Have you heard about the latest plastic surgery craze, belly button surgery? It's when those that are self-conscious about their "outie" belly buttons (a convex navel, a.k.a. when a belly button sticks out) into "innies." For some this is simply a cosmetic fix, for others the reasons may be medical. Here are the 8 things you MUST know about belly button surgery–whether you're just curious or are genuinely considering the procedure.
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The latest plastic surgery craze is belly button surgery.
Whether it's post-pregnancy fix-ups or just the pressures of swimsuit season, plastic surgeons have reported that belly button surgeries are trending at their offices lately.
In fact, belly button surgery saw a 33 percent increase in 2016.
According to data from RealSelf.com, an online community of real people sharing their cosmetic and wellness results, belly button surgeries increased by 33 percent in 2016 as compared to the previous year.
Mainly, people are turning their "outies" into "innies".
Women's Health reports that a New York City plastic surgeon, Matthew Schulman, M.D., says that he has seen an increase in patients who are looking to him to turn their "outies" into "innies."
How getting belly button surgery actually works.
So what actually happens during this so-called belly button surgery? Basically, if you were born with an outie, a plastic surgeon will trim and tack down excess skin during this procedure.
But belly button surgery is different if you have been pregnant.
If your "outie" is caused by a herbia which happened during pregnancy, then doctors recommend that you get it fixed for medical, and not cosmetic, reasons. This requires a longer procedure in order to "fix" the fat or intestines poking through a small hole at the base of your belly button.
How long an outie-to-innie transformation takes... and what it feels like.
The transformation during this surgery takes anywhere from 15-45 minutes, since it can be more or less complex to repair the outie-to-innie. You may feel like you've gone a few too many crunches at the gym afterward.
What people should do post-belly button surgery.
According to Dr. Schulman, "There’s very little discomfort afterward, and my patients rarely require anything more than Tylenol for mild soreness." You should also avoid any exercises or stretching your stomach for three weeks after surgery in order to allow interna sutures to heal properly.
The price of belly button surgery is...
Like with any plastic surgery, the cost can be high. Belly button surgery costs about $3,500–and you should be really sure before taking the plunge since its irreversible.
