If you’ve decided to have a tummy tuck, chances are you haven’t considered how it will affect the appearance of your belly button. What happens to your belly button during a tummy tuck depends on the surgical technique used, and the amount of skin removed during surgery.
What happens to my belly button during a tummy tuck?
Excess skin and fat is removed from the abdominal area during a tummy tuck, in order to slim and contour the lower abdomen. Removing the skin from the abdominal area will of course affect the position of the belly button, so in some cases it will have to be repositioned (read more).
Repositioning the belly button during a tummy tuck
During a tummy tuck the abdominal skin is removed and a small incision is made around the navel in order to shift the belly button. After the excess skin is trimmed away, the remaining skin is tightened to make the tummy flatter.
When the belly button is being repositioned, a new opening is made to accommodate it, and the navel is then stitched into place. When tummy tuck surgery is done effectively, the belly button should look completely natural in the new location (learn more).
Patients with skin laxity in the lower abdomen can benefit from a mini-tummy tuck. During a mini-tummy tuck skin is only removed from below the navel, so the belly button is left in place.
Would you like to learn more about tummy tuck surgery? Search our directory to find a practice in your area.
If you are in the Greenbrae or Walnut Creek, CA areas, contact board certified plastic surgeon Robert Aycock, MD, for a consultation.
You can reach Dr. Aycock at www.aycockmd.com, or by calling (925) 854-4174 (Walnut Creek) or (415) 903-8463 (Greenbrae).