r/tummytucksurgery

My surgeon was not à la carte. Basically here’s the procedures you need. It’s a yes or a no. I went in for tummy tuck with MR and hernia repair consult and left with a plan for TT, hernia repair, flankplasty, MR, mons lift, LBL, lipo 360.
I was upset at first because I did not want that much surgery. But he delivered. He said he had to go all the way around so I didn’t have pleating.
Day of surgery and 5 months post op
Scar is fading
Super pleased with the results!

Why do ppl hate my belly button? My surgeon posted my before and after and ppl said
I needed a revision. Photos are day 1 post op, 1 month, 3 month (when ppl hated it), today, and before image. Less blurry image in comments. Thoughts? I won’t get a revision regardless. But I’m curious. I feel like he did an insane amount of work and I had a severe hernia he had to repair. Is it that bad? Most comments just said that my belly button is huge. It was a slit day 1 and became round. Anyone know why? I feel like it’s less round now. Also kinda feel bad for the surgeon because ppl expect perfection on all patients despite variations. I had really complex diastasis and hernias. I think he did good work.

Reposted with NSFW

9 weeks post op today. Also attached pre-op. Headed to Florida for a quick weekend this weekend. Packing hasn't been this fun in a while. Still not quite to where I want to be physique wise. Was just cleared to start working in light isolated core and build up slowly over the next month. Cannot wait to cut some abs in.

Pre op weight was 145, today's weight was 144, goal is 140
Pre op BF 21%, today was 18.9%, goal is 16-17%

I have been extremely conscious and purposeful with my diet. Most days I'm hitting 160-180g of protein in 1800-2000 cals. I was very active from go post op. My steps were back up to 10k/day by POD5, My daily goal now is back up to 15k. I went back to lifting and running at 4WPO.

TT w/ MR. Extended BL w/ BA, 325 mentor boost mod+. Started as a deflated 32/34B, now 34D.

I went back to my infrared sauna once all scabs were off (\~4 weeks). I've been back on my vibration plate since \~3 weeks. I've done self massage a couple times a week - no formal LDM (I truly feel post op care has been very commercialized and you tube has some great vids). I've had minimal swelling.

I’ve had three kids, one in my 20s, one in my 30s and one in my 40s youngest is 18 months now. I’m 5’3 130lbs.
I bounced back after the first two but my abdominal separation has remained despite exercise and targeted core workouts. I can get about 3-4 fingers at belly button level. The separation is above and below my navel I’m 42 and own my own business so taking time off is hard. I don’t have much skin to pull so not even sure a TT is an option I have a consult scheduled next week.
Has anyone with similar body type been through this? Will I be flat after? Is the hip to hip scar worth it?

⚠️WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES⚠️

Previous Update: https://www.reddit.com/r/tummytucksurgery/s/W86Af08CBC

Hello Reddit family, thank you all so much for all the prayers and well wishes, this has been the hardest thing I’ve ever have had to go through in my entire life. Literally the worst experience ever. I appreciate your support and kind words during this time.

Tomorrow makes two weeks post op from my skin graft and the start of my wound vac journey on my butt! Compared to my previous post the wound on my abdomen is significantly thinner/smaller! I do believe that is mostly due to the decrease in swelling. Either way I am really happy about that. I had a one week post op appointment this past Monday and my doctor said my skin graft is completely closed and is healing well. I have a lot of nerve damage and sensitivity in that area and the skin is very tight so I’m still a little hunched over.

In the 6th photo you can see my belly button starting to pop out! I truly thought it was gone! I think as the swelling comes down even more of it will show and the shape will
improve.

My wound vac is doing the darn thing! In two weeks my butt wound has significantly improved! I think by the end of the month it will be closed !! Honestly the most annoying part about the wound vac is having to bring it everywhere with you me, the bathroom, shower, store…you can see the wire sticking out my pants :( it’s exhausting and I can’t wait to get it taken off.

The skin graft donor site is still open and difficult to deal with, it’s super irritated and painful…I’m hoping it will be healed within the next week. Some of my pigmentation has returned so hopefully the scar is not too harsh. A lot of the scabs have fallen off too.

Those weeks in the hospital really gave me a different perspective on life, I could have died!

I will try to answer questions better this time and update again when my skin graft donor site is healed! Thank you again for the love <3 also any advice about scarring is appreciated, I have already started with bio oil, I’m gonna wait a week or two more before I start using scar silicone gel.

Slowest five months ever. Still have discomfort most of the day and night. Every month gets better. Down from size 14 to 6. Shockingly I did this surgery for function. My diastasis was severe, giving me back pain, had hernias poking through that felt like they were tearing/burning. Tried physical therapy for six months and it did nothing to close my gap. Caved and had surgery. But the esthetics have been a huge bonus. So so so happy with my clothes fitting better. Not having the skin flap is incredible. And the core strength I have compared to before is amazing. I have a lot of phantom sensations and discomforts. Can’t find the place that’s itching. I feel like I have pain in my oblique but when I touch, it’s next to my belly button. Strange stuff like that. But day by day!

49 yr old Officially 1 week post op yesterday. Belt lipectomy (360 LBL), MR and lipo. Recovery was rough the first 3 days. By day 4, I was walking upright and was off pain meds. Still have some pain but it's SO much ɓetter than what I had anticipated! I do have a high pain tolerance and I know everyone is different.

So, far its still surreal! I can't look at myself or the photo and reconcile that it's me. It just doesn't compute. I think that being covered with compression garments 24/7 doesn't help with that. I'm dumbfounded that I'm still swollen and look this good lol 😆 Not being vain but I knew no matter what my surgery ended up like, I'd never hate it as much as I hated my body for 30 YEARS! To all of you waiting or on the fence. Don't waste your youth or anymore time. Do it!

EDIT* It's a big bruise next to my belly button that wasn't there after day 4, then just showed up. My guess is I overdid it 🤷‍♀️

I feel like every scar I’ve seen goes downward to mimic the shape of the butt. And it’s very low.
Mine is high and like inverted. It points up towards my back? And it can’t be hidden by panties like most I see. My surgeon did a good job with my scars overall but this one makes me scratch my head and question his method.
I did lose 170 lbs so I’m wondering if the way my skin was loose has anything to do with this incision?m
*im still very swollen so my back is looking.. big lol!

Wanted to share some photos from my surgery this week. I am so happy with the results so far. Even though there is a LONG journey ahead, it makes recovery better to get a glimpse of what’s ahead.

My surgeon, Dr. Armando Retana has been incredible and a true artist!

TT | Lipo 360 w/ Ab Etching | Mini BBL

So excited to finally share my story!
Got tt with lipo, muscle and hernia repair 2/27.
I was around 148 lbs before my surgery. (See last photos for the day before my surgery) The gym and my diet is a strict must. I was previously 190 lbs when i wasnt conscious about food intake or exercise. Lost about 40 lbs and then decided on the surgery.
After my surgery, I am now around 133 lbs. Feel better than i ever have in my life. 😭🥹

Hi Everyone,

I'm now 10 weeks post FDL tummy tuck with mons lift (Surgery in the UK) Swelling is up and down, I do have a very active job so by the end of the week I'm feeling it.

Things are definitely settling now and everything feels a lot more "squishy".

My little openings are completely closed now, I've attached a photo so you can see how the scars are there. The skin is still a little weak in that area so my surgeon has given me Duoderm to stick over where the openings were just to protect them.

I'm back back running 3 times a week. I've started using scar tape, I do usually have hypertrophic scarring which i found out when I had a breast reduction last year so I'm doing everything I can to minimise this, I'm at peace with my scars though and even if my FDL scars turn hypertrophic I'm still happy. I've lost over 10.5 stone and had a lot of loose skin surgery so there's no hiding it 🤣

Hope you are all recovering well, if you have any questions i will try my best to answer.

TLDR: Can you be swollen post-op in terms of inches on abdomen without being up in weight?

REPOSTED with NSFW tag, sorry about that mods!

Hey there, I had my tummy tuck with muscle repair (and breast aug) 13 days ago. Overall, recovery has been going really well, I'm so grateful to be on the other side!

Pre-op, I was about 130 lbs, 5'3", pretty fit with low abdominal fat. My main concerns were a severe abdominal separation from three pregnancies (including twins), loose skin, and deformed belly button with umbilical hernia. Doctor said he would do minimal or no lipo. In surgery, he found my diastasis recti was very significant, apparently 10 cm!

I'm in a faja/board/foam most of the day, but when I get to peek at myself I'm excited by the smooth skin, flatter contour, and new belly button (still needs to heal, but looking good).

Here's my little area of mental challenge right now: I feel like I look thicker across the middle than I did before, especially from the side profile. In fact, I'm not crazy, because I took my measurements and they ARE bigger. My waist at smallest point went from 28" pre-op to 30.75" now, underbust also from about 28" pre-op to 31" now, belly relaxed at widest pre-op is about the same as widest point now (something like 33"). So, I would assume I'm swollen/inflamed, and this will go down? However, I've already been at my normal weight for over a week, so it doesn't seem like I'm holding some big amount of water weight...

Has anyone experienced this? Being up in inches early but not up in weight, and then your abdomen calms down later and slims down somewhat? I guess my hope would be my waist goes back to it's normal diameter and the belly looses at least a couple inches from what it was before. Is that realistic?

I will be working out again when able and am trying to do what walking I can now. I know I'm being impatient, but I'm so sensitive about my silhouette, it's probably the main reason I did this procedure, so I'm seeking reassurance I'm not going to be a block from the side profile forever 😂

So I kinda wanted to show updates about a new type of FDL. The traditional FDL makes a T incision up the middle of the abdomen. This new method makes incisions on the side over the hip, hiding the scar when arms are down and avoiding the big scar up the abdomen that can’t really be here. I’m only five days postop and Obviously I’m still very swollen so I’m definitely not as smart as I could be but it’s a starting point. Hopefully in time as swelling goes down and things flatten out, we will get a better view of what this new type of FDL can do compared to the more traditional version. As of right now, I have to say I very much like not having that scar of the center of my belly. I definitely feel like a lot of people would like this type of modified FDL and that more surgeons need to offer this option. Maybe if people start asking for it more surgeons will start offering it.

I’m definitely interested in hearing what others think of this new type of FDL and whether you wish you had gotten it or if you’re having surgery soon if this is something that you would also want? Or would you prefer a more traditional FDL?

1 month, 3 month, 5 month