What method do you recommend on cleaning my incision area and naval after a tummy tuck?

I have my patients wear tape over the incisions for the first two weeks after surgery. This eliminates much of the nursing care that needs to be done. Simply leave the tape on, shower over the tape, and pat it dry. The belly button typically is treated with just some Neosporin or antibiotic ointment for the first 10 days and then is left alone. Once you are 2-3 weeks post op, I have patients treat the scars just as the rest of the skin. No special treatment. Some patients feel that vitamin E oil, or scar creams, or cocoa butter, or something else needs to be used after the 2nd week, but it probably doesn't really matter.

Thank you for writing. I agree with Dr. Stoekel on using tape over the incisions and ointment on the navel. Occasionally there can be persistent drainage from the navel so I'll have the patients gently clean the area a few times a day with saline (salt water) on a Q-tip, then apply ointment and some absorbent gauze.