A Navel Cosmetic Procedure for the Abdomen

We all get the same scar when we enter the world, but most of us aren’t very concerned about the appearance of our navels, or “belly buttons.”

Plastic surgeons performing tummy tucks and other cosmetic procedures, however, may need to pay some attention to the belly button.

The shedding of the umbilical cord after birth creates the belly button. The tube that once supplied all of our nutrients within the womb falls away as babies are forced to rely on their own mouths, stomachs, and lungs.

Cosmetic procedures are rarely performed for bellybuttons alone, but they do occur. After weight fluctuations or pregnancy, the shape of the bellybutton can change. Others dislike otheir “outies” for life and seek a change at some point in time.

A cosmetic improvement of the bellybutton , an umbilicoplasty, would likely require only local anesthesia, and causes few side effects aside from soreness and swelling.

The majority of umbilicoplasties will typically occur in conjunction with another surgery, such as a tummy tuck or lower body lift. The bellybutton often has a unique role in tummy tuck surgery:

• It must be isolated from the surrounding skin, so that it stands on a stalk of tissue.
• Loose skin is removed and a new hole is created for the bellybutton.
• The bellybutton is incorporated into the hole and retains its natural position on the abdomen.
• Your plastic surgeon can perform some cosmetic adjustments to the bellybutton during surgery, based on your desires.

Read about tummy tuck surgery in Manhattan or Long Island, New York.

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