Slit for Belly Button?

          If the slit is large enough a marble or something similar can be helpful for preventing further contraction.  If you are a hypertrophic scar or keloid scar former, belly button constriction is far more common. This can be fixed in a 10 minute office procedure under local anesthesia. 

You are still early in your recovery from tummy tuck surgery. If you are bother by it at all, then consider a revision which is typically performed in office setting under local anesthesia. I typically wait at least 6 months to perform a revision.  Not to worry too much!

The umbilicus (belly button) is not a necessary structure.  If you are not satisfied with the aesthetics of your belly button then you are not obligated to correct it .  The are not health consequences.

 

Dr. ES

At this point you are still early in your recovery from tummy tuck surgery. If you are ok with the belly button appearance then you don't need additional surgery to correct it. The only thing with a very small belly button is that it's difficult to clean. If you are bother by it at all, then consider a revision which is typically performed in office setting under local anesthesia. I usually will perform it after 6 to 9 months from the initial surgery.

 At first, the belly button may appear to be small and when the swelling around the belly button goes away it will appear to be the proper size it was designed to be.  This is the most common reason that the belly button appears too small immediately after surgery.  It may take 6 months to see the final result.  You should speak to your plastic surgeon about this. 

belly button after tummy tuck


too small is easier to fix than too big

small procedure under local 

Thank you for your question. Without a photo it is hard to comment on this. In general, the healing process involves scars. Every surgeon has their favorite belly button technique and you can see all kinds on a site like this. They can be natural looking to ugly target sign. If your belly button is getting smaller or is closing down, you might try placing a compressible ear plug into it to limit the scar contracture. Will need to wear this for a month or longer. Occassionally, one has to inject steroids to control the scarring process, or in the worst case, you might need another surgery to fix it. Good luck, talk to your plastic surgeon about these options.

A smaller belly button after an abdominoplasty is safe. In fact it is usually better in appearance than a larger belly button.  No need to do anything. best wishes!

A full abdominoplasty requires the surgical creation of a new belly button. Creating the new belly button, which is called an umbilicoplasty, is a part of tummy tuck surgery that requires a great deal of attention and finesse on the part of the surgeon. My goal is to create a new belly button that, as much as possible, resembles a 'natural' belly button. Natural belly buttons do NOT look like a perfect circle, and circular umbilicoplasty scars are a tummy tuck dead giveaway.

The technique I use for umbilicoplasty is designed to create a slightly 'hooded' appearance to the upper half of the belly button, an appearance that is generally considered fit and athletic. Not all patients have the goal of wearing a two-piece swimsuit, but many do, and I want these patients to be able to do so without feeling self-conscious about the appearance of their new belly button.

Communicate wit your plastic surgeon about your concerns

Having a small, slit like belly button is not usually a medically concerning issue except for the problem at times of keeping it clean as it may accumulate material. It can be an aesthetic detraction, particularly if you do not like its appearance. You are still early in the healing process so for a variety of reasons, I would wait another few months before undergoing a revision if it is still indicated.

Presently, I would mention your concerns of its shape and size with your plastic surgeon. Typically, a revision of this is a very minor procedure which can be performed in the office under local anesthesia.

Good luck