A tummy tuck can provide the perfect solution when excess skin and lax muscles in the abdomen from pregnancy or significant weight loss leave you feeling unhappy with your appearance. However, sometimes a tummy tuck doesn’t provide the desired results and, in some cases, can leave you feeling more self-conscious and unhappy with your appearance. But what can you do if your tummy tuck doesn’t deliver the results you want? How do you know when a tummy tuck revision may be right for you? Here we explore five signs that you may be an ideal tummy tuck revision candidate.
1. Absence of Desired Body Contours
The goal of most tummy tuck procedures is to create a symmetrical silhouette of the abdominal area. This usually includes the desire for an hourglass shape with a smooth and slim waistline. If your tummy tuck procedure left you without this desired hourglass and instead more of a rectangle appearance, a tummy tuck revision can help you achieve your initial goals.
2. Loose or Lumpy Abdominal Skin
While loose skin removal is the goal of a tummy tuck procedure, sometimes a surgeon doesn’t remove enough skin during the procedure, leaving a patient with a saggy, lumpy appearance. This extra skin can also develop after additional weight loss post-tummy tuck. In these cases, a tummy tuck revision can help remove that excess skin and address a lumpy or sagging appearance.
3. Unsatisfied with Scars
The goal of a tummy tuck scar is to appear as minimal as possible. You want your scar to sit below your bikini or panty line, but if it is placed too high on the abdomen, the incision may leave a very noticeable scar. In addition, your scar should heal evenly and smoothly, however, this is not always the case. A common scaring issue from a tummy tuck is the development of “dog ears” after your procedure. “Dog ears” are a bunching of excess skin at each end of your incision line, giving an uneven scar appearance. A tummy tuck revision can lower the positioning of your scar while also eliminating dog ears.
4. Failure to Repair Abdominal Muscles
For those experiencing diastasis recti, or a separation of the abdominal muscles often caused during pregnancy, a tummy tuck works to tighten and restore these muscles to their natural placement. In some cases, the muscles are not tightened enough or the sutures are not strong enough to hold the muscles in place, preventing you from seeing the desired results. In this case, a tummy tuck revision allows the surgeon to go in and focus specifically on the muscles, delivering muscle repair and your desired body contouring goals.
5. Belly Button Distortion
In some cases, the need for a tummy tuck revision has nothing to do with your body contouring results. In fact, you are happy with your slimmer, more curvy waistline. However, your belly button leaves a lot to be desired. Whether your belly button sits too high or too low or has an obvious unnatural appearance, a tummy tuck revision, also known as umbilicoplasty, focuses specifically on the belly button and works to restore a more natural placement and appearance.
If you are unhappy with your tummy tuck results, Dr. Campanile and his caring team will work with you to address your concerns and create an individualized treatment plan that will deliver your desired body contouring goals. To learn more, call 303-345-7476 to schedule your consultation and take the first step toward your body contouring goals.
Author: Dr. Francesco Campanile
Board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Dr. Francesco Campanile is a cosmetic surgeon in Denver who is focused on body contouring and breast enhancement. Time and time again, the women and men who choose Dr. Campanile say that they’ve found “the whole package” – a doctor who cares deeply about the quality of their results and has the skill to achieve excellence.
