Several websites are posting photos of Patricia Heaton in a bikini and claiming she has no belly button after having a tummy tuck. Is this true? And if so, why?
It's hard to tell from these photos if her umbilicus (belly button) was removed during her tummy tuck. If it was, this is actually not that uncommon, as many patients who have a tummy tuck have a hernia of their belly button as well. Some surgeons will repair the hernia at the time of the tummy tuck surgery. When this occurs, there is a risk that the belly button will lose its blood supply and die. Some surgeons will pre-empt this process by actually removing the belly button at the time of the surgery, with plans to remake a new one later. I tend to repair it at the time of surgery or have it done after the tummy tuck has completely healed.
To view a Fox News segment I did on a woman who had a tummy tuck and belly button hernia fixed, click here.
To view my other post on Patricia Heaton's Mommy Makeover, click here.
Photo link: vizuble
Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:
