To bind or not to bind, that is the question!

I had a panniculectomy with muscle tightening done on March 3....I was sent home with binder.

I have had no complications, swelling etc.....My hip to hip incision is healing nicely....I was wearing my binder 24/7 as instructed but it would roll up and bunch up during the night as I sleep.

In return my new navel started back opening up, oozing and becoming bruised and red.

I am not a month post-op PS yet but I experimented and went all day yesterday and all night without my binder to allow my navel to get air, and hopefully heal faster and form a scab.

My question is has anyone post panniculectomy/TT go without binder full-time after 3 weeks surgery.  what repercussions if any would I be facing from doing so if I went without it for about a wee****il my navel heals.

I admit I am a little ashamed to call my PS so I wanted to get some input here first..

There is no consensus among plastic surgeons nor even much research on the use of binders for these surgeries. If you read back through the posts for a couple of months you'll find people posting everything from they had no binder at all after surgery to being in binder/compression garmets for months. Don't feel ashamed - you're not the first and won't be the last. If the binder is causing you problems/discomfort and irritating your wounds then your doctor should be helpful and offer alternative solutions. They should not make you feel poorly.

My surgeon's protocol is abdominal binder for 2 weeks and then wearing a boy short type girdle like flexees or Spanx. I still had a couple of drains at the two week mark so I continueLid wearing the binder - I also found the boy shorts very uncomfortable. With my surgeon's permission I continued with the binder. Normally his patients wear compression for 8 weeks but I was doing so well at the 6 week follow-up that I was told I should discontinue it which I did. I did like wearing the binder early on for psychological reasons but it was fine when I stopped using it. BTW, my binder had 4 rows and I had to cut one row off to make it fit me better - maybe that's the problem with yours? At no time did it roll up and bunch - I can see where that would be extremely annoying and even painful. Did it rub or bunch over your navel causing irritation etc.? Ouch

Repercussion is probably limited to increased swelling - the binder does help limit some but not all of the inflammation/swelling that is due to healing. Watch your sodium intake to limit swelling from that.

Thank you Skylark for your detailed opinion...it is very much appreciated!......Your success is remarkable....congrats.

yes, I believe my binder would roll up while sleep at night and pull around my navel...I have had no swelling so I am going to cautiously go without it until my navel reforms a solid scar.

I have already noticed my navel rehealing and my main incision is healed

I'd call your surgeon and see what (s)he thinks.  Like the above posted said protocol varies- my surgeon for one doesnt really seem to be a huge believer in compression.  I did not wake up in a binder for my LBL and he didn't have me get one until about a week post op.  And even then he was like you dont have to be super religious about wearing it.  For upper body I didn't use any compression garments at all.  I did have swelling, but so did everyone else so...

I'd talk to your surgeon and find an option that works for you- if the compression garment is hindering healing that is certainly not desirable.  good luck!

thank you Christine......that is why it is always good to listen to that inner voice.....I believe I am on the right track.

Hi

I would suggest that you wear your binder as much as possible.  Trust me I am 11months out of a TT, buttlift, aggressive lipo, love the work, but I still swell in my stomach and legs.  I wear compression garmets whenever possible.  When it hot I wear the underarmor heat gear compression etc. or spanks but you will swell off and on.