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Umbilical Float or Full Tummy Tuck for High Belly Button?

asked 2 years ago by babyab in newy ork
Latest answer by James McMahan, MD
Question viewed 10,011 times
Tags: belly button, female, 110-129 lbs, 5 ft 4 in to 5 ft 7 in, after pregnancy, belly, c-section, diastasis recti, hernia, scar

I am 110lbs, 5'4" and had twins. I now have a hernia, diastasis, low c-section scar and only a small amount of skin ABOVE my belly button (bb).

I have been on 4 consults and all say I have a high bb. Two would do the umbilical float (because of high bb & little skin) and the other 2 say Full Tummy Tuck.

I am torn. I'd like to do the float b/c for the FTT dr's say I'll need a 2nd vertical scar and a vertical scar (due to lack of skin & low c-sec. scar).

16 answers to Umbilical Float or Full Tummy Tuck for High Belly Button?

Floating umbilicus vs full tummy tuck vs hybrid tummy tuck

You have lots of fascial laxity and minimal skin laxity. You are in my opinion a poor candidate for a full tummy tuck because you will get a hip to hip scar just to fix the deep fascia, and that scar will be high and visible. I hate the umbilical float procedure. It involves cutting off the belly button and moving it lower, then reattaching it. In my opinion, the belly button never looks quite rightl, usually flatt, and often even looks bizarre. While I do not perform the procedure, I... more

Brent Moelleken, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

www.drbrent.com

Floating the umbilicus or full tummy tuck

Looking at your belly, it is obvious that you have a very lax distended fascia which requires tightening. Once this is done, one could appreciate the skin excess. There is a long distance between the belly button and the breast bone and a see some skin laxity. I feel you have adequate amount of skin to do a standard abdominoplasty. When properly done you will have a flat belly, the umbilicus could be placed in it's ideal location and the scar can be placed as low as it needs to be. If... more

Farhad Rafizadeh, MD
Morristown Plastic Surgeon

Umbilical Float vs Vertical Scar WITH a Full Tummy Tuck

I think the way to go would be to use your old C section scar through which a full tummy tuck with a complete repair of your rectus muscle separation should be done. This will flatten the tummy and narrow the waist. You also have a somewhat sagging Mons pubis - I would raise it to a youthful position and secure it to the muscle fascia to prevent more upward pull. Finally, the decision on FLOAT VS VERTICAL scar should be made at the end of the case once everything else has been achieved... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

Floating umbilicus vs traditional TT

The floating umbilicus is a rare version of a TT. You don't have an easy abdomen but you do have substantial muscle laxity. Once this is proprly tightened, the umbi will rotate down a litle into a more normal position. I'd vote for a conventional TT, possible a slightly higher scar, no vertical scars at all because these look poor.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Umbilical float vs. full tummy tuck

Based on your photograph, I would definitely go with the mini-tuck with the umbilical float. If you have the full tuck, not only will you have a short vertical scar which you will hate, but the transverse scar will still be very high and you sill still have your C-sxn scar. The mini with the umbilical float will lower your belly button to a more normal level and your transverse scar should be where your C-sxn scar is with no vertical scar. It appears that you will benefit from the... more

James McMahan, MD
Columbus Plastic Surgeon

Umbilical float tummy tuck

The biggest problem with the umbilical float is that there is no going back as the attachments and blood supply that would allow the belly button to be maintained are sacrificed. What that means in the long run is that if you need or desire more tightening of the skin of the abdomen in the future, the belly button will continue to be displaced down towards your pelvis and can end up looking too low. A regular tummy tuck with the resultant scar from transposing the belly button is... more

Julio Garcia, MD
Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon

Umbilical float

You would do great with an umbilical float. The muscles can be repaired, the belly button brought down and the scar kept low. Best wishes, DoctorMeade

Ricardo A. Meade, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

www.DoctorMeade.com

Umbilical float or full Tummy Tuck

You will get a lot of opinions here, and without an exam, its hard to give you the best advice. In general, I feel that the float procedure is usually not a great idea. On the other hand, the vertical scar you would have with a full tummy tuck usually heals extremely well. Therefore, I would favor a full tummy tuck (with a short scar not much longer than your c-section scar), a full muscle repair, and a short vertical component. Good luck.

Dean Fardo, MD
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

A mini tummy tuck and floating the belly button is a great abdominal contouring procedure

Hi Babyab - From you photo, it looks like you're a great candidate for a mini-tummy tuck with floating of the umbilicus. The scar is small, low, and allows great access to tighten the abdominal muscles. It doesn't appear that you have enough skin for a full tummy tuck. The recovery for a mini tummy tuck is about 2 weeks off of work and 6 weeks from lifing more than 5 lbs to protect your healing abdominal muscles. Good luck!

Jeffrey E. Schreiber, MD
Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

www.BaltimorePlasticSurgery.com

Confusion about tummy tuck: full versus float

I reviewed the other surgeon's answers and I don't blame you for being confused. There is no right or wrong answer, merely opinions and preferences based on experience. I would probably favor and umbilical float because this weould allow me to correct lower AS WELL AS upper abdominal skin laxity, fix the hernia and the diastasis while preserving the vascularity of the umbilicus. If you are considering a full tummy tuck, you may require laparoscopic repair of the umbilical hernia to maintain... more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Float your high belly button

Dear Baby ab, You have the right abdominal characteristics to float your bb. This will prevent the need for a vertical scar (which is somewhat unlikely anyway) and a scar around the bb. The question is, would you like to have your belly button lowered? Good luck!

Kenneth R. Francis, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Umbilical float for tummy tuck with a high belly button

To give specific advice one would have to examine you and see how lax the skin is, but my impression is that you are an ideal candidate for the umbilical float. You would still be able to get all of the muscle tightening that you need, and keep the scar low where your C-section scar is. The limitation is that the skin in the upper abdomen may not be quite as tight as with a traditional tummy tuck but in cases like yours it is a good trade-off.

Richard Baxter, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Umbilical Float

Here is my opinion, and I respect that other doctors will disagree. I don't like the float, as the bb winds up too low, and can get deformed looking. You may have an extension of your hernia into your umbilicus, as it appears to have a shallow "cup". Secondly, although in your current conditionl, you only have minimal skin, after the roundness if fixed (hernia repair, muscle tightenting), you will have more skin than you think. Based on your history and your photo, I recommend... more

Scott E. Kasden, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Floating belly button good for your tummy tuck.

Hi. 1) You are one of the rare women who will benefit by having a full tummy tuck, but floating the belly button downwards. We do this in about 10% of our patients. 2) The hernia and the diastasis can be repaired through the C section scar (making it longer, of course), the excess skin can be removed, and the vertical scar is avoided

George J. Beraka, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

High belly button

The first thing I would do is examine you while you are lying down. That exam allows you to see what things look like when ther is no internal pressure on the muscle layer. Your primary problem is the muscle layer called the fascia. Once the fascia does not have the pressure on it you can get a very good idea as to how much extra skin you will have once the fascia is tightened surgically. If it looks like there is enough skin to get the spot just above the belly button down to the c-section... more

John P. Stratis, MD
Harrisburg Plastic Surgeon

With twins, I have usually done a full tummy tuck

With twins, I have usually done a full tummy tuck, and I have not had to do a vertical scar in years. Obviously, I would need to see you before just to make sure; however, with twins, you usually stretch the skin out so that there is plenty. Look at my web-site photos and come in for another opinion -- the consultation is complimentary.