At Northwestern Plastic Surgery, we want our patients to feel well informed and educated about their treatment and what it entails. We have found that the most satisfied plastic surgery patients are the ones who approach the experience with reasonable and realistic expectations.

If you are considering tummy tuck surgery to sculpt and shape your abdomen, you likely are curious whether the procedure will leave a scar. Perhaps you’ve asked around or looked at before and after photographs on our site, but you’re still unclear.

Because it is a surgical procedure that requires a horizontal incision, tummy tuck will leave scarring. (Mini tummy tuck has a smaller incision and, thus, a shorter scar.) However, tummy tuck incisions are typically placed low enough that scarring can be easily hidden by a bathing suit or underwear line. The scars will be firm and pink for approximately six weeks. They will gradually fade and flatten six months to a year after surgery.

There are things that you can do to minimize your tummy tuck scarring. However, you must accept the likelihood that the scars will never completely disappear.

How Can I Minimize My Scarring?

It’s common for our patients to inquire about things they can do to minimize scarring.

The best thing you can do to reduce your risk of visible scarring is to work with an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon, such as one of the surgeons at Northwestern Plastic Surgery. A qualified plastic surgeon will use incision techniques that lead to less noticeable scarring.

It’s also important to follow all of the advice and instructions provided by your plastic surgeon both before and after your surgery. Although you may not think that certain behaviors could affect your scarring, you would be surprised to learn that some can. Ignoring the advice of your plastic surgeon increases the risk not just of scarring, but of other complications, too.

Another thing you can do to minimize scarring is to avoid exposing your incision to the sun for about a year (as this may cause scarring to darken).

There are products that claim to minimize your scars, such as Arnica Montana and Bromelain. If you’re interested in these products, please ask our plastic surgery team about their safety and efficacy.

Learn More about Tummy Tuck

To learn more about the tummy tuck procedure or scarring, please contact Northwestern Plastic Surgery. Call (312) 695-6022 or send us an email today.