Why the Belly Button in the Center of the Universe in Tummy Tuck Surgery
Posted January 30, 2026 in belly button, Body Contouring, Revision Tummy Tuck, True Form Body Contouring®, True Form Tummy Tuck®
By Dr. Chris Patronella
When it comes to a tummy tuck, the belly button is truly the center of the universe. I have spoken to hundreds of women, and their overwhelming concern, without question, is, “What is the belly button going to look like?” after the tummy tuck procedure I perform. And that concern is because the belly button tends to be the most exposed area in a two-piece swimsuit. An artificial-looking belly button is unattractive, and women want to feel like they can expose their abdomen and take advantage of the new look without being self-conscious about how the belly button looks.
I have a very methodical way of treating the belly button so that it is inconspicuous on the abdomen. I spent a lot of time developing and refining a six-step method to sculpt what studies indicate is widely considered the ideal attractive appearance for a belly button: one that has depth and is oval-shaped. An asymmetrical oval is what I favor, where the top of the belly button is slightly wider than the bottom of the belly button, not round-shaped. A round belly button looks artificial. In addition, I internalize the scar. I want the scar to be on the inside edge of the belly button so that it is inconspicuous.
Creating an authentic-looking belly button is a challenging part of the tummy tuck procedure because technically the belly button is the residual from birth, and it has some scar element to it. It’s a common area where laparoscopy is performed so this can leave scarring as well. Scar tissue adds a much more challenging factor to this component of the procedure.
But I do think if you examine the belly buttons in my portfolio of patient tummy tuck results, you will notice that the belly button is relatively inconspicuous—it’s hard to see the scar, generally deep and oval in appearance. I invite you to take a look at the photos and the artistic renderings of the procedure that I perform ,and feel free to ask questions. I’m more than happy to answer them for you in a consultation, or for the convenience of our out-of-town patients, a preliminary video meeting. Thank you.
Contact us to schedule your consultation with Dr. Patronella. Preliminary video consutlations are available.
