Still Have Bulge Above Tummy Tuck Scar After 1 Year. Why?

  This could be a seroma cavity due to healing issues, a possible hernia, abdominal wall laxity due to abdominal wall weakness, and asymmetric fat constitution, among others.   The plastic surgeon must examine you to determine this. 

There are 3 common reasons for having a bulge on one side of tummy tuck one year post op.  They are all fixable.  The first is a hernia.  These are repaired like any other hernia in the body.  The second is a fluid collection or seroma. This is a build up of the fluid your body produces while healing.  Most surgeons place drains during a tummy tuck to prevent this.  It can be treated by a variety of techniques including draining the fluid, injecting a medicine to make it scar down and go away and actually removing the pocket surgically.  The third is the presence of extra skin or fat.  This can usually be corrected with a small revisional procedure. I recommend you have your surgeon examine you to determine which one it is and then a plan can be made.  Good luck.

Your concerns require an exam.  Please see your surgeon about this and if you no longer have contact with him/her, please seek another for options on how to help you achieve your desired goals.  There are too many issues that could be at play here and only an exam will help clarify what you may need done.

Numerous possibilities include excess skin, fat, fluid collection, laxity in the abdominal wall. Impossible to distinguish without at least a photo, but even that is nowhere near as useful as an actual exam. 

Suggestion--an appointment with your surgeon.

Thank you for your question, best wishes. 

Thanks for the question, but without direct physical examination online consultants will not be able to provide you with an  accurate diagnosis or treatment recommendations. Your best resource will continue to be your plastic surgeon.

 Best wishes.

Thank you for your question,

A bulge over this area can be from fat, scar tissue, or possibly a fluid collection.  This is hard to know without a physical exam.  If this is very soft and feels like fat, then possibly a touch up liposuction can correct this.  If there is a fluid collection or scar tissue, then a small revision to this area can be done for correction.

Best Wishes!

Pablo Prichard, MD