Low Belly Button After TT. What Can I Do? (photo)

Unfortunately, you have had a long-incision abdominoplasty with umbilical "float" when you were actually a better candidate for a full or extended abdominoplasty with "standard" umbilical transposition. (That surgical judgement may not have been evident pre-operatively, but it clearly is now.) 

Now that the umbilical stalk has been transected surgically, the only blood supply to the umbilicus is through the surrounding skin dermal capillaries. Any revisionary surgery that might attempt to remove the (still-remaining) excess lower abdominal skin and transpose the umbilicus to a new high(er) position would result in its loss of circulation and ischemic death of the belly button.

Given these facts, I would recommend that you let things heal and soften for at least 3 months (6 would be better), and then plan on additional surgery to remove the skin between the umbilicus (including the present umbilicus) and old scar (including that scar), re-elevating the abdominal skin flap to the lower breastbone (xiphoid), making sure a proper muscle plication was done from xiphoid to pubis, reclosure and then creation of a neo-umbilicus in the proper position. It won't be as good as your "original equipment," but it can be a very good simulation if properly designed and executed. I truly believe that other than accepting your present appearance, this is your only realistic chance for a better aesthetic outcome.

When you are ready, obtain several in-person consultations with ABPS-certified plastic surgeons in addition to your own surgeon. Options can be discussed, but the one I outlined above is the only viable option considering the blood supply to your belly button has been made dependent on the very excess skin that remains. Only a "new" umbilicus will allow removal of the malpositioned one along with the remaining excess skin. Good luck and best wishes!

This is one of the reasons I don't like to float the belly button. Unless the skin excess above the navel is minimal, this is what happens when you mobilize the skin between the navel and the rib cage.

 

There are better ways to handle this situation during abdominoplasty but at this point those options don't exist.

 

There are some ways to manage this but they are not great. I would suggest that you discuss this with your surgeon and get some opinions from other surgeons who have the opportunity to examine you.

The belly button can be moved up , but it will require a small vertical scar.It could also be re positioned higher ,but the original belly button will result in a scar

You do have a lot of extra skin so your best bet would be to re- do the  tummy tuck