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Umbilicoplasty or Tummy Tuck for Frowning Belly Button?

asked 2 years ago by wannabutt in Fort Pierce, Fl
Latest answer by Robert M. Grenley, MD
Question viewed 5,618 times
Tags: age 45-54, belly button, stomach, female, 110-129 lbs, 5 ft 4 in to 5 ft 7 in, excess, scar, skin

I am 47 years old, 5'6" 120 lbs. I weight train since 1986. Around 1980, I gained quite a bit of weight in short time (was around 155 lbs) and still paying for the repercussions! In 1989, I had breast augmentation with a benelli breast lift.

That same laxity plagues me on my stomach! Most women would love to look like me, but I hate my frowning belly button and puckery skin. The issue seems more in the area above the belly button. Is there a benelli-type procedure for me; an umbilicoplasty maybe? Would rather have belly button scar and covered with tattoo than tummy tuck.

14 answers to Umbilicoplasty or Tummy Tuck for Frowning Belly Button?

Umbilicoplasty vs. tummy tuck

Umbilicoplasty is a procedure to make the belly button look better. Usually it involves a hernia repair of the belly button and a reanchoring to recreate a more normal appearing belly button. It is especially useful if a post-surgical belly button has a flap expressionless appearance, or if an "outie" is present and needs to be converted. The umbilicoplasty does not work the same way as a Benelli mastopexy. If too much gathering is performed around the belly button, it looks... more

Brent Moelleken, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

www.drbrent.com

Umbilicoplasty or tummy tuck for frowning belly button?

Unfortunately, there is no great procedure for tightening the skin just around the belly button or just above the belly button without doing a tummy tuck, freeing the skin up and pulling the skin down tightly. I suppose I should mention a reverse tummy tuck as well, where the incision is beneath each breast AND CONNECTS ACROSS THE MIDLINE, but this is not commonly done, probably does not hold up as well as a traditional tummy tuck as you are pulling up against gravity, and the scar... more

Robert M. Grenley, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck

Your "unhappy belly button" appears to be due to some extra abdominal tissue. I think that an abdominoplasty will get rid of the extra tissue. You will have a scar around your current belly button.

Shahin Javaheri, MD
San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

Umbilicoplasty or Tummy Tuck for frowning belly button not recommended

What you wish cannot happen. I would politely refuse to attempt any correction upon your umbilicus or tummy areas. You will not be happy. Best of Luck.

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Horizontal or frowning umbilicus

Improving the appearance of your umbilicus would require either a full Lipo-Abdominoplasty or Lower LipoAbdominoplasty. An isolated Umbilicoplasty in view of the amount of skin laxity that you exhibit is unrealistic.

Todd B. Koch, MD
Buffalo Plastic Surgeon

Umbilicoplasty

What you are referring to is similar to what was performed for your breasts. It involves removing skin and then suturing the resulting skin to the umbilicus. Not an ideal procedure and will not resolve the problem You need to see a board certified plastic surgeon to see if you are a candidate for a tummy tuck as it appears that the majority of the loose skin you have is around and above the umbilicus.

Farbod Esmailian, MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon

TUBF - TranUmbilical Belly Flattening

However logical it may seem, the TUBF (TransUmbilical Belly Flattening) procedure does not exist. Not for lack of trying but because it yields poor results (just like A Benelli procedure which is pushed to its limits). To understand why it does not work, visualize your basic restaurant napkin tucked in a wine glass. Look at the appearance of the nap king cloth as it traverses the rim of the glass. Although a large portion of the napkin CAN be tucked into the glass (IE into the belly button... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck is vastly superior to umbilicoplasty

Very few patients actually want a tummy tuck - if alternatives existed which yielded similar results, you can be certain that plastic surgeons would recommend them. That being said, your redundant skin and muscle laxity (looseness) will be optimally corrected with a formal tummy tuck. The incision can be hidden quite low, yielding excellent cosmetic results. Hope this helps - best of luck.

Sam Jejurikar, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Hidden belly button needs a tummy tuck

The loose skin that is above your belly button is causing the "frowning" appearance. I agree with the other doctors that is is simply not possible to tighten the skin just around the belly button. Plus the amount of excess skin that is present would also make that a bad choice in your case. I'm afraid that in this situation the only option is the larger operation of a tummy tuck but it will give you an excellent result.

Robert B. Pollack, MD
La Jolla Plastic Surgeon

Tummy Tuck vs Umbilicoplasty

I agree that you would be much happier with a tummy tuck than with an umbilicoplasty. From your photo, you appear to be very good candidate for a tummy tuck with some liposuction of your flanks. Unfortunately, you will need to stop your weight training for a few weeks following either procedure.

John Whitt, MD
Louisville Plastic Surgeon

There is no Umbilical procedure that can tighten the tummy

Hi there- It would be great if we could make a small scar in your belly button and tighten the abdominal wall skin.... But it's simply not possible, and would look crazy. I'm not sure the technique is really that great for the breasts either, and your photo is a good example of why- it tends to flatten the central breast area, with exaggeration of the lower pole (especially when an implant is in place). A modified tummy tuck may be appropriate for you. I would find a surgeon you like and can tru more

Armando Soto, MD
Orlando Plastic Surgeon

www.DrArmandoSoto.com

Peri-umbilical laxity

What you see in a belly button standing looks different when you lie down. The fold you see is due to the laxity in the epigastric region so the logical procedure anatomically isa reverse-type abdominoplasty that pulls the skin up rather than down. Unfortunately this is not a very good operation here because of the necessary scars. You might be able to get some modest tightening with something like Thermage or Titan. The other alternative would be a modified abdominoplasty where the belly... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

There really isn't a good "umbilicoplasty"

Many people throw around the term "umbilicoplasty" as if there is such a procedure that produces consistently good results. Unfortunately none exists because too much skin needs to be purse-stringed into the umbilicus to look good.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Umbilicoplasty vs Tummy Tuck

Although it sounds logical to do a Benelli style umbilicoplasty, I have never seen a technique which can produce a consistently significant improvement. Unfortunately, there is too much skin to crowd into a small incision.