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Umbilicoplasty for Removing Excess Skin Above Belly Button?
I am 5’ 3” and weigh 103 pounds. Six weeks ago I had a mini-tummy tuck and hernia repair in hopes of removing the excess skin I had from two pregnancies. My plastic surgeon and one other recommended that I get a full tummy tuck to correct the amount of extra skin I had above my belly button, but for personal reasons, I chose to do a mini instead. Although my stomach is very flat and looks much better than it did prior to the mini, I have a small amount of skin that is starting to cover my belly button. The skin covers approximately half my belly button, extends about ¾ of an inch when I pull it away from my stomach and measures approximately 2 inches wide.
What options do I have to remove some of the skin so that I have a normal looking belly button? Could an umbilicoplasty work?
Asked 37 months ago by
Annie2009 in California
Six weeks ago I had a mini-tummy tuck and hernia repair
+2
Redundant umbilical skin after mini tummy tuck
Your best option is to convert the mini tummy tuck to a full tummy tuck. Otherwise the only other method is to leave you with an unsightly vertical scar. It would be nearly impossible to hide any incision in the umbilicus. I am no aware and cannot recommend any consistent skin tightening ultrasound, laser or radiofrequency devices that will correct this degree of laxity.
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Definition of Reverse Upper Tummy Tuck
Not infrequently I see patients in whom there is as much skin laxity in the upper abdomen as there is in the lower abdomen. In fact, some patients after pregnancy will have fairly 'toned' lower abdominal skin, but very lax and redundant upper abdominal skin. In these situations, the removal of skin in a vertically downward direction ( a conventional tummy tuck) is not adequate to correct the upper abdominal skin laxity. Such patients are often very good candidates for what I refer to...
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Umbilicoplasty
An isolated umbilicoplasty will not solve your problem.
The treatment of choice was and remains a 'full' abdominoplasty which includes the umbilicoplasty.
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Everyone want more for less; mini tummy tucks give mini results.
Your mini tummy tuck was what you wanted, but not what you needed. Now you know this, and have to pay more for the operation you should have had (and a second time off work for recovery). You now recognize this, so I'm not chastising you, just (probably futilely) trying to educate others like you who expect more than this surgery can deliver.
Umbilicoplasty only further complicates the problem, as this will add either small, inadequate scars to correct the probelm, or large,...
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Limited results from umbilicoplasty
My experience with trimming skin around the navel is that you have to be quite conservative or the scar can become more problematic. The standard treatment for loose skin in that area is a full abdominoplasty.
see video
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Umbilicoplasty is not the answer for loose skin above the belly button
Umbilicoplasty is not the answer following mini tummy tuck. Unfortunately, the skin above the belly button has not been properly redraped nor has the belly button been properly recontoured. Only a formal abdominoplasty will accomplish both. For those with isolated excess periumbilical skin (uncommon condition), an umbilicoplasty can be helpful.
Chicago Plastic Surgeon
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Correction of a belly button after tummy tuck
The gold standard for surgical repair is an abdominoplasty. Lesser treatments will only provide less than satisfactory results.
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
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Umbilicoplasty to correct excess laxity after mini tummy tuck
I believe the question has been answered well. The picture is very helpful. Sorry to repeat that you should have had a full tummy tuck for the best result. Umbilicoplasty can work but only for very minor revisions. Unfortunately, I don't think you would have a very nice result. I wish to add that less than 1% of tummy tuck candidates are really appropriate for mini tummy tucks in my experience. Even those with similar body builds and less skin...
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Correcting the loose skin after a mini tummy tuck
The ideal candidate for a Mini Tummy Tuck is an individual who has:
1. Good skin elasticity with minimal looseness
2. No or minimal stretch marks
3. A belly button high above the bikini line
4. Thin with a long waist
I have had good results with Mini Tummy Tucks, but I see very few women in my practice who are good candidates for this procedure. At issue is the fact that Mini Tummy Tucks do not tighten the skin very much. The...
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Upper abominal work after a mini tummy tuck
Good candidates for mini tummy tucks are few and far between. The longer I am in practice, the fewer I do because of patient dissatisfaction with the long term result. Do not have an umbilicoplasty. It won't work and could leave you with a really weird looking umbilicus. I have seen the post op results of another surgeon's "purse string" periumbilical umbilicoplasty and it looks like an anus. Not a pretty thing in the middle of your abdomen!...
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Correcting loose skin above belly button
It is imperative that the surgeon chooses an appropriate procedure for each individual patient based on that patient's anatomy. There are many surgical approaches to a tummy tuck, not just mini and full. In my practice there is a subset of patients in whom I perform a procedure with a mini Tummy tuck type of an incision, but with more advanced deep work, which includes moving umbilicus lower, thus not leaving an umbilical hood like you appear to have. Of...
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You should have had the full TT
There is no option for you to get rid of the skin without doing a full TT revision of your mini. Your doctor should have made sure you understood this before "allowing" you to make the wrong choice.
Umbilicoplasty is a term for an operation that really doesn't exist because there isn't any way to effectively remove extra skin into the belly button without a terrible scar, much worse looking than the scar from a full TT.
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Umbilicoplasty is not effective for skin removal above belly button with mini abdominoplasty
Your idea is not a new one, and it has been tried but it would only work for an extremely small amount of extra skin, far less than what is shown in the picture. As the others have suggested, a full tummy tuck is likely to be your best option. Occasionally cases such as yours are candidates for a reverse tummy tuck, if the lower abdominal area is really tight.
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Umbilicoplasty not effective for removing excess skin above belly button
When a patient has excess skin above the belly button, a small amount of that skin may be removed with an umbilicoplasty. A great deal of care must be taken when performing an umbilicoplasty to create a natural appearing belly button. If too much skin is removed from the site, this may distort the appearance of the belly button. You should definitely work only with a board-certified plastic surgeon who has great deal of experience and by contrary, tummy tucks, and umbilicoplasty.
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Loose skin above the umbilicus mandates a full tummy tuck
Your photo says it all- a full tummy tuck is what you needed. The tension placed on your belly button from the mini TT is pulling the supra-umbilical skin down and creates excessive hooding over your belly button. All is not lost- recover from your mini tummy tuck and sign up for a 'full' TT- you'll be much happier. It is a rare patient that is a good candidate for a mini TT.
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Umbilicoplasty
I would not recommend an umbilicoplasty for the loose skin around the umbilicus. You are asking for trouble. I have yet to see a good one. You are better off with a full tummy tuck.
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I would not advise umbilicoplasty for excess skin above belly button
Hello,
Umbilicoplasty really only improves the belly button and is best performed during a full tummy tuck. When used for tissue around the belly button, the results can look pretty freakish. Be careful before you go that way.
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Umbilicoplasty to tighten loose skin above belly button a bad idea
I have seen patients in whom an umbilicoplasty was performed to achieve skin tightening around the belly button-the results were very unfortunate.
The scarring is visible. Worse, attempting to pull the excess skin into the umbilical area results in puckering that cannot be corrected.
I am sure you do not want to go back and have a full abdominolasty which would have been the best choice.
If you were my patient I would first try skin tightening with the LuxIR Deep skin tightening device. I...
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Slouched skin covering belly button
The veil of stretch marked skin over your belly button is an unfortunate but predictable result of a mini tummy tuck, which did not mobilize and redrape the stretch marked skin in the area between your ribs and belly button. Many women struggle with whether to undertake a mini or full tummy tuck, however, in my experience, the latter yield a more satisfying result for both the patient and physician, with minimal additional operating time, recovery and scar length.
I tried umbilicoplasty...
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