What would cause my sides to be so uneven after a tummy tuck with muscle repair? 8 weeks post op. (Photo)

Question

In the photo I am standing straight; it just looks like I'm not because my sides are so uneven. I was at my regular doc for a normal appt and she checked me for scoliosis and there's nothing. My hips are straight, my spine is straight. But my sides in relation to my hips are so different. The one on the right is how it should look (more defined hip.) If I bind the upper abdomen very tightly in order to pull the left upper side in, I can make the two sides match, but it doesn't stay.

Robert Heck, MD, FACS · Answer

Dear Cindy,Without seeing you in person (our your before photos)  it does seem you have some underlying asymmetry with your hip alignment. It does appear that your umbilicus is slightly off center and may be giving you an added visual issue. It does appear that liposuction to larger hip may help. Once you are healed please ask your surgeon to evaluate. Best of Luck.

Cara Downey, MD · Answer

It is really hard to critique post-operative results without a pre-operative photo. I do appreciate the discrepancy between the two sides. I would be interested to know if any liposuction was performed and if there was any pre-operative asymmetry. Otherwise, I do also note some asymmetry between the two sides of the incision and position of the incision, which can give an optical illusion of more pronounced asymmetry.

What would cause my sides to be so uneven after a tummy tuck with muscle repair? 8 weeks post op. (Photo)

Answers (2)