5 weeks post op belly button is a little red.. is this normal? (photos)

Question

I am almost 5 weeks post open and my belly button is a little red. Is this normal? My PS said my bb looks stressed but I'm not doing anything extreme.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD · Answer

Hello and thank you for your photo. Your belly button is slightly red but looks fine. Continue to clean it as instructed by your surgeon. Sometimes patients have a sensitivity to the antibiotic ointment Bacitracin and this can make it pink. As long as there is no odor or drainage from it, it should be fine.

Tania Medina de Garcia, MD · Answer

Hello dear, thanks for your question and provided information as well.. It is better if you go your your plastic surgeon to determine what's the cause of your redness around your incision. It is always normal that we have redness around our incisions after surgery, but also it can be another thing, like an infection

Jeffrey Zwiren, MD · Answer

Really need to have an examination to determine if this redness is just normal or a limited infection.

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

For peace of mind I might start a regimen of PO antibiotics and local wound care... >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Sugene Kim, MD, FACS · Answer

Although your belly button seems to be a little irritated, it does not look infected.Some scars heal red; others heal light or dark.Once cleared by your plastic surgeon, you should massage for the incision with scar scream.  Also, protect all incision with Sun screen if you are going to have sun exposure.Scars do remodel and mature over one year.  As long as you are taking care of the belly button (scar), the scar should improve with time.Best regards.

5 weeks post op belly button is a little red.. is this normal? (photos)

Answers (5)

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