Kare Plastic Surgery & Skin Health Center · Santa Monica & Los Angeles
Revision Abdominoplasty Los Angeles
804 7th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90403 · Near Montana Avenue · (310) 998-5533
Tummy tuck scar correction, dog ear repair, scar repositioning, and umbilical revision by nationally recognized scar authority Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian at Kare Plastic Surgery in Santa Monica
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PrecisionBelly button reconstruction
Scar Modulationimprove tummy tuck scars
Makeoverbody contouring specialist
Revision Abdominoplasty Los Angeles
Repairing a Botched Tummy Tuck Surgery
Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS Dual Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Graduate, UCLA School of Medicine · National Scar Authority · Revision Abdominoplasty · Tummy Tuck Scar Correction · Vbeam · Kare Plastic Surgery, Santa Monica
Revision abdominoplasty is among the most complex procedures in body contouring surgery. Patients come to Dr. Karamanoukian because they spent significant money on a tummy tuck and are living with a result that falls short of what was promised. The scar may be visible above the bikini line. There may be dog ears at the ends of the incision. The belly button may have shifted from where it should be. The skin may be uneven. And in every case, the emotional toll of that result is real. The money was already spent. The recovery was already done. And the body still does not look right.
At Kare Plastic Surgery and Skin Health Center at 804 7th Street in Santa Monica near Montana Avenue, UCLA School of Medicine graduate and dual board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS is a nationally recognized scar authority with 20 years of experience correcting the results of prior surgeries. He evaluates every revision patient with the specific question of what can be done to get the best possible result from a second procedure, knowing that there is often only one chance to get the revision right.
Exceptionalbody contouring
Precisionscar revision
Meticulousattention to detail
Revision Abdominoplasty at Kare Plastic Surgery
- Tummy tuck scar lowering — repositioning a scar that sits too high
- Dog ear repair — excision of skin bunching at the ends of the incision
- Tummy tuck scar treatment — re-excision and tension-free closure
- Umbilical repositioning — belly button placed too low or off-center
- Excess skin removal above the belly button missed in the first surgery
- Abdominal contour irregularity correction
- Vbeam laser for red, raised, or hypertrophic tummy tuck scars
- Silicone scar management protocol after revision closure
Kare Plastic Surgery · Santa Monica · Near Montana Avenue
Second Opinion Tummy Tuck Surgery
What Went Wrong
The Seven Most Common Tummy Tuck Problems
visible scars
The most common complaint after a tummy tuck is a scar that sits above the natural bikini line and cannot be covered by underwear or a swimsuit. Dr. Karamanoukian can reposition the scar to a lower location where it falls within the natural crease and stays hidden under normal clothing.
Dog Ears
Dog ears are small bunches of excess skin that pucker up at the ends of the tummy tuck incision. They happen when the surgeon does not extend the incision far enough to distribute the skin removal evenly. They are corrected by extending the excision at each end to flatten the skin out along the incision line.
Widened Scar
A tummy tuck scar that is wider or more raised than expected can result from excess tension on the closure or from a wound healing response in the individual patient. Dr. Karamanoukian addresses these with re-excision and tension-free layered closure, combined with Vbeam laser and post-operative scar management.
Belly Button
The belly button can end up looking distorted, pulled too low, placed off center, or shaped incorrectly when it is not repositioned carefully during the initial surgery. Umbilicoplasty and umbilical repositioning correct the belly button without requiring a full revision abdominoplasty in some cases.
redundant skin
When insufficient skin is removed from the upper abdomen during the first tummy tuck, the area above the belly button remains loose while the lower abdomen appears tight. A high-tension or extended abdominoplasty revision addresses the upper abdominal skin that was not included in the first procedure.
Uneven Contour
Abdominal contour irregularities including visible step-offs, asymmetric skin removal, or visible fascial tightening on one side can occur when the first surgery was not planned or executed symmetrically. Correction requires precise assessment of the asymmetry and targeted revision at the specific location.
"We are fortunate to have surgical and non-surgical methods to improve tummy tuck scars and contour. "
— Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian · Kare Plastic Surgery, Santa Monica · National Scar Authority
Not every tummy tuck problem requires surgery to correct. A tummy tuck scar that is red, raised, or thickened but in good position can often be significantly improved without revision surgery using Dr. Karamanoukian's Vbeam 595nm pulsed dye laser protocol, silicone tape compression, and intralesional corticosteroid injections. At your consultation he will tell you honestly whether surgery is needed or whether a non-surgical approach will achieve a meaningful improvement in your specific scar.
Authority Resources at Kare Plastic Surgery
Frequently Asked Questions About Tummy Tucks
Where can I get revision abdominoplasty in Los Angeles?
Kare Plastic Surgery at 804 7th Street in Santa Monica near Montana Avenue offers revision abdominoplasty by UCLA-trained dual board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian, a nationally recognized scar authority with 20 years of revision surgery experience. Scar lowering, dog ear repair, umbilical repositioning, contour correction, and Vbeam laser for non-surgical scar improvement. Call (310) 998-5533. We serve patients from Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Malibu, and all of Los Angeles.
Can revision tummy tuck be performed by a different surgeon?
Yes. You are not required to return to the surgeon who performed your original tummy tuck for the revision. Most patients who seek revision are specifically choosing a different surgeon because they are not satisfied with the first result. Dr. Karamanoukian reviews the prior surgical records and photographs when available and performs his own physical examination to plan the revision based on what he finds at consultation, not on assumptions about what was done previously.
How long should I wait before revision abdominoplasty?
Most plastic surgeons recommend waiting at least 12 months after the original tummy tuck before revision surgery. Scars continue to mature for up to 18 months and some issues that appear significant at 3 months look very different at 12 months as swelling resolves and scar remodeling occurs. The exception is a scar that is clearly in the wrong position or a dog ear that is unlikely to improve with time, which Dr. Karamanoukian will evaluate honestly at consultation. For non-surgical scar management with Vbeam laser, treatment can begin much earlier, typically at 4 to 6 weeks after the original surgery when the wound is healed.
Related Resources at Kare Plastic Surgery
Kare Plastic Surgery & Skin Health Center · Santa Monica · Near Montana Avenue
Schedule a Revision Consultation
Schedule a second opinion consultation with Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian, UCLA School of Medicine graduate, dual board-certified plastic surgeon, and national scar authority. Revision abdominoplasty, tummy tuck scar correction, and non-surgical scar management in Santa Monica and Los Angeles.