One of the most common questions patients ask us is: Does a tummy tuck change your bellybutton? The answer is yes, but when done skillfully, it changes for the better. At Parker Center for Plastic Surgery in Paramus, New Jersey, Dr. Paul M. Parker takes extra steps to ensure your new bellybutton looks natural, attractive, and proportionate to your results. Learn more below.
Why Does the Bellybutton Change During a Tummy Tuck?
A full tummy tuck addresses the entire abdominal area, including the skin above the bellybutton. Because we pull the excess abdominal skin downward and remove it, we have to make an incision around the bellybutton to release it from the surrounding skin. After securing the remaining abdominal skin to the suture line in the lower abdominal area, we carefully make a new opening for the navel, giving it an attractive, new shape. This process doesn’t remove or reposition the bellybutton itself—just the skin around it.
Think of it like shifting the “window” the bellybutton peeks through. A renowned board-certified plastic surgeon, such as our very own Dr. Paul M. Parker, who has completed thousands of tummy tucks, has perfected a specific technique to sculpture this ‘window’ as artistically as possible.
Creating a Natural-Looking “Innie”
Dr. Parker uses specialized internal sutures to sculpt a small, vertical bellybutton opening with gentle upper hooding—features that give it a natural, youthful appearance. He also reshapes and contours the surrounding fat to help the bellybutton sit in a slight depression, mimicking how a natural bellybutton looks.
This attention to detail is one reason patients seek out the Parker Tummy Tuck. Many surgeons overlook the importance of bellybutton aesthetics, but Dr. Parker believes it’s essential to creating a result that doesn’t look “surgical.”
Will My Bellybutton Look Fake?
The results can look unnatural when a tummy tuck is performed without careful bellybutton design. Common signs include a round or overly large bellybutton, visible suture marks, or misplaced positioning.
At the Parker Center, these concerns are addressed with:
- Thoughtful bellybutton placement
- Internal, absorbable sutures
- Fat sculpting for contour
- Minimal scar visibility
The bellybutton is one of the finishing touches in Dr. Parker’s signature tummy tuck techniques, but other features, such as 360-liposuction, drain-free recovery, and low, easily concealable scars, make the Parker Tummy Tuck unlike any other abdominoplasty in New Jersey.
What If I Don’t Want To Alter My Bellybutton?
Depending on your body contouring goals, you may be a better candidate for a mini tummy tuck vs a full one. A mini tummy tuck addresses the skin below the navel and does not involve an incision around the bellybutton, meaning that the bellybutton is not reshaped. However, a mini tummy tuck does not address diastasis recti or achieve the same level of transformation as a full tummy tuck.
Similarly, if you have minor skin laxity and localized fat in the lower abdomen, you may be a good candidate for liposuction or liposuction with BodyTite skin tightening—neither option reshapes the navel. During your consultation, we can help you determine whether liposuction or a tummy tuck is more appropriate for you.
Can I See Real Bellybutton Results?
Yes! You can explore Dr. Parker’s tummy tuck before-and-after gallery to see real examples of the bellybuttons he has reshaped. These photos showcase the discreet, natural, and polished results his patients love.
Ready To Take the Next Step?
Dr. Parker’s exceptional surgical technique prioritizes both form and function—delivering flatter, firmer abs and a contoured midsection, with an attractively reshaped bellybutton to match. If you would like to discuss your body contouring goals with one of the foremost tummy tuck experts in the United States, please request a consultation or call us at (201) 967-1212 today.
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