With an abdominoplasty most women would like their scar very low on the abdomen. When the scar is placed low, it means the opening for the navel must travel quite a distance downward. Often there is not enough skin above the navel to stretch and allow removal of that hole. Therefore, we commonly see the up and down scar above the pubic area in most post-op abdominoplasty pictures. There is not an alternative and many patients who want the long scar very low then they will have to accept an up and down scar that closes the bully buttonhole. There is one exception. That is a group of patients that can be treated with what is called “an umbilical float”. Patients must meet certain criteria. The navel must be on the high side to begin with and there must not be a large amount of skin to remove. A cut does not need to be made around the umbilicus. It just floated downward with the rest of the skin. Since it starts higher than normal, it ends up in a good position. Therefore, there is a double benefit: no scar around the umbilicus, or the vertical scar below it. This is a great option for this select group of people. However, most patients need more skin removal and need the vertical scar for the best result.
Surgeon: Dr. Thomas Hubbard
Case Number: 822
