Hi Ikh,
I had a lot of abdominal surgery including 3 different stoma sites for my k pouch stoma...they went in and out of my main incision line at least 15xs. I also had at least 5 abdominal hernias (all fixed since then).
I have had good and bad scars ( 9 in all on my abdomen not counting all of the holes from the laporoscopy surgeries)and even had plastic surgery to try and fix the appearence but honestly inspite of the recent work...it is not and never will be perfect.
I have to accept that. Perfection does not exist when you have had this much stuff done but 'better' does exist. I am almost content with the better that I have...it is certainly not as bad as it was but I would never wear a bikini again either.
I do ab work, core work and a lot of exercise but I am still lumpy, bumpy and scary. The best I can be is if and when I am thin...less chance for bumps to show.
I have some self esteeme problems but nothing unmanageable and in the long run it does not effect my life as a whole...just a little bit of belly-button envy when I am on the beach or in the gym.
My only advice is to give it a full 2 yrs...it takes time for all of the inflamation and swelling to go down.
Sharon

I call mine, my "second butt". My surgical scar appears to be a deep depression straight down the middle with two mounds on each side. After my hernia operation (of which I apparently had 3) I was told that I will NEVER have six-pack abs again (not that I ever did.. Lol).

Think it depends on a few things, like your initial size and weight, age at surgery, surgical technique, etc. I was 19 when I had surgery, and my stomach was concave (sunken inward) after! I weighed 89lbs when they discharged me. I gained back up to about 105lbs within the first 6 months after surgery. I was a slender young woman, and I remained pretty flat after things resettled in there. When I have worked out, I can get "some" muscle definition, but the muscles don't match up, because of being cut, so it's a bit off. Even after pregnancy, I stayed pretty slim.

I'm 43 now, and weigh 128lbs, and I'm not "flat," but I'm "rounded" flat, if that makes sense. I haven't been super active lately with my other issues going on.

I had my ileostomy for 2.5 years. I'm a thin person, but my stomach is definitely lopsided. There is a slight slope to my abdomen as well as an indentation where the stoma was. I also have a large vertical scar which runs down the centre of my abdomen, as I had open surgeries. The lower part of the scar is keloid, but this is the part that sits below the pantline so it's no big deal. The good thing is, the lopsidedness is only visible from the top down, so when I look down at my stomach. Most people looking at me head-on would not notice the slope. The indentation where the stoma was is noticeable in certain clothing, such as when I'm wearing my gym clothes, but again you'd really have to be staring straight at it to notice. It doesn't bother me much. It's one of the things I've just accepted. I'm happy not to have the bag, so I'll take it.

The one interesting thing, though, is that I had the square outline of the ostomy barrier imprinted on my skin after takedown, and this stayed visible for quite some time. The area was definitely discoloured and even my surgeon remarked on this. The discolouration literally took 2-3 years to fade! So you may still see some changes, though you may not have the same flat or uniform stomach you may have had before surgery.

I am five months post surgery. Most of the scar has lightened except for a very thick part at the bottom. The stoma scar is lumpy and I'm thinking it will likely stay that way. Regarding the self esteem issue, being a middle aged woman (in a 28 year marriage) has its advantages. I find I am sort of invisible at this stage of life. Still, the surgical nurse challenged me to strut down our most popular beach in a bikini. Hm. The summer is pretty much passed and somehow I didnt' get to that!

I'll add that I have worn a bikini since surgery, several times. I've never had any comments, negative or otherwise.

In addition to the vertical scar and stoma scar I described above, I also have 2 indentations from the drains on the lower left side, which kind of look like little bullet holes. That's the best way to describe them. *LOL* One is quite visible, though the other has almost completely faded.

Yup, mine sticks out too. And more on the left side than the right so I'm lopsided as well! It's not fat (I'm a size 6) and no matter what I do it never goes away. It's as if all my organs have shifted inside and something is right there pushing out on me. I'm 4 years since the surgeries. I exercise daily and I consider myself in pretty decent shape but my belly is no longer flat. I'm 46 years old so my bikini days are over anyway! *sigh*

I suppose it's a small price to pay to be healthy again!

My scar is super light now, because most of it is 23 years old... Under my belly button, it's a wee bit darker, because I was cut there two more times (C-section and ovarian cyst removal). Mine was open surgery, too, so goes from under my sternum to down into my, well, pubic area. It's big. My ileostomy scar is on my right side, and barely noticeable.

I've totally rocked a bikini with my scars. I just don't care! It's part of me! I'm 43, and I wore one in Puerto Rico last year. I mean, why not?