06 Jan Star Has 2 Bellybuttons After Tummy Tuck: Why You Should Only Work with Reputable Surgeons
What happens if you don’t have a reputable plastic surgeon perform your tummy tuck? There’s never any way to predict what’s going to happen—but in one case it resulted in two bellybuttons. Also known as abdominoplasty, tummy tucks are one of the most-requested procedures at Dr. Shaun Parson Plastic Surgery & Skin Center. It is a very complex, aggressive surgery that, when done correctly, can give patients a taut, flat tummy. The scar is hidden below the beltline and while the recovery period is longer than many other surgeries, patients say it’s worth it. Diet and exercise alone cannot fix sagging abdominal skin caused by pregnancy or severe weight fluctuations.
However, former Atomic Kitten performer Kerry Katona has recently opened up about her botched surgery. She intended to be discrete about getting the procedure, but decided to be transparent on the podcast she co-hosts, Wheel of Misfortune. “Here’s an exclusive for you,” she revealed. “I had a secret tummy tuck last year. I should never have done it, and they cut my bellybutton off.” What she says isn’t quite technically true. In the vast majority of cases, a full tummy tuck is going to either remove or destroy the original bellybutton, so the creation of a “new” bellybutton is standard in most cases when undergoing this procedure. It’s an additional surgery that is added into the approach for a full tummy tuck. However, the quality of these bellybuttons can vary—as Katona shared.
Bellybutton Problems
Yet it isn’t just the issue of the new bellybutton that Katona is struggling with. Her surgeon apparently kept at least some remnant of her “old” bellybutton while still adding another. She apparently pointed to the old bellybutton and told her co-host, Alison Spittle, that it “shouldn’t be there like that.” At first Spittle tried to console Katona, but ultimately agreed, “Okay, well if I’m being frank, Kerry, I’ve seen it on the back of a packet of fags [cigarettes].”
Katona went on to share why she decided to do the surgery in the first place. Post-partum, she was the “biggest” she had ever been and understandably had sagging, crepe-like skin on her stomach. Whether or not a person “bounces back” after surgery depends on many factors including age, genetics, and how much weight is gained and subsequently lost during pregnancy. For many women, the only way to get rid of a post-partum tummy is with a tummy tuck. Skin that has been stretched out too much and doesn’t have ample collagen simply isn’t going to return to its pre-pregnancy state.
What to Expect with a Proper Tummy Tuck
Getting a tummy tuck is a big decision. It is often coupled with liposuction for various reasons, including the fact that most people have some amount of excess fat in the stomach. Also, it just makes sense to combine surgeries when possible to avoid more incisions and to have a shorter overall recovery period. A full tummy tuck not only removes excess skin but also repairs the abdominal muscles. Strengthening the abs is part of what makes the procedure so invasive—it’s not just a skin surgery.
A full tuck will typically require an incision from hip bone to hip bone. There is also a mini tuck, but few patients are good candidates for this surgery. It only addresses sagging skin below the bellybutton, but does come with a shorter incision, shorter recovery period, and usually there is no need to create a new bellybutton.
Is a Tummy Tuck for You?
Even though a tummy tuck is often one of the most important surgeries in a “mommy makeover,” men can and do get this procedure, too. Since it’s not just pregnancy that causes a sagging stomach, men and women alike might be good candidates. However, it’s usually best if a person is at or near their goal weight so that they do not continue to shrink their stomach post-surgery (risking a recurrence of the saggy skin).
If you think a tummy tuck might be for you, work exclusively with the local leading expert in tucks. Contact Dr. Shaun Parson Plastic Surgery & Skin Center today to schedule your consultation by calling the office or completing the online contact form.