M stretch marks did not go away after my Tummy Tuck.

A tummy tuck can remove the stretch marks from your belly button to your pubic area, in general. If you have stretch marks above your belly button, a tummy tuck will not remove these. These higher stretch marks will end up being located in a lower position.

Best wishes,

Dr.Bruno

The stretch marks occupying the excised skin will be removed. Stretch marks on the remaining skin will stay. It is very important to communicate your expectations to the surgeon at your first visit and listen carefully to what he or she tells you regarding the expected outcome. Surgeons are not magicians. Only certain things are possible. A frank discussion before agreeing to undergo surgery can prevent disappointment.

Sounds like a mis communication during your preoperative informed consent. I "never" promise complete removal of all stretch marks. So what I do not understand did you have a TT with skin removal? If yes than you must have had some improvement in your marks? Please advise. 

any stretch marks in the upper abdomen will not only be there postop, but they will be further stretched and look worse. unfortunately, there is no fix. that is not to say a TT should not be done, only that it shouldn't be done for stretch marks in the upper abdomen. and if it is done, then the tradeoff should be worth it.

It must be a big disappointment for you to still have these stretch marks.  The only stretch marks that can be removed with a tummy tuck are those that fall in the area of the skin/fat pad that is excised.  This is something that I explain very carefully to my patients before surgery.  Usually the lower abdomen has more stretch marks that the upper abdomen but sometimes the entire abdomen is involved. 

Even though you still have stretch marks, hopefully your abdomen is better contoured and stronger after surgery.  As for any red scars, they will fade with time.

Lisa Lynn Sowder, M.D.

I agree that it sounds like there was some miscommunication involved between your consultation and the realistic outcome from surgery. Did you have a Mini Tummy Tuck (where the belly button remains untouched and there is a smaller incision above the pubic region, or a Full Tummy Tuck where the incision runs from hip to hip and new skin surrounding the existing belly button?) If you had a Full Tummy Tuck all the skin with stretch marks from above the pubic are to the top of the belly button would be removed, however any stretch marks outside of that region would remain. Stitches are often used to sew the abdominal muscles back to together which are often separated with pregnancy or excessive weight gain, in doing so gives the abdomen the smooth, flat appearance. You are currently still under the care of your Surgeon I would strongly advise you to take up any concerns with him/her. Best of Luck!

A full tummy tuck will only remove the skin below the belly button.  If you had a full tummy tuck, the stretch marks in the lower abdominal skin would have been removed.  There is no known way of removing stretch marks in any skin that remains.  With time, however, they will be tighter than they were before surgery and, hopefully, less noticeable.  If they are red, the color will improve as your swelling decreases over time.

A full tummy tuck will usually remove most of the stretch marks located in your lower abdomen (below the umbilicus).  The stretch marks of the upper abdomen, however, will not be removed in a tummy tuck.