You know a tummy tuck in Beverly Hills will tighten up your midsection to restore your confidence and make your clothes fit better, but what happens to your belly button? The navel may be a small detail, but it can make all the difference in achieving the most natural, aesthetically pleasing result. This blog explains what happens to the belly button during a tummy tuck so you know what to expect from your abdominoplasty results.
Table of Contents
- Belly Button Basics
- Belly Buttons and Mini Tummy Tucks
- The Tummy Tuck Belly Button Incision
- Belly Button Reshaping During a Tummy Tuck
- Caring for Your Belly Button After Your Tummy Tuck
Belly Button Basics
The navel is one of the most complex aspects of an expertly-performed tummy tuck. If it is repositioned incorrectly, your abdominoplasty results may look asymmetric or unnatural. When you look at before and after tummy tuck photos for the surgeon you choose, pay attention to how the belly button appears in the after photos to ensure you can expect an optimal result.
Your navel is attached to the abdominal muscles below via an umbilical stalk, which consists of tethering tissue that keeps the belly button in place. Instead of detaching the belly button from its stalk, your surgeon will release it from the surrounding outer skin. Once your surgeon redrapes the skin over the abdomen, the new location for the belly button will be clear, and your surgeon will reattach it to the skin in the new area.
Belly Buttons and Mini Tummy Tucks
A mini tummy tuck is a less extensive abdominoplasty technique that focuses on the area below the belly button. This procedure achieves many of the same goals as a full abdominoplasty, such as:
- Tightening the abdominal muscles
- Suctioning away excess fat
- Trimming away excess skin
However, since the work is all done below the navel, the upper abdominal skin and navel remain untouched during a mini tummy tuck. After your procedure, your belly button will look the same, but the abdominal area beneath it will be smoother and flatter.
The Tummy Tuck Belly Button Incision
A full tummy tuck addresses all of the abdominal area, both above and below the navel. Your surgeon will make a horizontal incision across the lower abdomen, beneath the panty line. A second incision usually encircles the belly button. Through this incision, your surgeon will detach the navel from the surrounding skin, leaving it attached to the stalk below until it’s time to reposition it on the abdomen.
The incision that encircles your belly button is nearly unnoticeable once it heals fully. However, the belly button remains clearly visible, making it critical for a surgeon to take the time to ensure the navel is positioned for the most natural results.
Belly Button Reshaping During a Tummy Tuck
Once the skin is redraped over the midsection, your surgeon will create a tiny incision to pull your belly button through the tissue and into its new location. The process is similar to pulling a button through a buttonhole. Your surgeon will stitch the navel into place to complete your tummy tuck.
The ideal belly button appearance should include a deep inward contour with a vertical orientation. The skin around the navel should be firm and smooth. As the incisions heal, the belly button should take on a natural appearance, as though it had never been moved from its original position.
Caring for Your Belly Button After Your Tummy Tuck
You will need to care for the incisions surrounding your belly button after your tummy tuck to ensure they heal well and leave minimal scarring. Postoperative care includes keeping the area dry and cleaning it daily using warm water or a saline solution. You should avoid baths or swimming pools for at least six weeks to allow the incisions to heal.
Ready to Learn More About Tummy Tucks in Beverly Hills?
A tummy tuck offers dramatic results for men and women who have not been able to achieve their body contouring goals with diet and exercise alone. Dr. Leslie Stevens is a board-certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills who has developed a reputation as one of the finest body surgeons. To learn more about tummy tucks in Beverly Hills, call (310) 556-1003 or complete our online contact form to schedule your appointment.