Belly button issue 17 years after tummy tuck - could this be a late complication from the procedure? (Photo)

Has your bellybutton always had such a small opening? This may well lead to moisture retention and chronic fungal infections. Maybe your plastic surgeon has some ideas on how to enlarge the opening which may do away with your problem. Good luck with things.

Hello and thank you for your question. This is a little mysterious to have an issue so far out from surgery. our belly button does not currently look inflammed or infected based on your photo, which is a good sign. However, from my experience, one potential issue that comes to mind is some mild chronic inflammation around the knot of the permanent suture used for the muscle tightening (if a permanent suture was used), sometimes called a called a suture granuloma. A common technique during a tummy tuck is to use a permanent suture to tighten the muscle above and below the belly button, and the knot for the "start"/"end" of these sutures is commonly near the base of the belly button. For some unknown reason, the body sometimes tries to "spit out" foreign suture material it doesnt like which causes some inflammation. Sometimes a bacteria finds its way to the foreign body (permanent suture) and this can cause a minor infection with some redness or drainage. The treatment for this is to perform an exploratory surgery to remove the foreign material and clean out the area, which in this case could be done through existing abdominoplasty scars.

Your belly button also looks somewhat small/tight - if this has changed (i.e. smaller/tighter) over the years due to your body's changes with pregnancy that could also be a reason why you might be developing some symptoms in this area (moisture/lint/etc trapping inside the belly button which is harder to keep clean).

The next best step would be a in-person consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon. Good luck with your journey!

From the photo it appears the scar is constricted which may trap moisture leading to a fungal infection. I encourage you to continue to follow your physician's advice and follow up if the concern does not resolve.