May 2014

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.

The Northwestern Plastic Surgery team is committed to educating you and informing you about your plastic surgery options. If you are considering breast augmentation, we want you to feel comfortable with your options and prepared when making decisions about your care. There is a lot of misinformation circulating about breast augmentation surgery; our plastic surgeons want to set the record straight by clearing up some common breast augmentation myths.