Tummy Tuck: Q&A
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Would Lowering the Belly Button by 1 to 2 Inches Look Unnatural or Funny?
I have loose skin below the belly button and my stomach sticks out. My PS is recommending a mini Tummy Tuck with lowering the belly button by 1 to 2 inches and tightening my whole stomach muscles. Does lowering the belly button have any side effects and is it going to look unnatural?
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13 Doctor Answers |
Asked by
juliana5
in LosAngeles, California
+2
The difference between a mini tummy tuck and a full tummy tuck
Thanks for the great question -
You belly button is attached to deeper structures and in itself typically cannot be moved more than about an inch in any direction. Your surgeon is likely referring to moving tissue around your belly button -
The key point here is the difference between a mini-tummy tuck and a full tummy tuck.
A mini tummy tuck addresses the skin below the belly button. This can be a good option for patients that do not have a great deal of extra tissue above the umbilicus...
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It is likely better to have a full TT
Mini TT will slightly lower your belly button, since it is being pulled down from the surgery. It is likely best for you to have a full TT. However, since you did not provide a picture, it is very difficult for us to give you specific advice. Also, if you only have a mini TT, then I doubt that you surgeon is "tightening [your] whole stomach muscles." The incision is the same as the full TT, so I often wonder why patients and surgeons are so obsessed with "mini TT." ...
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Lowering & "floatingg" of belly button with Midi, Marriage or in-between tummy tuck
The side effects of lowering or "floating" your belly button with a midi or marriage abdominoplasty (half mini and half full) are that if you decide that you want a full tummy tuck at a later date, it will likely compromise the circulation of the belly button making it more likely it will necrose. You are a candidate for a float procedure if you have a high belly button (one that lies above a line drawn across the top of your hip bones) and you can leave at least...
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A mini-tummy tuck is, in most cases, a lousy operation.
Mini tummy tucks address loose skin and fascia between the navel and the pubis. Only the occasional patient has this as an isolate problem. Most patients need the entire abdomen addressed for a suitable result. If I were you I would get another opinion.
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Mini tummy tuck
A mini tummy tuck essentially removes just a portion of the skin below the belly button. This technique involves either leaving the belly button alone, or "floating" the belly button by cutting it free from the abdominal wall. If the belly button is "floated", this often leads to a very unnatural look as the belly button can appear much too low on the abdominal wall. Mini-tummy tucks are appealing, but in reality are much less common than a full abdominoplasty. A key to...
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The pulling down of the Belly button by 2 inches with a MINI Tummy Tuck may look weird
When a woman has a significant of loose skin of the tummy and split 6 pack (Rectus) muscles, a Mini Tummy Tuck is usually a cop out and a bad idea. In the words of a former chief resident of mine, intentionally paraphrasing the OLD ABC World of Sports (in which a ski jumper falls badly) a Mini tummy Tuck is usually " The agony of victory...". Put yet another way.; If you want mini results - have a mini operation.
Classically, the ideal belly button should be in the mid
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Final position of the belly button after a tummy tuck
A tummy tuck is a very popular and effective way to contour the abdomen. During this procedure, we never actually detach the belly button from the underlying muscle. The belly button remains in place of the skin around the belly button will move downward. If done properly, the belly button incision can be well hidden and attractive. At this stage, it is best to work with a board-certified plastic surgeon was a great deal of experience with abdominoplasty and belly button revisions. They...
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MIni-tummy tuck with floated umbilicus
I am not usually a fan of the mini-tummy tuck. Most patients that present with this request usually need a full tummy tcuk. The mini does not tighten the upper muscle or pull the skin from above the umbilicus significantly. "Floating the umbilicus" in a mini, in my opinion does not always look so great.
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Assess if the upper abdominal skin is loose
My comment is to assess whether the skin above the umbilicus is loose. If not, and it is only loose below the umbilicus, limited abdominoplasty should work well. If the upper skin is loose, the umbilicus may have to move down in order to tighten both the upper and lower abdominal skin. In my practice, most patients like this would prefer standard abdominoplasty, leaving the umbilicus at its prior location.
I like the other suggestions to mark the potential lower position and look...
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Pelvic or hip bones are only a guide
Juliana,
The belly button resides at different levels in different individuals. This level is sometimes above the hip bones and sometimes below it. It's all dependent on the pelvic bone structure, shape and size. Lowering the belly button one inch is usually no concern whatsoever and looks very natural. Moving it 2 inches might create a problem Draw one in with a marker two inches below your present belly button and see how you like it. Good luck!
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Modification of abdominoplasty
Moving the belly button down with an abdominoplasty without incurring a scar around the belly button is a modification of the abdominplasty and is often a reasonable compromise between a mini-abdominoplasty and a full abdominoplasty. It can help stretch the skin around and above the belly button and can make your torso look more elongated by separating the distance between your breasts and your belly-button. Photos would help destablish how low you can go before it is too low. Part of it is...
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It all depends, but you may need a full tummy tuck
One or two inches is a huge difference. You must consider where your belly button begins.
The normal height of the belly button is at a line drawn between the most prominent point of your hips. If your belly button is at that level - one inch is OK. If your belly button is above that level then two inches may be OK. But if your belly button is below that line - then you need a full tummy tuck to get good results!
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There is only one correct location for your belly button
The correct location for your belly button is just where it is, level with the top of the pelvis at the waist, and in the midline. To find the location put your thumb on the top of the hip bone or pelvis and your waist, and point your index fingers level to your middle, and that is where the belly button lies.
You can test out what your doctor is saying to you by covering your belly button with a flesh colored bandaid and draw the suggested location down 2 inches and then down one inch. If...
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