Is surgery needed to correct unevenness & dog ears or can this be corrected through diet & exercise? (Photos)

Question

I had a tummy tuck in March 2023. Overall I’m satisfied with the exception of the unevenness and the dog ears. Is surgery needed to correct or can this be corrected through diet and exercise? Thanks in advance!

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello Affectionate15890,

Thank you for your question regarding the need for surgery to correct unevenness and dog ears after your tummy tuck.

Thank you for your history and pictures. In regards to your surgical revisions after your tummy tuck, revisions are only necessary if the affected areas bother you. If the affected areas do not bother you, I would leave them alone.

However, if the unevenness and the dog ears are bothersome, you may want to consider revisions. I believe your abdominal unevenness could correct with further weight loss. If you find it difficult to lose weight, you may consider surgical revision of the unevenness. To correct the unevenness of your abdomen after your tummy tuck, I would suggest abdominal liposuction.

In regards to your dog ears, it is unlikely that these will correct with diet and exercise alone. It is probable that your dog ears will require surgical revision. This revision can usually be done in the office with local anesthetic. After the anesthetic has taken effect, the dog ears can be removed. Once removed, the hole is then sutured closed. You should be able to go back to work the next day after dog ear removal.

If you are planning to undergo liposuction of the abdomen, you might as well have the dog ears done at the same time. Liposuction of the abdomen is typically done under general anesthesia or IV/twilight anesthesia.

Good luck. I hope I’ve answered your question regarding correcting unevenness after a tummy tuck and the removal of dog ears. Thank you for your question regarding surgical revisions post-tummy tuck.

Sincerely,

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FASMBS, FICS

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear Affectionate15890,
you can try diet and see if anything changes. In most cases surgery is required for dog ears. However, it can be done under local anesthesia. 
Daniel Barrett, MDCertified, American Board of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Abdominoplasty scars can be quite complex, ranging from the simple hypertrophic scar to a multiplane inflamed keloid. Pigmentation, discoloration, chronic inflammation, scar visibility can all occur in the short term. We begin each treatment with combination therapy using Yellow broadband BBL, Vbeam, fractional erbium, intralesional IIT, and scar modulation. Start with a combination of Plato's Scar Serum massaged twice daily after one week of epithelialization followed by Luminase/Exfolase. Scar consultation and revision may be recommended.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Best, 
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Ronald J. Edelson, MD · Answer

Dog ears after tummy tuck are common and very easy to fix with a minor procedure. Exercise will not take care of them

Connie Hiers, MD, FACS · Answer

The dog ears can be revised in the office under local anesthesia. Please discuss this with your surgeon. Losing some weight might correct the excess fullness or liposuction can be done.

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

Dog ears can typically be addressed in the office surgical suite under local anesthesia.  They do not correct with diet and exercise.  I encourage you to discuss your concerns with your surgeon.  I've included a video I hope you find helpful.

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

You posted photos are very limited with the closing blocking most of the scar areas. Either repost photos, nude, or try to do virtual consultation with it appears a total scar vision with Vinnie dog years fee from $5000. Again best to virtual consult with.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

To make a quality assessment regarding the outcome of a plastic surgery procedure we generally need to see a complete set of proper before and after pictures.
If you don’t have proper before, and after pictures, then ask your surgeon to forward the pictures they took.
You cannot remove excess skin or manipulate your fat, distribution by diet and exercise.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom, MD

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