When it comes to plastic surgery, there are many things that can go wrong. If you are considering a tummy tuck, although they are carried out for many reasons, one of which is most commonly seen following significant weight loss, you should be aware of the risks involved. Unfortunately, there are many horror stories out there about botched tummy tucks. This is especially true when you are not dealing with a qualified and experienced doctor. In this blog post, we will be discussing some horrifying tummy tuck gone wrong stories. These stories should warn anyone considering plastic surgery: do your research and find the best doctor possible!
- After Abdominoplasty
- Complications and side effects of abdominoplasty
- Signs of a bad tummy tuck
- I have a bad tummy tuck: What should I do?
- How to avoid a bad tummy tuck surgery
After Abdominoplasty
After a tummy tuck, your abdominal incision and belly button will most likely be covered with a surgical dressing. Small tubes may be inserted along the incision site to collect extra blood or fluid. After your cosmetic surgery, your health care team will assist you in walking as early as the first day to avoid blood clots from forming. You’ll likely be given pain medication. It’s normal to have swelling in the surgical area.
Drains may be left in place for several days following surgery. After you’ve been taught how to empty and care for your drains, your doctor or another health care team member will show you how to do it. You might need to take an antibiotic indefinitely if the drains are in place.
Your surgeon might also prescribe a blood-thinning medication for a short time after your tummy tuck.
You’ll be wearing an abdominal binder, a supportive garment that helps prevent fluid accumulation and provide abdominal support while you heal, for around six weeks. Your physician will tell you how to care for your scar.
It would help if you avoided strenuous movements for the first six weeks following a tummy tuck. You’ll also need to avoid positions that strain your abdominal muscles incision line, such as bending over quickly to prevent the wound from reopening.
You’ll need to schedule follow-up appointments regularly. Inquire with your doctor about the frequency of your visits.
Complications and side effects of abdominoplasty
You will undoubtedly experience pain and swelling as a result of the operation. Your doctor will give you pain pills as needed. Soreness may last for weeks or longer. You might experience numbness, bruising, and general tiredness for the same time period.
There are potential dangers with any operation. If you have bad circulation, diabetes, heart, lung, or liver disease, or if you smoke, you might be at a higher risk of complications. Complications can include:
- Scarring.
- Hematoma (bleeding).
- Infection.
- Seroma (accumulation of fluid).
- Poor wound healing.
- Blood clots.
- Numbness or other changes in sensation
Other complications include:
- Fat necrosis (death of fatty tissue located deep in the skin).
- Wound separation.
- Asymmetry (unevenness or lopsidedness).
Signs of a bad tummy tuck
Your tummy tuck may have gone horribly wrong, and you won’t know it until months later. You’ll likely need several weeks to recover following surgery. After that, you may determine whether or not your tummy tuck procedure was a failure.
Some signs of a bad tummy tuck include:
- Significant scarring / visible tummy tuck incisions
- Constant pain where you had the operation
- Fluid is present around the wound
- Nerve damage
- Skin contouring problems: Irregular contours/uneven shape of abs if not enough excess skin was removed
- Your belly button is now positioned too high or low, or it has been misshapen
You may also contract other illnesses, including hospital-acquired infections such as MRSA, while undergoing a tummy tuck.
I have bad tummy tuck results: What should I do?
If you believe you have had a bad tummy tuck and are unhappy with your new abdomen’s appearance, you may wish to consider tummy tuck revision surgery. As its name suggests, it is a secondary procedure carried out to address any concerns you have with your post-surgical appearance and help you realise your true goals.
Many cosmetic surgeons specialise in revision surgeries. Yes, they may cost more than the initial plastic surgery, but that is only because the correction is more complicated. They understand what can go wrong in a bad tummy tuck and know how to make the necessary changes to eliminate the unsatisfactory effects and enable you to achieve the look you desire.
How to avoid a bad tummy tuck surgery
There are two critical steps you can take to increase your chances of getting the desired outcome.
The first is to take your recovery process seriously. What we mean by this is following your surgeon’s orders, getting adequate rest, and not trying to rush it.
Your body is amazing, but it needs time to heal. A good recovery process also means less risk of complications!
The second is to choose a qualified, reputable, and experienced surgeon.
Know what you want to achieve
Do you understand the purpose of tummy tuck surgery, and do the desired outcomes align with your goals? Most importantly, you need to set the right expectations.
Here’s the thing: no surgeon can guarantee results, no matter how skilled they are or how many years they’ve been in the game. So if you’re speaking to one who is, we suggest marching out of that office and finding another.
Choose a certified and experienced surgeon.
After you’ve done your research and prepared yourself, the next thing is to look for the right plastic surgeon.
There are two things you need to look for that, in our option, are non-negotiables.
Check for qualifications
Choose a surgeon affiliated with the Australian Medical Council and a Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.
Look for these five letters after their name – ‘FRACS’; only then can you be confident that your plastic surgeon is accredited to perform cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery in Australia.
Search for track record
Check your surgeon’s track record, including their education, skills, experience, and affiliations.
During your consultation, you’ll have an idea of how well your surgeon can speak to you about the procedure (including the associated risks and complications, costs, and expected outcome) and, as such, how it aligns with your goals.
Do you feel comfortable with your surgeon?
The right surgeon should make you feel comfortable from your first visit, during the consultation, throughout surgery, and all the way through to recovery after your surgery.
Answers all your questions
Whatever questions you have in mind, you should be able to ask in confidence, and your surgeon should honestly answer.
Takes your feelings into account
Emotional connection is essential in choosing the right surgeon. As a patient, you should feel empathy, care, and support from your surgeon and the clinical staff before starting the process.
Provides you with other options
The right surgeon presents you with options but always lets you make your own decision.
Force and manipulation should not be used to make a quick decision favouring the surgeon.
The right surgeon must make you feel that your needs and welfare go first before theirs. They can also present you with other options such as complementary procedures,
References:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/11017-abdominoplasty-tummy-tuck
https://www.healthline.com/health/tummy-tuck-recovery
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/tummy-tuck/about/pac-20384892
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