Written by Mark Domanski, M.D.
Tummy tuck and surgical scars
A tummy tuck removes excess skin to create a firmer abdominal contour, but it does leave a permanent scar where the skin is surgically excised.
Do you consider tummy tuck but are worried about the scarring? Do you wonder whether you can get a tummy tuck without a long scar?
The answer is yes, but….
When I started my surgical training, we tried to make incisions as short as possible. This certainly makes sense for procedures such as cyst removals, appendectomies, and thyroid surgery. But plastic surgery is a little different…. In plastic surgery, we accept a scar for improved contour. But there is a tradeoff…
The longer the scar, the more skin that can be tightened with a tummy tuck. A longer scar may decrease the risk of a deformity called a dog ear.
Scar length and tummy tuck results
What can we do to make tummy tuck scars less visible?
- Plastic surgeons will try to place the scar low, below the bikini line.
- My office provides scar cream complementary to postoperative patients to invest in their best results.
- We also have CO2 laser resurfacing available for scar treatment if the patient desires.
Therefore, careful incision placement combined with effective scar management can make scars far less noticeable.
