Belly Button Reconstruction
You can feel more at ease looking down at your stomach, with a navel that looks more natural and better balanced.
Is this right for you?
The navel sits at the visual center of your stomach. When it becomes distorted, shifts out of place, or loses its shape after earlier surgery, a hernia, or changes in your body, many people feel self-conscious about it. Belly button reconstruction is a procedure that reshapes the navel so it looks more natural and sits in better harmony with the skin around it.
This may be a good fit if
- Your navel is distorted, pushed outward, or off-center after a past operation on your stomach, such as a tummy tuck or hernia repair.
- Your navel no longer has a clear shape, or it looks flat and faint, and you would like it to look more defined.
- Your general health is stable and you can heal a wound in the normal way.
- You understand that this is a small refinement to the look of your navel, and you hold realistic expectations about the result.
This may not be right if
- You have an umbilical hernia or an abdominal wall hernia that has not yet been treated. This usually needs to be assessed and repaired first.
- You are pregnant or plan to become pregnant in the near future, since your stomach will still change.
- You have a health condition that is not well controlled, such as diabetes or a clotting disorder, or you smoke heavily, which raises the risk of slow healing.
- You are hoping for a result with no scar at all. Every incision leaves some mark, to one degree or another.
How it works
Everything starts with a consultation. Your surgeon will ask about any past surgery on your stomach, listen to what bothers you, and examine your navel and abdominal wall in person. If a hernia is suspected, which is when inside tissue pushes out through a weak spot in the abdominal wall, your surgeon may order further checks before making a plan.
For anesthesia, belly button reconstruction can be done under local anesthesia, where only the area being operated on is numbed while you stay awake, with or without a sedative, or under general anesthesia, depending on how much work is needed and whether it is combined with another procedure.
During the procedure, your surgeon makes a small incision and reshapes the navel, repositioning it, deepening it, or rebuilding its shape so it looks more natural. Different techniques, such as forming a small skin flap or stitching the navel down to the layer of connective tissue beneath, are chosen to suit your situation.
When the work is done, your surgeon closes the incision with sutures and may place a small dressing or mold inside the navel to hold its shape while it heals. In most cases you go home the same day.
Realistic expectations
Belly button reconstruction aims to improve the shape and position of your navel so it sits in better harmony with your stomach. This is a focused change to one area, not a full reshaping of the whole abdomen.
What this will not do
- It will not flatten your stomach, remove excess fat, or tighten the abdominal muscles. Those are the work of other procedures.
- It will not repair a hernia if you have one. That needs to be assessed and treated separately.
- It will not create a navel with no mark or stitch line at all.
Recovery
Recovery after belly button reconstruction is usually gentler than after larger abdominal surgery, but the navel still needs time to heal and settle into its shape. The points below are rough estimates and will differ from one person to the next.
- The first few days
- You may notice swelling, bruising, and mild soreness around the navel. Your surgeon will usually explain how to keep the incision clean and dry, and how to care for the dressing or mold inside the navel.
- About 1 to 2 weeks
- Swelling and discomfort usually ease over this time. You may be able to return to light, non-strenuous work within this window, depending on how comfortable you feel.
- About 2 to 6 weeks
- Your surgeon will usually advise you to avoid heavy lifting, ab exercises, and vigorous activity during this stage so the incision can heal soundly.
- Several months
- The scar keeps softening and fading over time, and the final shape of your navel becomes clearer. A scar can take about a year or more to mature fully.
Risks & safety
Every surgery carries risk, including the smaller procedures. Your surgeon will talk through the points below, and how to lower them, before you decide.
- Scarring. The stitches leave a scar, and the way a scar heals differs from person to person; some people are prone to raised or thickened scars.
- Infection at the incision, which may need antibiotics or extra care.
- Slow wound healing, or a partial opening of the stitch line, which is more common in people who smoke or have an underlying condition.
- A navel shape that is not what you hoped for. It may look uneven, too deep, too shallow, or off-center.
- A collection of blood or fluid under the skin around the area that was operated on.
- Loss of or a change in skin sensation around the navel, usually temporary but sometimes lasting.
- The possibility of needing a corrective procedure later if the result does not turn out the way you wanted.
How we do it
At The Gioi Dep, our surgeons begin by examining your abdominal wall carefully to rule out a hernia or a weak spot in the connective tissue before discussing how to reshape the navel. We look at the navel in relation to your whole stomach, because a navel that looks well sits in harmony with everything around it, rather than apart from it.
We take the time to understand what you truly want to change, and we speak plainly about what this procedure can and cannot do. When belly button reconstruction is part of a larger plan, such as being done at the same time as a tummy tuck, our surgeons will talk you through the order and the coordination between the procedures.
Frequently asked questions
Does this procedure hurt?
During the procedure you are under local or general anesthesia, so you feel no pain. Afterward you may notice mild soreness and a feeling of tightness around the navel for the first few days, which can usually be managed with pain medication as directed by your surgeon.
What will the scar look like?
Your surgeon tries to hide the stitch line within the natural folds of the navel so the scar shows less. A scar is usually red and visible at first, then fades over several months, but the way a scar heals differs from person to person.
How long will I need off work?
Many people return to light, non-strenuous work within about one to two weeks. If your job involves heavy lifting or vigorous activity, you should take more time off. Ask your surgeon about your own situation.
Will my navel look natural after reconstruction?
The goal is a navel that looks natural and balanced with your stomach. The result depends on your starting point, the technique used, and the way your body heals, so an exact shape cannot be promised in advance.
Am I too old for this procedure?
There is no fixed age limit. What matters more is your general health and your ability to heal a wound. Your surgeon will assess this during the consultation.
Can I have belly button reconstruction at the same time as another surgery?
Yes. Belly button reconstruction is often done alongside abdominal procedures such as a tummy tuck. Your surgeon will discuss whether combining them is suitable and safe for you.
Will the result last over time?
The new shape of the navel usually stays stable over time once it has healed. That said, major changes in your body later on, such as pregnancy or a large change in weight, can affect your stomach and navel.
What if I am not happy with the result?
Wait until the navel has fully healed and settled before you judge it, because swelling needs time to go down. If you are still unhappy after that, talk with your surgeon about the option of a revision.
How do I know if I have an umbilical hernia?
An umbilical hernia often shows up as a bulge around the navel, which can become more obvious when you cough or strain. Your surgeon will examine you and, if needed, order imaging to confirm it before planning any reshaping.
The next step
The next step is a conversation - book a consultation.
The content on this page is for reference only and does not replace a direct examination and consultation with a specialist physician. Surgical outcomes vary from person to person.