Q. 10 days post. The area around my belly button is red and very hard to the touch. Is the redness around my belly button normal? I had a tummy tuck 10 days ago. The area around my belly button is red and very hard to the touch. There is also a lot of seepage from my belly button. I’m changing the dressing 3 time a day on advice from my PS. Is this redness normal? Will it go away soon? I still can’t stand straight and I think this is the reason why.
A. Thanks for sharing your photos.
The general principles in a tummy tuck include:
- panniculectomy: raise the skin to the rib margin and remove its excess near the pubic region
- diastasis / facial laxity tightening: the separation of the 2 muscles due to weight gain or pregnancy are pulled together. Further, any excess fascia (the ligamentous corset around the trunk is imbricated tighter
- umbilicoplasty: repositioning or recreation of a belly button. The umbilical stalk maybe:
- maintained and attached to the skin, or
- the skin maybe pulled down to the base of the stalk and fascia
- The concerns you have including the redness may be signs of hyperemia or increased blood flow to the skin due to liposuction under the panniculectomy skin flap or an infection.
- The inability to stand up is due to the removal of skin to end-up with a tightened front belly. Pulling on the skin should cause blanching from lack of blood flow and not redness.
Please re-consult as soon as possible with your surgeon or obtain a second opinion from a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon to reduce any complications which may occur associated with this redness.
Good luck with this!
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