tummy tuck recovery week by week pictures

#Tummy tuck recovery week by week pictures skin
#Tummy tuck recovery week by week pictures full

However, there are some useful things you can do to make scars less visible. Although the scars don't go away entirely, they typically fade overtime. The swelling is completely gone, and scars have faded considerably. The scar is breaking down blood vessels it needed to help heal the wound, and this is when scars tend to fade. Instead, your scar may appear rosy pink or soft brown. This means there won’t be prominent red color, and you can see the scar fade. At this point, the scars gradually lose their pigmentation. It’s perfectly natural to notice scars are still visible even six months of the postoperative period. If it is small, it will usually contract and soften becoming less noticeable by the time the scar is “mature”around 8-12 months after surgery. You may still have a slight prominence (or a large dog ear), at the end of the incision during this time. Usually, the incision will flatten and small pleats may go away. Visually the scar will still be fairly dark and may be reddish in color (due to blood supply in the wound). This is where external support like tape can be helpful and why we recommend patients use it AT LEAST until 2 months after surgery. Concurrently, during this period of turnover your internal stitches will be weakening and unable to provide as much support to the incision. This collagen is stronger but takes time to produce. The initial disorganized collagen (think about it as the old pick-up sticks game) will be broken down and replaced with more organized ‘braids’ of collagen. Wound healing is dynamic and actively changes over time. Although quick to produce, this collagen is not as strong as final mature scar. On a microscopic level, your cells are trying to hold the wound together, and will produce a more disorganized collagen network to help bridge the wound.

Nowadays, most incisions will be reinforced with either tape or glue, and you may not be able to see your incision. Swelling, inflammation, and a bit of oozing are the norm at this stage. There may be ridges or pleats in the skin. Below you can see the general description of the healing process of tummy tuck scars indifferent stages. Your general health and wellbeing clearly play a role in how fast and how well your scars heal and fade. These include age, nutrition, genetics, compliance(or noncompliance) with postoperative care instructions, smoking, infection, tension, size, activities, and overall body composition. Many factors that influence scar healing are specific to each patient.

#Tummy tuck recovery week by week pictures skin

These occur when patients do not have a lot of excess skin, but more loose skin than liposuction alone can handle. Short vertical scar: Located between the belly button and the lower side to side scar.Vertical Scars:Įven though most tummy tuck scars are only horizontal, a vertical scar may also be needed.

Although the scar maybe visible at first, for most patients it will blend into the abdomen and becomes less noticeable over time. Your native belly button stays in place, and the skin of the abdomen ‘moves around it’.

#Tummy tuck recovery week by week pictures full

Most full abdominoplasty procedures will place a scar around the bellybutton. The shape of the scar depends on the type of tummy tuck surgery (straight line, bicycle handle or French bikini). The goal is for the scar to be at the junction of the abdomen and the lower hair-bearing pubic area (mons pubis). Most abdominoplasty procedures leave a scar running horizontally across the lower abdomen, usually lower than “normal” modern waistbands. The final length, position and quality of these scars will depend on several factors. When skin is cut away, an incision is made, and a scar will result. Regardless of the type of abdominoplasty (mini vs full tummy tuck), scars will need to be created. Probably one of the most common questions about abdominoplasty is how the scars will look? In this post, we’re going to discuss tummy tuck scars and what to expect after this procedure.ĭISCLAIMER: This information is meant as general health information and is not meant as specific medical advice or as a replacement for direct communication with your plastic surgeon. There were 140,711 tummy tucks performed in 2019 and has been increasing over the years. A post shared by William Albright, MD this is why it is one of the most popular cosmetic surgical procedures in the US.