Blotchy purple skin and vein on stomach 5.5 years after Tummy Tuck - what could it be? (photo)

Hello Terri123 in Winnipeg. Thank you for your question regarding the blotchy purple skin and visible veins on your abdomen 5.5 years after your tummy tuck.

Thank you for sharing your history and photo. Based on the information you've provided, it's challenging to determine the exact cause of the blotchy purple skin and visible veins from the photo alone. The mottled appearance of your belly skin could be related to the 40-pound weight gain and subsequent weight loss after your tummy tuck, which can sometimes cause changes in skin tone and texture.

The purple blotchy area might be due to a vein that has become more prominent. If this is the case, treatment options include sclerotherapy (injecting the vein with a solution to make it collapse), laser treatment, or surgical removal of the vein. Another possibility is that the purple area could be related to a permanent suture from your tummy tuck, which may need to be addressed or removed.

Given these possibilities, I strongly recommend scheduling a formal consultation with an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon to evaluate your symptoms in person. This will allow for a more accurate diagnosis and discussion of potential treatment options.

Sincerely,

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FASMBS, FICS

Your one photo is not close enough or clear enough to say what is happening. I would suggest letting your medical doctor examine you.

Only on the basis of in person evaluation, a board certified plastic surgeon, could give you some thoughts on this problem. This is not very frequent to see long after TT and recent weight loss. Good ;luck.