Ridge Above Tummy Tuck Incision- Will It Heal?

Question

What bothers me is the ridge or puffy little roll that fallows the incision along the top. The very outer ends are smooth and really barely visible. when my PS saw it he told me everything looks exactly like it's supposed to and this would go away. What bothers me is I can't find a single picture in this site that have the same ridge I do. That makes me uncomfortable.

William Bruno, MD · Answer

This should soften and flatten as time goes on, however it may take several months for it to completely flatten out.  This is not that uncommon after a tummy tuck and I would expect it to improve with time. Ask your plastic surgeon about using silicone gel or silicone tape which may expedite the healing process.

	Best wishes,

	Dr.Bruno

Ronald J. Edelson, MD · Answer

The swelling above your tummy tuck scar is not unexpected and should gradually go away after two or three months. You didn't indicate how long it has been since your surgery,  if it has been longer than this, it may persist but can easily be reduced with a little liposuction to the area after about six months from the time of surgery.  If your surgery was recent, you might ask your surgeon whether a compression garment, like a girdle,  would help reduce the swelling in the area.

Tom J. Pousti, MD · Answer

Thank you for the question.

	I would agree with your surgeon that you appear to be healing normally. The &ldquo;ridge" that you are saying should smoothen out with time.  I would suggest continued follow-up and confidence in the plastic surgeon that you chose to do your procedure with.

	Best wishes.

Steven Turkeltaub, MD · Answer

You are still very early in the healing process where swelling and contour irregularities are normal occurrences. Over time, these will settle down and become flatter. Full maturation can take up to a year or more ... so be patient.

David N. Hing, MD (retired) · Answer

The central part of the horizontal closure line of the incision carries the most tension in the wound. It is common to use multiple layers of sutures to support this closure. Swelling in this area is common early on in the wound healing process. As this progresses, the wound will flatten, soften, and become more pliable. You will see improvement, as time passes over a 2 to 4 month period. Please be patient and stay in touch with your surgeon about your concerns.

Donald Nunn, MD (retired) · Answer

It is common to have gathering of the tissues at the incision site. These are swollen and most prominent in the early post op period and generally reslove over time. Discuss with your surgeon when you can massage these areas to decrease the irregularities. Donald R. Nunn MD Atlanta Plastic Surgeon.

Mary Lee Peters, MD (retired) · Answer

Dear momimakovr in LA,

	It is common for patients to have misgivings about their surgery results in the early post operative period. As your tissues are bruised and swollen and incisions are fresh it is hard to imagine this is your own body. I call this an "out of body" experience. It takes weeks to months to see the final result of your breast and abdominal surgery. You should suspend your judgment for now so as not to make yourself miserable during this phase. You placed trust in your surgeon when you chose him or her to take care of you. Don't give up on that trust now.

Richard Linderman, MD (retired) · Answer

As a plastic surgeon, I share your concerns as i am sure your operating surgeon does. i suspect that your surgery was performed very recently. I am confident that the appearance of your incision will improve drastically as the scar tissue softens and matures. A tummy tuck incision may take up to 18 months to fully mature and fade. i suggest you share your concerns with your surgeon. Flattening of the incision will occur with time. Having patience is not easy but if you have a good relationship with your surgeon you will get through this recovery phase. This immature scar will flatten with time as opposed to an indented incision which may get worse. Be patient and wait six months.

Ridge Above Tummy Tuck Incision- Will It Heal?

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