American Society of Plastic Surgeons
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Sarah3
3 months ago
Answered

Belly Button Died, multiple repairs .looks horrible. Need help

I recently had a belly button revision (again) 12/8 and the stitches opened (again). Can I put a belly button shaper in the hole to help give me somewhat of a button? I need a new surgeon as this one tried 7 times and my skin isn’t cooperating. I’m in IL, can anyone help and has had experience with a dead button. Original surgery was in 2018.

Procedure: Tummy Tuck
Location: Chicago, IL

Replies 2

Rahul Vemula
ASPS Surgeon
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Sorry to hear this happened. Do you have any risk factors such as uncontrolled diabetes or nicotine exposure ?

At this point you may be better off by doing a revision to close this wound and the. Have a 3-D tattoo for your umbilicus

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Alfred Antonetti
ASPS Surgeon

We do not have pictures of what it looked like before the surgery or how exactly it was reconstructed. You seem to have a fresh lower transverse scar as well and perhaps part of the reconstruction was done through here. This is a complication that sometimes happens with abdominoplasty and more with smokers or previous umbilical scars or with poor quality skin as you have with the multiple striae. There is a small open wound and sometimes the reconstruction is meant to leave a small opening that closes with a little time. Your wound will close. It may take a few weeks. You should do nothing but small dressing changes daily and I would recommend Silvadene or Vaseline gauze. Absolutely nothing to be done before at least six months and then re-evaluate the problem It will look a lot better then and the decision could be mad then about what or if anything should or could be done and when. Follow with your surgeon.

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