Tummy Tuck Dog Ears 9 Weeks Post Op? (photo)

Dear Marie

 

I think you have a very nice shape from your tummy tuck at this early post-operative stage.

You do have some fullness that you demonstrate in the pictures at the outer aspects of your main scar, but with the extend of the operation you have had and the additional liposuction it is too early to determine whether this is temporary or not. 

You do not have dog ears (puckerings of the skin that create points or cones of skin at the end of scars).

Good luck - it may be a good idea to continue to wear your garment for a while more to put some pressure on these areas

Hello. It is still early and the appearance if your tummy tuck will improve for a full year post op. For nine weeks your results are looking fine. If after a full year you are still unhappy with the appearance of your results liposuction can be done to remove any fat deposits that you are still unhappy with.


Jaime Perez, MD
Tummy Tuck Specialist
Plastic Surgery Center of Tampa

Although you have fullness on the sides, these are not "dog ears". The fullnes will get better with time, but is due to the nature of the operation and swelling. It will take 6 months before you can judge it properly.

One of the reasons why tummy tucks sometimes have fullness over the outer part of the scar is because it lies directly over the prominence of the hip bone there, so it may not always be a matter of inadequate skin removal. The trade-off may be a longer scar if it is to be minimized, but in any case it is wise to wait at least several months before deciding if it needs a touch-up.

9 weeks is too early to tell for sure if the prominence on your sides is dog ears or swelling.  If it doesn't improve over the next few months though it can easily be touched up by your surgeon.