Cutting Around Belly Button to Avoid Tummy Tuck Scarring?

I've seen a few patients who have had this done, and universally they have looked awful. The belly button was stretched, skin was a little irregular around it, and their laxity was inadequately corrected. 
 
There's a reason why this procedure never caught on.

Hello, and thank you for your question about whether a tummy tuck could be done by just cutting around the belly button to avoid the traditional hip-to-hip scar.

I completely understand your concern — many patients are understandably nervous about scarring. However, unfortunately, it is not possible to perform a true tummy tuck by only cutting around the belly button. A full tummy tuck is designed to remove a large amount of excess skin and fat from the lower abdomen, and also tighten the underlying muscles if needed. To achieve these results, an incision low on the abdomen — typically from hip to hip — is necessary to allow the surgeon to lift, tighten, and remove enough skin for a smooth, firm contour.

Simply cutting a circle around the belly button and pulling the skin inward would not remove enough excess tissue, and it would create unnatural tension and distort the belly button itself. It would also likely result in a puckered, tight appearance without addressing the real problem of loose, hanging skin lower down on the abdomen.

During a full tummy tuck, the surgeon carefully places the horizontal scar very low, usually below the bikini line, so that it can be hidden under most underwear or swimwear. With proper care, including good surgical technique, silicone scar therapy, and time, the scar usually fades significantly and becomes much less noticeable over the months following surgery.

If your main concern is minimizing scarring, it’s important to discuss this openly with your plastic surgeon. A mini tummy tuck or a floating tummy tuck might be options for some patients, but those techniques are only appropriate if you have minimal excess skin limited to the lower abdomen.

Thank you again for your thoughtful question. You are smart to research your options carefully — and with the right surgeon, most patients find that the scar is a small trade-off for the major improvement in contour and confidence that a tummy tuck provides.

Wishing you the best in your journey!

Sincerely,
Dr. J. Timothy Katzen, MD, MBA, FASMBS, FICS
(Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and President of the American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons; Fellow of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American College of Surgery, International College of Surgery, and American Board of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery; Member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, and RealSelf Hall of Fame)

When considering a tummy tuck, always review your surgeon’s before-and-after photos carefully, paying attention to scar placement and quality, and make sure you choose someone with extensive experience in body contouring surgeries.

The incisions are what they are. There are certain geometric limitations on what can be sewn to what without producing a gathered appearance.
A belly button incision usually can gather the tissue only so much before the belly button starts to look bizarre and puckered. It is OK for small looseness around the belly button but not for more.
There are many minimal incision tummy tucks now available for the right candidate such as the endoscopic tummy tuck or the Hybrid tummy tuck (TM).
But for ladies with lots of loose skin, only a version of a full tummy tuck will give the best result.