The Final Touch

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I was now enjoying my revised body immensely. My stomach looked and I felt great. I managed my elongated scar through the 9th month, and the results were excellent. Though still noticeable, it was quite faded, and would continue to fade over time.

I was, however, self-conscious about the two skin puckers—one protruding from each hip. Referred to as “dog ears” in the biz, these are small, raised areas of excess skin that form at either end of the sealed incision. Not everyone who undergoes a tummy tuck develops skin puckers, which can occur when shorter incisions are used, causing the skin to fold and protrude. While I appreciate that my surgeon wisely prioritized a shorter incision (and thus a shorter scar), I now had to deal with dog ears.

The plan was to massage the sites regularly to encourage the skin to flatten on its own. However, if the protrusions would persist for a year, Dr. Fichadia would remove them via a minor in-office procedure. In my case, the puckers didn’t work themselves out, and I ended up needing the procedure. I would remain awake and alert for this one and would not require a driver.

I approached the day of the appointment I was filled with an unsettling blend of excitement and dread. In hindsight, I would have fared better had arranged for transportation and taken a bit of diazepam to calm my nerves.

The procedure ended up taking about 80 minutes. Everything went smoothly, and I’m more than pleased with the result. Dr. Fichadia started by cold spraying my left hip, instantly numbing it. She then administered a series of local anesthetic shots. I felt no pain as she proceeded to trim away the excess skin and adjacent adipose tissue. Mentally, though, I was filled with anxiety and a sense of helplessness that might have been eased had I taken calming meds. She then shaped the area, excised any remaining folds, and cauterized the site to seal it and prevent bleeding.

During the goings-on, I avoided looking directly at the site but watched as smoke from my flesh rose during the cauterization stage. Dr. Fichadia placed sutures to close the incisions, and dressings were applied. The same process was then repeated on my right hip. I asked the assistant to let me inspect the removed tissue up close. While I’m too vain to share a photo of myself with dog ears, here they are now that they are no longer a part of me.

Physically, I was reasonably comfortable both during and after the procedure. By bedtime, the anesthetics wore off and the sites swelled significantly. This was expected, and nothing a couple of Tylenol couldn’t handle. The discomfort was intermittent and lasted for only about 36 hours. Ice packs applied to the areas provided instant relief.

Localized bruising and swelling would linger for weeks, but without pain. After they subside and the dressings fall off, I could resume scar therapy, this time focusing on the new sites.

The long-term forecast for the the abdominal region (the main surgical site, not the revised area) is that I will continue to feel a mild, constant tightness stretching between my upper and lower abdomen—where my loose abdominal muscles were tightened. I understand that this tightness will remain indefinitely, provided my weight remains stable or fluctuates only minimally.