What is the Best Procedure to Fix the Loose Skin Above my Navel and the Belly Button Appearance? (photo)

This is an excellent question for someone who is in very good shape after pregnancy. It appears that you may have a separation of the rectus muscles, called a diastasis. In spite of this you  have very little excess skin above the navel. In this situation I typically recommend a modified abdominoplasty, which has a short incision, no incision by the belly button, and includes repair of the diastasis. The excess skin is shifted downward during the procedure and the excess removed in the bikini line incision. This is sometimes referred to as a floating umbilicus technique. I never recommend a reverse abdominoplasty because the location of the scar can be quite visible. A modified abdominoplasty can safely be performed in conjunction with any breast implant procedure. I hope this helps. Good luck.

It looks like you are a good candidate for a tummy tuck.  That would tighten the skin of your entire abdomen and improve the appearance of your belly button. It is common for me to perform breast surgery at the same time. In your case you might consider exchanging your saline implant for a pair of the new cohesive gel implants. Good luck!

The Mommy Makeover is a combination of procedures to bring a woman’s body back to the way she looked prior to pregnancy. Most commonly some variation of a #TummyTuck and #BreastSurgery are performed. Additional procedures can include liposuction, umbilical hernia repair.  The most common #breastprocedures include #mastopexy or #breastlift, #breastaugmentation, or #breastreduction.  #MummyTummy is a term given to modified tummy tucks which can use liposuction and skin tightening with radiofrequency such Vanquish, Vela3, thermage, thermiRF and others.  The actual fat contouring can be done non-surgically as well with #UltraShape or Cool-Sculpting.

In addition to a one-on-one consultations with a board certified Plastic Surgeon, patients always need to be seen by their primary care doctor prior to such procedures.  We screen every patient and their medical records for risks of blood clots (DVT) and then take appropriate measures.  MWL (massive weight loss patients of  75 lbs or more) tend to have poor skin elasticity and will frequently need additional tightening even afte 6 -12 months regardless of who or how their surgery is performed. This is simply the nature of such body tissues and the ability to heal with the lack or limited elasticity. 

Your procedures should be performed by a #PlasticSurgeon who is board-certified and has a great deal of experience specializing in cosmetic #surgery. You will then greatly improve your chances of getting the result you desire, and, without the need for a revision surgery. It is suggested that you look at before and after photos of the surgeons actual patients, and read patient reviews. Gathering all of this information will help you make a well-informed decision.

            It’s
not unusual for patients to develop redundant abdominal skin, stretch marks,
weakened abdominal muscles, and distortion of the umbilicus following
pregnancy. When this situation arises, a variety of surgical options exist
which are tailored to the patients individual needs. 

           Your
pictures suggest that you would be an excellent candidate for a full
abdominoplasty. This procedure would remove excess skin and fat, tighten your
underlying muscles, remove stretch marks, and improve the appearance of your umbilicus.
This procedure could be done in combination with breast augmentation revision.

            If
you’re considering abdominoplasty surgery, it’ s important to consult a
board-certified plastic surgeon who can perform a physical exam. This surgeon
should be able to formulate an appropriate treatment plan that will address
your concerns.

Thanks for providing the photos.  

 

On first glance, it appears that you would have enough excess skin for an abdominoplasty (or Tummy Tuck procedure).  That would take care of the loose skin and provide you with a much more optimal appearance to your abdominal wall.  

 

At the same time, you could consider changing out both of your saline implants for silicone gel implants and adjust the size as you prefer.  

 

The combination of these procedures is often referred to as either a "Mommy Makeover" or the "Before Baby Body" procedure  

 

Best of luck.  I hope this information was helpful!

The photograph demonstrates laxity of the abdominal wall and surplus skin of the abdomen. The umbilicus serves as an anchoring point and must be released for tightening of the skin of the entire abdomen. This adds up to a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty.

Looking at your pictures, it looks like you would benefit most from a full tummy tuck.  That will flatten your abdomen, narrow your waist, improve the belly button and get rid of the loose skin.  Replacing your implants at the same time is safe and a common procedure in the Mommy Makeover.  Good Luck!

There is a surgery called a reverse abdominoplasty in which excess skin is pulled up and removed from just underneath the breasts. The problem with the procedure is that the scar is hidden under the breasts except in the midline where is crosses your breast bone or sternum. Most patients don't like the idea of this scar and end up either leaving things alone or opting for a traditional tummy tuck procedure.

The simple answer is that there is no perfect solution for skin laxity that is very localized above the navel as it appears to be in your case. Most often a tummy tuck is the way top go but that may be too extreme of a solution for you. A reverse tummy tuck, in which the skin is pulled up rather than down, might be an option. That would leave a scar along the bottom crease of the breasts. It is also possible that the skin tone could be improved to some degree with nonsurgical treatment such as Ulthera or Thermage but I would not attach high expectations to nonsurgical approaches.

Thanks for the question and the pics. It is hard to tell exactly from the picture how much excess there is and what the position of the abdominal wall muscles is. In a standard abdominoplasty, the skin above the belly button is brought downward and removed. The BB is then brought out through a new opening. I don't routinely treat just the BB.

Them implants can easily be changed at the same time. Find a board certified plastic surgeon in your area to help you. You should do great. Best of Luck!