It’s no secret that a tummy tuck is not for the faint of heart. It’s an invasive surgery, and it leaves behind a scar that can be hard to look at. But if you’re committed to getting rid of your excess skin, there are ways to make sure your scar looks better than ever—even before you lose all the weight!
First things first: get a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in tummy tucks. This is especially important if you have any health concerns or other issues that might make this surgery riskier for you than it would be for someone else. After that, here are some tips to help take care of your scar so it heals quickly and looks as good as possible once it’s fully healed:
-Keep your incision area dry until it has closed completely (about 12 weeks). Don’t soak in tubs or pools or sweat excessively during this time. When showering or bathing, use lukewarm water only and pat yourself dry—don’t rub vigorously over the incision site. Don’t wear tight clothing around your torso area; even though you’ll be wearing compression garments for several weeks post-sur
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Bikini for tummy tuck scar
The short answer is that most of the time, you will be able to wear a bikini within 6 months or so of your tummy tuck, but there are a few things to consider:
- The main scar for a tummy tuck (and the only scar for a mini tummy tuck) is made in a similar place to a C-section scar. Since there is tension on the skin when the incision is closed, this scar occasionally migrates upward. That means that very low, skimpy swimwear may still show the incision even if you bring your swimwear in and the surgeon places the incision exactly where you want it.
- That said, if you are very clear with your surgeon about where you want your incision to be, most swimwear will easily hide this lower incision. Beware of the surgeon who doesn’t ask how low your underwear/swimsuits are and doesn’t show you where they plan to place the incision. I’ve seen a few frustrated patients from other surgeons whose incisions aren’t even covered by normal jeans.
- Full tummy tucks also have a scar around the belly button, which stays where it is when the skin is lifted up to the ribcage. Usually, once the skin is stretched down, the hole from around the belly button is removed completely, but there will always be a scar around the belly button since a new hole is made for it to come through. Look at photos to make sure your surgeon does a good job making the belly button look natural. Even when your lower scar is hidden, the belly button can be a dead giveaway of a tummy tuck in a bikini.
- If your surgeon can’t remove all the skin between your belly button and the incision, there will be a scar between your belly button and the lower scar. As you can imagine, it becomes harder to remove all the skin between the belly button and your lower scar the lower you want the scar to be placed.
- Also, some women have a lot of stretch marks and loose skin around the belly button, and no matter how tight the skin is pulled, there is looseness in the middle that can only be addressed with an up and down scar between the belly button and the lower incision to remove the extra skin in a side to side direction. Usually these scars still heal well, and I have had patients who need this and are still comfortable wearing bikinis, but some people will not be comfortable with any visible scar. Ask your surgeon if he or she thinks this might be a possibility so you are prepared ahead of time.
- Some scars heal poorly (wide, raised, red, uneven). Although this can be due to poor surgical technique, it can also be due to individual ability to heal scars. Scar creams, laser, scar revision, and steroid injections can help, but some people just do not heal well. In these cases, even when the lower incision can be covered by a bikini bottom, the belly button incision is still obvious.
weight gain after tummy tuck pics
A tummy tuck at our Louisville, KY, plastic surgery center can be a transformative procedure, but excessive weight gain can minimize the longevity of your results. Many men and women worry that major lifestyle changes could impact their plastic surgery investment. All humans have natural weight fluctuations, but it’s important to know the connection between tummy tucks and weight gain. In this blog post, we will discuss every tummy tuck patient’s biggest fear—weight gain after surgery—and what to do to prevent it.
Why do patients gain weight?
There are many reasons why patients gain weight after tummy tuck surgery. Understanding the reasons discussed here is the first step in preventing weight gain.
Lifestyle
Regardless of how many cosmetic procedures you get, the cornerstone of maintaining a slim figure is leading a healthy lifestyle. Of course, we all have cheat meals and lazy days every so often, but establishing healthy habits is essential to looking and feeling your best. There are no replacements for a balanced diet and regular exercise.
Hormones
Your hormones fluctuate monthly and throughout the course of your life from puberty to adulthood. When your hormones are unbalanced, your weight can be dramatically affected. If you are doing everything you can to live a healthy lifestyle, and you still are gaining weight, talk to your doctor and he or she will be able to give you tips to balance your hormones and get you back on track.
Stress
Stress often causes people to sleep less and eat more—both of which play major roles in weight gain. Additionally, stress can cause hormonal issues like the ones mentioned above, with the result being that you store extra fat. You can find many ways to combat stress—exercise, medication, journaling—so it is important to find one that works for you.
Post-Surgery Fluid Retention
Sometimes after surgery water is retained in the areas between your organs, which can lead to a bloated appearance. This fluid retention can be localized—like swollen hands and feet—or it can be more generalized to give the appearance of overall weight gain. Staying active and following proper post-op instructions will help remedy this type of fluid retention.
Where do patients gain weight after a tummy tuck?
During body contouring procedures like a tummy tuck, fat cells are eliminated from the body and cannot return. Because of this, patients may gain weight in other places like the buttocks, legs, arms, and breasts. Patients also sometimes gain weight around their organs, and neither a tummy tuck nor liposuction can remove these fat cells.
What are the consequences of gaining weight after a tummy tuck?
You will be able to maintain your tummy tuck results if you have minor weight fluctuations, so gaining 10 to 15 pounds should not present significant issues. However, gaining weight can be a slippery slope, and excessive weight gain will surely compromise your results. Weight gain over 15 pounds can cause skin and abdominal muscles to stretch and create a belly bulge.
If the weight gain continues, you may need a tummy tuck revision. A revision can be a more complicated surgery, so I advise all my patients to stick to a healthy lifestyle instead, so they can enjoy their results for years to come. Tummy tuck results can be long-lasting when performed in conjunction with good diet and exercise.
Extended tummy tuck
Excess fat in the lower abdomen is a common complaint for both men and women. A tummy tuck or abdominoplasty is designed to remove the skin a fat from the belly button to the pubic area by placing an incision below the bikini line. The abdominal muscles are tightened to narrow your waist and often liposuction is done on the flank and hip areas to trim your body further. There are many reasons why tummy tuck procedures, also known as an abdominoplasty, have increased 87% from 2000 to 2014. Advances in surgical methods and safety measures have made it possible for more men and women to achieve a tighter, more shapely midsection in cases where:
- Extreme amounts of weight loss have led to excess skin
- Pregnancy has resulted in stretched skin and weakened abdominal wall
- Healthy diet and exercise regimens have not achieved your desired shape
Women have the additional concern of childbirth which significantly stretches the abdominal muscles. When there is good skin tone, no stretch marks, and a limited amount of fat, liposuction alone is usually the best option. However, when stretch marks are present in addition to abdominal muscle laxity, a tummy tuck remains the best option. In this procedure, the incision is kept low below the “bikini line” and a large ellipse of fat and skin is removed. The belly button is resutured in its original place and the abdominal muscles tightened to give an hourglass shape. This procedure can be combined with liposuction to further sculpt the body. Newer techniques use progressive tension sutures or Tissue Glu to eliminate the need for a drain making recovery much easier and quicker.
Bikini Incision
Dr. Burns is know for his low scar bikini incision designed to hide the scar below the underwear or swimsuit line. The bikini incision hides the incision allowing patients to wear swimsuits and underwear without showing their tummy tuck scar.
In an extended abdominoplasty, the incision will generally extend beyond the hip bones to include some of the lower love handle area. The extended incision will allow more tissue to be removed. This approach is ideal for heavier patients who require more contouring or massive weight loss patients with significant extra skin.
Dr. Burns is one of the nation’s leading body contouring Board Certified Plastic Surgeons and practices a short scar bikini line incision technique where you scar will be hidden in most undergarments or swimwear.
Patient Focus 1
Procedures: Extended Tummy Tuck/Abdominoplasty with Liposuction of the Flanks
*All patients are unique and results may vary
Patient Focus 2
Procedures: Extended Tummy Tuck/Abdominoplasty with Liposuction of the Flanks
*All patients are unique and results may vary
Patient Focus 3
Procedures: Extended Tummy Tuck/Abdominoplasty with Liposuction of the Flanks
*All patients are unique and results may vary
Expectations
Length: 2- 3 hours
Anesthesia: General
In/Outpatient: Outpatient
Side Effects: Temporary swelling, bruising, and some pain
Risks: Pain, bleeding, infection, fluid collections, healing problems, blood clots
Recovery: Back to work: 1 – 2 weeks. More strenuous activity: 4 – 6 weeks
Final Appearance: 1-2 months for swelling to resolve
Duration of Results: Permanent if stable weight maintained
Body Contouring Plastic Surgery and Your BMI
Peer reviewed plastic surgery research indicates that the complication rates from breast and body contouring plastic surgery are much lower if your Body Mass Index is in the normal range. For obese or morbidly patients, complication rates such as deep venous thrombosis, wound healing problems, and infection are much higher. We encourage all of our patient to know their BMI and if at all possible achieve a normal BMI or at least < 30 before embarking on elective cosmetic surgery.