Abdominoplasty dog ear—how can it be corrected effectively
Patient Registration Info
| Age | Weight | Height | BMI |
|---|---|---|---|
|
in their 30’s |
68kg |
160cm |
26 |
Surgical site
abdominoplasty, M-type, Triple lock, Navel Correction, abdomen liposuction
4750cc
After pregnancy and childbirth, one of the most common concerns women face after weight loss is the loss of abdominal skin elasticity.
While individual differences exist, if the abdominal skin has sagged and the abdominal wall has stretched, simply losing weight is often not enough to restore its original firmness.
In such cases, more people are opting for abdominoplasty, a procedure that corrects sagging skin and lax abdominal muscles to lift and smooth out the abdominal contour.
However, before deciding on surgery, it is essential to have a thorough consultation with a medical professional to assess overall health, determine the necessity of the procedure, and understand the surgery and recovery process in detail.
Since abdominoplasty requires a long incision, attention must be paid not only to the amount of lifting but also to ensuring a smooth transition without step-off deformities along the incision line and preventing dog-ear formation at the edges.
Let’s take a closer look at these considerations through the case of a patient below.
the patient we will be analyzing today is a woman in her mid-30s who underwent a cesarean section approximately two years ago.
due to pregnancy and childbirth, she experienced abdominal sagging, accumulated belly fat, and excess fat in her upper arms, which caused her significant distress about her overall upper body shape.
seeking to address these body shape concerns, she visited our clinic with the goal of improving her figure through liposuction.
The medical examination results revealed that the skin across the entire abdomen has significantly lost its elasticity.
Due to the sagging of the abdominal wall, we can observe that the upper abdomen has a noticeable drooping shape.
Because of this, performing only liposuction to address the abdominal fat may not be sufficient to fully resolve the issue of sagging skin that the patient is concerned about.
Therefore, I explained that a medium-type abdominal lift surgery is necessary. This procedure will address the sagging skin in the abdomen and the stretched abdominal muscles from pregnancy, providing a lifting effect that will firm and improve the overall contour of the area.
Additionally, as there is a higher proportion of fat in the sides and love handles, I recommended combining abdominal liposuction with love handle liposuction. This will help create a smoother and slimmer waistline.
Since the medium-type abdominal lift involves lifting the sagging skin from the upper abdomen and removing excess tissue, it also requires repositioning and reshaping the belly button. I clearly explained that the shape of the belly button will be designed vertically to create a more balanced appearance, making the waist look slimmer and the legs appear longer.
Now, let’s take a look at the pre-surgery and 3-month post-surgery photos to assess the changes.
Comparing the patient’s pre- and post-surgery photos of the abdominal lift, we can see that the skin sagging was significantly caused by pregnancy and childbirth.
In particular, the skin in the lower abdomen had stretched considerably, and it was beyond the limits of improvement through exercise or diet alone. Additionally, the separation of the abdominal muscles (diastasis recti) contributed to a feeling of abdominal bloating, further exacerbating the skin sagging.
In the post-abdominal lift photos, we can clearly see that both the sagging skin and the abdominal muscles have been corrected. At the same time, excess fat has been removed, resulting in a slimmer, firmer waistline.
In particular, before the surgery, the abdominal area showed noticeable bloating in the central part due to the separation of the abdominal muscles (diastasis recti).
After the abdominal lift surgery, the overall skin of the abdomen has smoothly shifted downward, without any sensation of it sagging or spreading sideways, resulting in a well-defined, slimmer appearance.
Since the patient did not wish to undergo love handle liposuction, the procedure focused solely on abdominal liposuction to create the smoothest possible contour.
I also explained to the patient the importance of maintaining the surgically enhanced lines through consistent diet and exercise to preserve the results achieved by the surgery.
During the follow-up observations for this patient, one aspect that required ongoing monitoring was the potential for “dog ears.”
Around two months post-surgery, we noticed that the skin at both ends of the incisions showed slight wrinkling. This is typically a sign of “dog ears,” which can occur after a lift procedure.
However, with proper scar management and continued treatment, we expect this issue to resolve over time. The overall scar condition is being well-managed, and I reassured the patient that the scars would gradually fade as expected.
As for the step-off (discrepancy in the contour), we confirmed that there were no issues with blood circulation around the incision area, and healing is progressing well. The contour is steadily becoming smoother and stable.
While step-off and dog ears are not frequent occurrences after abdominal lift surgery, it’s important to be aware of their possibility. At our clinic, we ensure continuous follow-up after surgery, monitoring the patient’s condition closely. If necessary, we can make simple adjustments to improve any minor issues that may arise.
The sagging belly has been neatly lifted through the abdominal lift surgery.
Before the surgery, the excess sagging belly fat and skin gave the body a thick, heavy appearance with a downward sag. After the surgery, the belly has been improved into a firm, lifted shape with no sagging, creating a more toned and elastic abdominal contour.
In the case of abdominal lift surgery scars, at the 3-month mark, some redness is inevitable. Typically, it takes around 18-24 months for the scars to fade during the recovery period.
In this patient’s case, although some redness is visible, the scars are healing well without any raised or uneven areas.
Since recovery speed for abdominal lift scars varies from person to person, it is important to follow the medical team’s guidance on care methods and check-up schedules for a faster and more stable recovery.
After the abdominal lift surgery, this patient not only received scar care bands and laser treatments but also visited the Slim Center for additional weight loss.
Through systematic check-ups to assess her health, we provided customized treatments and explained a diet plan designed to minimize yo-yo effects rather than promoting rapid weight loss.
Since the patient was satisfied with the results of both the abdominal lift surgery and liposuction, we explained that focusing solely on the number of pounds lost could lead to the same yo-yo effect she experienced in the past.
We emphasized the importance of gradually increasing exercise, improving habits, and slowly losing and maintaining weight, in line with her body’s recovery speed, while continuing to consult with the medical team.
