What is belly button plastic surgery? Doctors explain the procedure you’ve probably never heard of
As you’re probably well aware, there’s a plastic surgery procedure for pretty much anything you want done. But this one may actually come as a surprise: The latest plastic surgery trend has to do with reshaping your belly button. If you haven’t heard of belly button plastic surgery, or umbilicoplasty as it’s technically called, it’s a procedure that basically reshapes and/or reduces the size of the belly button.
“It can make an ‘outie’ into an ‘innie’ and correct changes resulting from an umbilical hernia,” board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Joseph Cruise told HelloGiggles. It can also repair any skin hangover left by pregnancy, extreme weight loss, or navel piercings, and is often performed as part of a “combination procedure,” usually with a tummy tuck or any other abdominal surgery.
According to RealSelf, an online resource for information on elective cosmetic procedures, interest in belly button plastic surgery has increased by 12% over the past year, and a majority of those who have undergone the procedure say it’s “worth it.”
Your belly button may not seem like a big deal, but as board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. David Shafer tells HelloGiggles, “Many people come in for the same reasons they come for other plastic surgeries — they notice something about themselves that they want improved.”
That makes sense. But is the increase in umbilicoplasty another case of society telling women how their bodies should look?
According to board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Joshua D. Zuckerman, maybe. “I have seen an increase in concern from patients regarding the belly button, possibly due to the increased influence of social media, but also due to increased awareness of cosmetic plastic surgery in general,” Zuckerman told HG.
He added, "Patients are more aware now that cosmetic surgery can generally address aesthetic issues in most areas of the body and are also more aware of minor surgical procedures, such as this and an inverted nipple correction, than they have been in the past."
The procedure costs around $2,200, and during consultations, doctors typically discuss the options, risks and benefits, healing time, and realistic outcomes. In terms of recovery time, it really varies from patient to patient. Some people tend to heal faster than others.
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On average, Cruise says recovery for belly button plastic surgery should only take about a week. However, if it’s performed with a tummy tuck, the major recovery period typically lasts from three to six weeks.
If there’s one thing a plastic surgeon wants you to know about getting the procedure, it’s this: “Make sure you are going to a board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in aesthetic surgery,” Shafer says. “Check your surgeon’s credential and make sure you feel comfortable with the surgeon and the staff.”