What does floating belly button mean?

A floating belly button or "umbilical float" is done with a mini tummy tuck by detaching the belly button from underneath and then reattaching it, usually a little bit lower. This allows for access to the upper abdomen if muscle repair needs to be done, and a little bit of tightening of the skin just above the umbi (but not much.) If your belly button is a little bit high then it can be a very useful option in some cases.

The term floating belly button refers to the movement downward of the belly button, and therefore tightening of the skin above the belly button by disconnecting the belly button from its connection to the liver, moving it down approximately 1" and anchoring it back to the abdominal wall.The belly button has two blood supplies, one to the skin around it and one to the liver which is how your mother fed you when you were inside her.  If one has minimal to no loose skin above the belly button and lots of loose skin below the belly button, you can detach the belly button, move it down up to 1", and re-anchor it to the abdominal wall.The floating belly button (umbilicus) is a form of mini tummy tuck, but it also allows repair of separated rectus muscles all the way to the bottom of the sternum.  The floating umbilicus is an excellent way of doing a tummy tuck for unique situations.  The surgery is not for everyone, but for the right person, it can give a great post operative result.

Floating a belly button means that the belly button is disconnected from its original attachment and pulled lower as the abdominal skin is pulled down.