Breast DIEP flap surgery involves a number of technical steps. When it comes to the procedure process and how the results will look, a detail patients may ask about is if a new belly button is created as part of the procedure.
Since tissue is taken from the lower abdomen to reconstruct the breast, many are curious about how this affects the belly button and what exactly happens during surgery. The answer depends on the way the abdominal tissue is moved and how the incision is designed.
In this blog, we’ll discuss how the belly button may appear after the procedure, and the factors that are helpful to consider.
Why does the belly button need to be addressed in breast lift DIEP flap surgery?
A DIEP flap uses skin, fat, and blood vessels from the lower abdomen to create a breast mound in a shape that aligns with the patient’s body frame.
To access this tissue, a horizontal incision is typically made across the lower abdomen, running from hip to hip. Since a large area of skin and fat is lifted, repositioned, and sometimes removed, the belly button naturally has to be worked around. The belly button itself is not usually taken away, but it does need to be separated from the surrounding abdominal skin during the surgery so that it can be placed back in the right position once the abdominal tissue has been closed. In simple terms, the belly button is saved while the skin around it is moved.
After the flap tissue has been transferred to the chest and the abdominal incision is pulled down to close, the surgeon creates a new opening for the belly button in the abdominal skin and secures it back into place. So, the belly button is not removed, but the skin around it is rearranged.
Is it technically a new belly button?
Essentially, the belly button is still your original one, but it has been repositioned so that it looks correct on your abdomen after the skin has been tightened.
During DIEP flap surgery, the surgeon detaches the skin around the belly button but leaves it connected at its base, where it attaches to the abdominal wall. Once the flap tissue has been used for the breast and the abdominal skin is re-draped, a new opening is created in the right spot for the belly button to sit.
This gives the impression of a new belly button, but it’s more accurate to say that the original is kept and re-sited. Surgeons also shape and suture the skin carefully around it, which is why its appearance may change slightly. The overall effect can sometimes look like a newly made belly button, even though it’s technically your own.
How does the surgeon decide where to place the belly button?
Positioning is planned carefully before and during surgery. Since the abdominal skin is tightened when it is closed, the belly button cannot simply stay in its original location. The surgeon considers the natural midline, the proportions of the torso, and the overall tension of the skin closure.
After the abdominal incision has been closed, the surgeon measures and marks where the belly button should be, then creates a small hole in the abdominal skin for it to come through. The belly button is then stitched into place. This step is just as precise as the transfer of tissue to the chest, as both the placement and the shape of the belly button have an influence on the appearance of the abdomen after surgery.
Does the belly button look different after surgery?
The belly button can look slightly different after DIEP flap surgery, depending on how the tissues heal. Since the skin around it has been shifted and tightened, its shape may appear more oval or vertically oriented compared to before. Scarring around the belly button is also expected, but surgeons aim to keep these scars discreet by tucking them inside the natural folds of the belly button whenever possible.
Over time, the scars usually fade, although they remain part of the long-term result. Some patients notice that their belly button looks new simply because the shape or placement is not identical to what it was before.
How does the belly button step compare to abdominoplasty?
In many ways, what happens to the belly button during DIEP flap surgery is similar to what happens in an abdominoplasty.
Both procedures involve removing or repositioning abdominal skin, which means the belly button has to be detached from the skin and re-sited. The main difference is that in a DIEP flap, part of the abdominal tissue is transferred to the chest for breast reconstruction, whereas in an abdominoplasty, the focus is entirely on tightening and removing skin and fat from the abdomen.
In both cases, the belly button is not replaced with a new one but is kept and reattached in a new opening in the overlying skin. Patients who have read about abdominoplasty often recognise the similarity when their surgeon explains what will happen during breast lift DIEP flap surgery.
What should patients expect during recovery from breast lift DIEP flap surgery?
During the early weeks after surgery, the belly button may appear swollen or have some crusting around the sutures. This is a normal part of healing. Dressings may be applied to protect the area, and surgeons often advise patients to keep it clean and dry. Over time, as the swelling decreases and the sutures dissolve or are removed, the belly button begins to take on its long-term appearance.
It is common for the belly button to look slightly different at first compared to the final healed result. The surrounding abdominal skin needs time to heal after being pulled tight, and scars take months to mature. During the months after surgery, the belly button generally starts to appear more natural, although the shape and scarring will depend on individual healing.
Why to choose Specialist Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon A/Prof Bish Soliman for Breast Lift DIEP Flap Surgery in Sydney
If you have been thinking about undergoing DIEP flap surgery, it’s important to speak directly with an experienced surgeon who can assess your needs and provide you with helpful guidance.
Specialist Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon A/Prof Bish Soliman has completed extensive training to specialise in complex microsurgical reconstruction. He has also specialised in aesthetic surgery of the breast, body and face.
If you would like to meet with A/Prof Bish, you are welcome to get in touch with our team to schedule a consultation at our Sydney location.
Read more about DIEP Flap Surgery from A/Prof Bish Soliman:
- A/Prof Bish’s breast reconstruction procedure page
- A/Prof Bish’s blog: What can you expect from DIEP Flap breast reconstruction?
- A/Prof Bish’s blog: How to recover from DIEP breast reconstruction?
- A/Prof Bish’s blog: What are my options for breast reconstruction?
- A/Prof Bish’s blog: How much does breast reconstruction cost in Australia?
- A/Prof Bish’s blog: Will Medicare cover my DIEP breast reconstruction surgery?
- A/Prof Bish’s blog: Who are the best DIEP breast reconstruction surgeons in the World?
- A/Prof Bish’s blog: Why A/Prof Soliman prefers a DIEP breast reconstruction?
- A/Prof Bish’s blog: How and when to resume arm exercises after DIEP Breast Reconstruction?
- A/Prof Bish’s blog: Should I lose weight before DIEP Flap surgery?
Medical references about DIEP Flap breast reconstruction:
