing though and how much swelling might still be present. Check with your surgeon.

Hello, Thank you for your question. Correcting dog ears can be done after the majority of swelling has gone down (Usually after 3 months).  It can be done under local anesthesia, usually there are no drains after the procedure and most Plastic surgeons will place internal sutures rather than external.  It can be combined with mild liposuction in the area to debulk the surrounding tissue also.Hope this helps, Dr. Dillon

Hello,

There is no specific time that one has to wait. The longer you wait the greater the chance that it will improve on its own. If it bothers you and you don't want to wait, then it should probably get done.

All the best,

Dr Repta

6 months should be adequate to determine if a dog ear revision needs to be performed. There is no reason in my opinion to wait longer if a patient is unhappy. The photograph provided, on the other hand, is more suggestive of residual adipose tissue that might be better improved with touch up liposuction. I hope you do well.

in my practice I revise very early, why let you be unhappy, like at 3 months. It is a very personal surgeon's decision. But a year is much too long. 

I typically wait a minimum of 6 months and more often, closer to a year before addressing a dog ear. Multiple factors go into that decision so each one must be individualized. Some smaller dog ears seen early on, may just resolve on their own given enough time for swelling to subside though this is the minority of the time.

Your doctor's approach is quite reasonable though you could try to coax him to possibly do this slightly earlier so you can have some flexibility for the spring weather.

Dogears are not uncommon aesthetic scar issues that can develop at the tail of a tummy tuck incision. It can be revised whenever one is certain that the dogear is not going to resolve on its own and is stable in appearance. It can be revised anytime after 6 months from the original procedure when all healing is complete and one has had a full recovery months ago.

Dear Madison,

I will sometimes revise a dog ear earlier than a year if they look like they are obviously not going to settle, but I don't think that waiting a year is unreasonable.

Jonathan Staiano