The tummy tuck is a plastic surgery procedure that can effectively contour your saggy abdomen. When the abdomen becomes loose and saggy, it affects the self-esteem and quality of life of the patient. A saggy abdomen looks aesthetically unwelcoming. The tummy tuck treats the condition by removing the excess skin and fat and tightening the abdominal wall muscles. The procedure involves incisions, which result in scars.
Scarring after the tummy tuck is a normal side effect of the surgery. In other words, scarring is unavoidable because the surgery involves incisions. The procedure is highly invasive and cannot be performed without scars. The scars develop as your body reacts to heal the incisions. Your body produces collagen to heal the skin wound. The collagen turns the incisions into scars.
The scars after tummy tuck surgery will gradually develop in the weeks, months, and even years after the surgery. Under normal conditions, the scars develop and then fade over time to become less noticeable. Many patients ask whether the scars will be visible after the surgery and how can they be made less visible. Keep in mind that the scars will fade but not disappear. They are there to stay with you for a lifetime.
However, the plastic surgeon may place the incisions strategically so the scars are perfectly camouflaged. Even though most patients get normal scars after the tummy tuck, there is a risk the scars may become abnormal. The risk of abnormal scarring is higher when the patient’s body has a genetic tendency to generate excess collagen when it gets a cut. The excess collagen can result in keloid or hypertonic scars, both of which are raised, swollen, and highly visible.
Also, carelessness during recovery and surgical errors can result in abnormal scarring. Furthermore, smoking is yet another factor that may trigger the development of abnormal scars. Abnormal scars look aesthetically unwelcoming and can offset the firmer and youthful abdomen achieved via the tummy tuck surgery.
To prevent abnormal scars, you should choose your surgeon carefully, discuss your complete medical history with the surgeon, be careful during the recovery, and avoid smoking. During the pre-operative consultation, don’t forget to discuss with the surgeon how likely you are to develop abnormal scars.