Bulge After Tummy Tuck?
A lot of the extra skin that women are struggling with is usually around their tummy area. This extra skin can disrupt the balance of an individual’s body contour because excess skin serves as an unnecessary reminder that one has changed since last time. Many tummy tuck surgeries are performed to help women get their youthful body back by eliminating this extra skin caused by different factors such as childbirth, digestive or gastrointestinal illnesses, or simply aging.
As a Plastic Surgeon and Tummy Tuck specialist, I’m often asked what’s the best way to decrease/eliminate difficult areas of “soft” bulges after Tummy Tucks. This question can be subjective depending on your goals, but I’ve found an answer that is almost always useful for my patients and is based on clinical experience over years.
Bulge After Tummy Tuck
One of the most common questions our patients ask is how long it will take to see results after a tummy tuck. As you can see in this picture, swelling is inevitable after any procedure involving the abdomen.
I would expect a significant amount of swelling and bruising for at least two weeks. This will subside over time. You may also notice some numbness in your lower abdomen for up to 6 weeks after surgery. This too should resolve with time
There is swelling after any surgery and you should expect some swelling. The degree of swelling varies from patient to patient. Some patients may have minimal swelling while others may have more prominent swelling. The swelling will resolve with time and the use of a compression garment.
I would recommend that you contact your plastic surgeon for an evaluation as this can be an indication for infection or hematoma (blood clot). They will be able to determine if you have an infection or blood clot and treat accordingly if necessary.
Swelling and bruising are normal after any procedure, including a tummy tuck. In fact, we expect patients to have some swelling after an operation. Your surgeon will likely prescribe oral pain medications to help with the discomfort and swelling. Most patients find that they can resume normal activities within one week of surgery.
However, if you have swelling and/or bruising that lasts longer than 10 days, or if it is interfering with your ability to perform daily activities, contact your plastic surgeon immediately. This could indicate something more serious like bleeding or infection.
Tummy Tuck Bulge Above Scar
The surgical technique of a tummy tuck can cause swelling. This is a normal and expected part of the healing process that can last up to six months. The swelling will gradually decrease over time, but it may take several months before you see your final result.
As far as the indentation that you describe in the lower abdominal area, this may be due to loss of elasticity in the skin and muscle layers. This is common after childbirth, but it can also occur after losing weight or aging (sagging).
There are two options to address this issue: fat grafting or silicone implants. You should discuss these options with your plastic surgeon so they can help guide you to what would be best for your body type, lifestyle and expectations.
The swelling picture is worse than the actual bulge. I had a tummy tuck and lipo on my love handles and I was swollen for about 2 months. I also had a c-section so my stomach looks different from what it did before the surgery.
After the swelling went down, there was still some minor bulges but they were not noticeable at all. My scar is straight across with no puckering (which is what you want).
The pictures you posted are not very flattering. You have to remember that there will be swelling and your body will look different than it does now. You should wait until the swelling goes down before making any judgments about the results of your surgery.
Tummy Tuck Failure Pictures
Tummy tuck failure pictures
Tummy tuck failure is a condition that can occur after having a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty). The skin on the abdomen and waist area of women who have had a tummy tuck may break down and form wrinkles. This can cause the belly button to become visible again.
Tummy tuck failure occurs when the patient’s body rejects the skin grafts used to repair the wounds caused by surgery. The body’s rejection of these grafts can cause scar tissue to grow over the wound site, which makes it hard for new skin to grow back in its place. As a result, there is no way for new skin growth to occur until the scar tissue is removed.
The main symptoms of tummy tuck failure include:
Distinctive wrinkles around your navel area and lower abdomen after having had a tummy tuck procedure;
Swelling;
Skin discoloration; and
Pain in your lower abdomen area or around your belly button.
The most common swelling after tummy tuck is due to the surgical incision. It is important to keep in mind that swelling and bruising are normal after surgery, but it is not normal for swelling to last more than 3 weeks. If you have been experiencing swelling for longer than 3 weeks, please consult your physician as soon as possible.
The following pictures show a case of a failed tummy tuck:
Swelling after tummy tuck: This picture shows significant swelling in the lower abdomen and back area postoperatively. The patient also had bruising of her lower abdomen, which is common after a tummy tuck. The surgical incision on her lower abdomen looks very red and irritated in this picture because there was too much skin removed during surgery. The patient required revision surgery because of this poor result.
The most common complications of a tummy tuck are infection and bleeding. Infection can occur at the site of surgery or in other areas, depending on how much time has passed since your procedure. Swelling is also common after a tummy tuck, but it should go away within a few weeks.
Swelling typically occurs 1-3 days after the procedure, but if you are still experiencing swelling several weeks after surgery, it is important to discuss this with your surgeon immediately.