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Muscle Repair Through Belly Button?

When I stand, my tummy looks flat. My lower abdomen is kinda puffy. When I bend over, my tummy sags. I am wondering, can the muscle repair be done through my belly button? My plastic surgeon already said he could fix my belly button (with stiches to make a circle on belly button). I read something about defatting the fascia and/or a high lateral tension abdominoplasty.

Asked 32 months ago by BaBegrl in Chattanooga,TN

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abdomen

Options of muscle tightening

With abdominal reparative surgery, you can analyze the three key components: skin, muscle and fascia. Muscle can indeed be tightened through the belly button with the endoscopic technique, the entire length of the abdomen. However this technique will not remove any loose skin. For women who have a minimal looseness to the skin, a small C-section type incision can be made on the lower abdomen and the entire fascia can be tightened while a small to moderate amount of skin is removed. This... more

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Brent Moelleken, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

These are 2 different procedures for 2 diferent problems.

You are talking about two completely different procedures. Tightening the muscle (in actuality the fascia between the muscles) through the belly button is done at the time of a “mini-abdominoplasty.” This is a procedure that removes the excess skin present on the lower abdomen when the skin on the upper abdomen is not significantly stretched and loose, but the muscle is separated. A liposuction is usually done at the same time. The high lateral tension procedure is a full... more

Robert T. Buchanan, MD

Highlands Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Muscle repair

It might be possible to tighten some of the muscle through a belly button incision and an endoscope might help but the tightening would be modest. You cannot do a high lateral tension abdominoplasty through the belly button. A carefyl analysis will indicate if a muscle repair is even necessary. Sometimes it is not surgery that will improve things, but good mucle tone and posture. The fact that your abdomen looks flat when you are erect suggests that the muscle may not be the problem.... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Muscle repair thru belly button is done, but are you right for it?

I do a full muscle repair thru belly button, and I do get a tight closure with it. I sometimes combine it with liposuction. This procedure works for people who have a muscle separation, good skin tone, and some fat. These indications fit only a small percentage of my patients. A "High lateral Tension abdominoplasty" is the polar opposite of a muscle repair thru the belly button. It takes out a lot of skin and you get a full Tummy Tuck scar. I do a lot more of those than Repair of... more

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Ricardo Rodriguez, MD

Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Repair of the muscles though an umbilical incision

If your concern is strictly isolated to the area below your belly button, then you may be a candidate for a mini-abdominoplasty. This procedure includes an incision along the pubic area then tightening the muscles below the belly button only. If you do not have extra skin but rather just extra fat and weak muscles then liposuction and muscle repair through a small belly button incision is possible. There are very few people who would have a great result from this technique, however. Dr.... more

Michael Baroody, MD

Danbury Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

I think you need a mini

If the laxity is in the lower abdomen than the most appropriate procedure would be a mini tummy tuck. Even it you don't have excess skin the incision can be small in the suprapubic region. Trying to tighten the muscle through a belly button incision can be done but the visualization is poor and the repair likely won't be as good. Liposuction combined with a small incision to tighten the muscles is a great procedure.

Christopher L. Hess, MD

Fairfax Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Muscle repair through the belly button

Yes muscle repair can be performed through the belly button but if your belly skin sags when you bend over, you would likely see a better result with a full tummy tuck or a marriage/hybrid abdominoplasty.