Worried About Belly Button After Mini Tummy Tuck

Betty,
Don't worry. You are only two weeks after surgery. Your skin is very tight and also very swollen. This will distort your belly button to some degree. It is unclear from your question whether there is an incision around your belly button. If you had a "mini tummy tuck," then you should only have an incision at your panty line. In either case, however, you will be very surprised how much the skin will relax and appear more natural after several weeks to months. I hope this is helpful.

Congratulations on your surgery! I know it's hard to not worry when you see contour irregularities but you are very early in your recovery and more time is needed. Continue to follow your surgeon's instructions. You should see improvement over the course of the next few months as healing continues and tissues settle.

You surgeon has given you good advice.  The appearance of your umbilicus will definitely change over the coming weeks to months.  This is due to the stretching of skin and resolution of edema.  Be patient!

You ask a very common question.Without question, the skin after tummy tucks relaxes. It can take some time and two weeks is still extremely soon after surgery in terms of healing time. Also, remember that there is still considerable swelling underneath the skin that you might not even realize. This swelling also makes things "tighter" but as this resolves the tissues loosen. At three months post op you should have a better idea of the result. Have patience and good luck.BRK

One of the advantages of a mini
abdominoplasty is the absence of peri umbilical scars.  In an effort to avoid these scars
compromises are sometimes made. 
Theses may include not tightening the upper abdominal muscles or
removing excess upper abdominal skin.

In the early post-operative period
this can result in a transition zone between the tight lower abdomen and
relatively lax upper abdomen.  This
transition occurs at the point where the umbilicus is fixed to the skin and
this is why distortion occurs in this area.

The vertically oriented line of the
umbilicus with adjacent folds is the type of distortion that would be expected
under these circumstances.  This is
an entirely normal phenomena and should improve with time as the lower
abdominal skin relaxes.  In some
cases remodeling can be facilitated with the use of stents and modified
dressings.

It’s still very early in the
post-operative course and remodeling will probably
occur.  Be patient and make sure
you discuss the issue with your surgeon.

It is very common for the belly button to get stretched during a mini-tummy tuck.  This results in vertical orientation of the belly button.  This will gradually settle with time as the lower abdominal skin loosens up.  Also, a vertically oriented navel is meant to be more attractive than a round or horizonatl navel.