Is a convex navel normal or an anomaly? (Umbilicoplasty)

#4 types of belly buttons

In the nature of people there are different types of navels. There are theories for each of them that can indicate the possible presence of problems in human health:

1. Arcuate. Often means the presence of excess body weight in a person or a predisposition to diseases of the digestive system.
2. Convex. Often predicts the formation of a hernia.
3. Incompletely protruding. Often confirms a person’s intolerance to cold.
4. Almond-shaped. Sometimes indicates a tendency to migraine.

During life, the navel can change shape. In pregnant women, this occurs at 24 weeks in the “interesting position”, when the navel slowly turns into a convex one.

This is considered normal, since the female body is preparing for childbirth.

If a woman expecting the birth of a baby has not changed the shape of her navel, then in the 7th month its depth will certainly change.

The navel determines success in sports

© Maridav

The position of your navel helps determine how fast you can run or swim. Scientists from Duke University have found that it is not the shape of the navel that matters, but its position in relation to the rest of the body.

The navel is the center of gravity, which explains why athletes of African descent are more likely to outperform athletes of European descent. Their legs are longer, making their belly buttons an average of 3 centimeters higher than those of white athletes.

Why is the navel convex? (3 reasons)

The navel appears at the moment of birth. The umbilical cord that feeds the baby inside the mother's womb is cut. The remaining scanty amount, to avoid bleeding, the remainder is clamped with a special clothespin.

Usually the “tail” dries out and falls off on its own, while the umbilical ring is pulled inward. However, it happens that this does not happen, and a convex navel is formed in the newborn.

The origin of the appearance is identified by the following factors:

• a hernia in a newborn or the development of a neoplasm in the first months of life. Trouble occurs due to laxity of the muscles of the anterior abdominal septum as a result of illiterate care of the baby or genetic predisposition.
• high ligation of the umbilical cord, after which the bulge is recognized as normal. And although it does not threaten the baby’s health, parents try to eliminate the sign from the child’s body.
• fistula in the umbilical ring is an abnormal manifestation in newborn infants. It appears due to insufficient development of the urinary and bile ducts.

In adults, a convex navel is formed, in addition to the above, due to excess belly fat or intra-abdominal pressure.

Past illnesses, surgical (and plastic too) interventions, and piercings contribute to the degeneration of the umbilical ring.

In some cases, it helps to avoid a bulging navel in an adult by training the abdominal muscles.

Model Karolina Kurkova without a navel

All placental mammals, including humans, have an umbilicus, as we were all once connected to our mother's body through the umbilical cord.

According to evidence, the famous Czech model Karolina Kurkova does not have a navel, but this was due to the fact that she underwent surgery to remove it as a child. According to some doctors, the operation could have been performed due to an umbilical hernia. Another celebrity who lost her belly button after surgery is famous film director Alfred Hitchcock.

Is it possible to transform a bulging navel?

Those with a bulging umbilical ring do not always have health problems. This is a feature of the body that is not considered a deviation from the norm.

However, many owners of such a navel want to change it.

The navel is transformed from convex to convex by surgery. The operation is called umbilicoplasty.

This intervention will help correct the umbilical shape. You should go to a clinic where a variety of plastic surgeries are performed.

In medicine, there are about 10 different techniques for changing the shape of the navel.

Plastic surgeon Larry Nichter (Newport Beach, California)

If the navel changes its appearance for unknown reasons, takes on an unusual appearance, or begins to hurt, this is a reason to immediately go to the doctor.

Choose a good master

Pay attention to highly qualified specialists if you decide to get a navel piercing. Photos of girls in their catalogs will allow you to evaluate the expected end result in advance. Be sure to check the issue of sterilization with the institution of your choice. There are no ultraviolet, dry heat or quartz sterilizers that kill hepatitis and HIV viruses. A good salon should only use a vacuum autoclave, which sterilizes instruments for fifteen minutes.

Ask how the master does the piercing and what material the jewelry he offers is made of. What is used in the product: nickel-free gold or implantation titanium? Remember that the puncture is done with special needles. Under no circumstances should you go to salons where clients are offered piercings with a gun. It is impossible to sterilize it. If at least one of the previous clients was infected, everyone who came here after him may also get sick.

Well, and, of course, pay attention to the salon itself. The room should be uncluttered, bright and clean. It is ideal if the inventory, equipment and treatment room are kept perfectly clean. Diplomas and certificates of a piercer specialist should also be located here. In a word, if you want to decorate your navel, follow these recommendations! Good luck!

Umbilicoplasty of the navel

Umbilicoplasty can correct a bulging or unsightly navel. This plastic surgery eliminates navel defects and changes the size, shape or appearance of such a part of the body.

Umbilicoplasty is recommended if the navel:

INDICATIONS

• protrudes above the line of the abdomen - this often occurs when the umbilical cord is carelessly (illiterately) tied at birth;
• excessively deep, which leads to the accumulation of a characteristic secretion and difficulty in clearing it from the umbilical ring;
• wide, which is why it catches the eye on a flat, elastic stomach;
• stretched due to pregnancy or significant weight gain, sagging due to age or rapid weight loss, curved or completely lost during abdominal surgery;
• unnaturally, asymmetrically placed.

In addition, a similar surgical procedure is performed in case of an umbilical hernia in the client. In this case, the navel is round and convex, and umbilicoplasty is performed in tandem with a procedure (hernioplasty) to excise the hernia itself.

Navel plastic surgery is also performed if there is a tear in the skin around the circumference of the navel, or the presence of scars after an unsatisfactory piercing or injury.

Natalya Vodyanova

Source: @ natasupernova
The supermodel boasts a slender body and teenage facial features that do not change with age and allow you to look younger than your age. Next to older children, she seems like a sister, not a mother.

However, in 2022, when she posted a swimsuit photo on Instagram, some followers criticized her belly button. Social network users called it too big and the shape of its belly ugly. They also didn’t like Natalya’s lack of waist; they advised her not to be naked in public anymore. The comments were very negative.

Nuances of surgery

The surgeon takes 30-90 minutes to perform umbilicoplasty. The manipulation is performed simply using local anesthesia (general analgesia is also possible).

The operation is often performed in conjunction with abdominoplasty or abdominal liposuction.

What actions the operating doctor chooses depends on the specifics of the defect intended for elimination:

1. To correct the aesthetics of the navel, an incision is made with further formation of the required depth, size, and shape. The latter is often formed as a vertical fold. 2. Getting rid of a convex navel is achieved by excision of excess skin with immersion of residual tissue into the depths of the dermal fold. 3. The reconstruction of the lost navel is realized using a piece of skin on the abdomen.

The surgeon does everything so that the postoperative scars are hidden in the umbilical fold. So they are invisible to the eye.

If non-absorbable stitches were used, then you will usually need to see your doctor after a week to have them removed. Don't worry if there is swelling, bruising, or discomfort. This is normal after intervention.

Plastic surgeon Larry Nichter (Newport Beach, California)

Anatomy is important

Of course, the anatomy of a girl’s body is also important for piercing. Classic piercings are not suitable for everyone. For example, if you don’t have a fold at the top that can be pierced, you need to abandon the classics. The girl’s low navel does not allow her to be given an ordinary “banana”. He won't get used to it. In this case, you will need an upper puncture. In general, it all depends on your body.

Navel surgery after childbirth

Often after childbirth, the navel does not look exactly the way a woman wants. In this case, surgery will also help.

The intervention is carried out after the lactation period. Before and after photos of patients indicate a positive result after surgery.

Correction of the navel in the postpartum period is usually carried out using the double circular section method. The excess dermal piece is then removed and a new fold is created to accommodate the navel.

Other techniques include elliptical, longitudinal, and semicircular excisions.

Reconstruction of a lost navel in a woman who has given birth is considered the most difficult adjustment. During the operation, the surgeon cuts out a piece of tissue to create a new navel.

The plastic surgeon also takes into account the patient’s wishes regarding the size and shape of the navel. The suture line is hidden in the recess of the folds.

Navel correction is used after childbirth and with other surgical procedures, such as abdominoplasty.

The surgeon moves the dermal fatty tissue downwards to remove the excess flap. To maintain proportionality, the navel area is returned to its natural position by a specialist.

After childbirth, the female body is usually weakened. Therefore, a hernia may form in it. Then, hernia repair is included in the correction of the navel. And the surgical procedure is due to medical indications.

If a hernial bulge is detected and a disturbance in the functioning of the digestive tract appears, it is necessary to urgently see a doctor.

Tara Reid

Source: @tarareid
The actress became famous after the film “American Pie,” but has changed a lot since then. Tara had noticeably lost weight - so much so that she was suspected of anorexia. Fans didn't recognize Reed. She did not notice the problem and continued to lose weight, striving for a perfectly flat stomach. But it still remained protruding, just like the navel.

It turned out that the problem was a hernia, which was discovered in the actress after liposuction. Only after surgery, she was able to make her stomach more aesthetically pleasing.

Question answer

Of course, navel surgery can be performed after liposuction. But it should be carried out after complete rehabilitation. To find out when you can have surgery, you should go for a consultation with a plastic surgeon.

Yes, today such an operation has become fashionable. But it’s worth considering whether this trend needs to be supported, or whether it’s better to leave everything as it is.

Initially, you should go to a plastic surgeon and discuss all the nuances with him. Consultation with a therapist is also necessary. Next, the necessary tests are taken to eliminate contraindications and assess the person’s health status. If everything is normal, the patient is sent for surgery. No special preparation is required.

Decoration should be decoration

Photos of girls' navels after a piercing do not always look very beautiful. Many salon clients are faced with situations in which they are convinced that it is initially necessary to install a special earring. Such accessories usually look too bulky, cheap and ugly. But they supposedly need to be placed in order for everything to heal. This is actually not true.

Today, there are truly high-quality, beautiful and stylish jewelry that can be placed in a fresh piercing without fear. They won't look cheap. However, the cost of such accessories is considerable. That is why many salons cannot afford to purchase them. As a result, the client has to wear a questionable-looking earring.

When is navel surgery needed after piercing?

This type of surgery is performed for a number of reasons:

INDICATIONS

• at the request of the owner of the umbilical piercing with decoration;
• due to unsuccessful piercing due to incorrect execution technique;
• due to infection in the puncture as a result of violation of sterility;
• due to the nature of the body due to its tendency to form excess connective tissue;
• due to an allergy to metals for the earring and the formation of swelling and inflammation.

Plastic surgery takes place according to the methods already mentioned. According to the newfangled trend, navel plastic surgery ends with its suturing.

Compared to more complex cosmetic surgeries such as a tummy tuck or liposuction, umbilical plastic surgery is simpler and carries less risk of complications.

Plastic surgeon Larry Nichter (Newport Beach, California)

Girls' navel is a beautiful and aesthetic place for piercing

So, let's tell you more. It is not for nothing that girls’ navel is considered the most beautiful and aesthetic place for piercing. The history of such decoration of the female body goes back to Ancient Egypt. Then in this way the priests showed their high position in the social order and importance. Today, the procedure is a way to draw attention to one of the most seductive points on the body. Indeed, the piercing looks very beautiful and stylish. The main thing is to treat the puncture site very carefully and carefully.

Simple rehabilitation

Patients go home on the day of surgery. After a few days, it is permissible to return to your usual activities, but not to significant physical activity.

2 days will pass, and you can go to work, if it does not involve heavy physical work.

Plastic surgeon Larry Nichter (Newport Beach, California)

Recovery does not take long. This will take about 1-2 weeks.

During the specified time, traces of remaining hematomas around the reconstructed navel disappear on their own.

The effect of the procedure will be impressive. If you follow the plastic surgeon’s recommendations for caring for the operated area, then no complications will arise and infection will not occur.

Until the stitches are tightened, swimming in the pool, staying in the sauna, solarium, or on the beach is prohibited.

You can see the final result after 1.5-2 months.

Possible complications

In general, if a girl has her navel pierced, she should be prepared for various not very pleasant consequences. The most dangerous thing that can happen in an unscrupulous salon is the possibility of contracting an infection. Unfortunately, most of these establishments are not regulated by anyone. Therefore, even the most basic safety rules are not observed there.

Despite the fact that in some salons at first glance everything looks quite decent, you should not be firmly convinced that this is really the case. It is quite difficult to distinguish implantation titanium from surgical steel or silver by eye. But you can’t put such metals into a fresh puncture. “For the sake of easy money,” it happens that salons use this technique. Medical steel is created for the manufacture of surgical instruments. But it is not intended to be worn in the human body. If this happens, your wound will heal not in three months or even a year, but much longer. Moreover, it may never heal at all.

The classic form of decoration is the “banana”. However, not everyone can afford it. If an inexperienced master pierces the navel too close to the edge of the skin or places a “banana” where it cannot take root, you will not understand it right away. But literally in a few months (or years) the jewelry will hang terribly on the thin strip of epidermis left from the puncture. Then it can come off.

Cost of umbilicoplasty

The patient's expenses are calculated based on several nuances. Namely: what defect the surgeon will have to eliminate, the cost of the material, the level of skill of the plastic surgeon, the rating of the clinic, its pricing policy, etc.

The price for the specified event is reduced if it is performed together with another operation. Abdominoplasty is often performed in tandem.

Below are the prices for intervention in rubles:

In St. Petersburg, the price range is from 8,500 rubles. (Military Medical Academy named after S.M. Kirov) up to 66,000 rubles. (Amoria Clinic).

Reviews

SVETLANA, 35 YEARS OLD, LENINGRAD REGION:

“I acquired a hernia in the navel after my second birth.
It didn't bother me, but the disgusting appearance of my navel needed to be corrected. Doctors eliminated the defect under local anesthesia. I didn’t feel any pain, the procedure lasted no more than 30 minutes.

I was in the room for 3 hours, and in the evening I went home. I felt a tugging sensation in my abdomen for a week.

I wore compression underwear for almost a month - it was very uncomfortable. But now the navel has acquired an attractive appearance. And I consider the operation itself to be uncomplicated in terms of physics and psychology.”

OLGA, 25 YEARS OLD, MOSCOW:

“They combined umbilicoplasty with abdominoplasty.
As the surgeon said, this way the navel will not move (I wanted a less convex one, it looks completely ugly on the abs). By the way, I found the doctor through reviews on VKontakte. Now the vertical fold of the dermis on it is neat and beautiful, and the seams are disguised by the inner fold.

The double procedure was performed under one general anesthesia. The bruises on my delicate skin lasted for a long time. It was worth the patience, as navel surgery will last a lifetime.”

EVGENIYA, 23 YEARS OLD, ULYANOVSK:

“I have had a bulging belly button since childhood. Maybe someone thinks that this is a virtue, a highlight, but I was ashamed of it and often did not appear on the beach or in the pool.

Correction of the navel made it possible to get rid of the complexes that arose on this basis. After the operation, I regained faith in the beauty of my body. Thank you doctors!”

Non-ideal navel shape: how teenage girls feel about their appearance

The Dove brand from Unilever, together with the All-Russian Center for Public Opinion, conducted a study on the attitude of teenage girls to their appearance and what their parents think about it. The results were presented at a press conference on March 12.

First, the survey participants were asked how they felt about their appearance - 63% answered that they were satisfied with everything about themselves. At the same time, 80% of parents reported that their child, from their point of view, feels normal about his appearance. Only 18% of parents were concerned about how their teenage children perceived themselves. VTsIOM Director for Work with Government Authorities Kirill Rodin, who presented the research data at a press conference, noted that these figures contradict information obtained as a result of a more detailed survey, and suggested that this is “the psychological fence behind which teenagers hide their internal problems."

The survey revealed that, despite the initially stated positive attitude towards their own appearance, only 6% of girls would not want to change anything about it. 50% said they would like to change their stomach, 47% their weight, 46% their waist, and 43% their facial skin. In addition, teenagers said they would like to change their thighs and buttocks, as well as get rid of body hair. A slightly smaller number of respondents were concerned about the shape of the chest and nose.

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53% of parents said that they would not want to change anything about their daughters’ appearance, but only 18% of respondents did not want to change anything about themselves. The top 3 desired changes in appearance for adults are the same as for teenagers: belly and weight (34% each), and waist (22%). “Most likely, adults are doing something about these changes. That is, in words the parents would not like to change anything, but in reality they do something completely different. Children pay attention not to words, but to actions, and in this model, the action will always carry more weight,” Rodin noted.

The girls were also asked who they would like to be like. Two options lead by a wide margin: “like a famous person” (28%) and “like a mother” (22%). 9% of respondents each want to be “like a blogger” and “like someone of the same age.” Most often, girls named model Kendall Jenner as their ideal. Also popular were actress Angelina Jolie, model Irina Shayk and Kendall's sister Kylie Jenner.

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At the same time, adults are confident that their daughters’ attitudes toward their own appearance are most influenced by their friends (56%). 33% of parents considered their own influence significant, another 20% think that the opinions of boys their own age are important to their daughters. Celebrities were considered role models by only 14% of parents surveyed.

68% of survey participants experienced a negative attitude towards their appearance from others. In 72% of cases, negativity came from classmates, in 31% from female friends, and in 30% from male friends. 27% said that their parents criticize their appearance.

Negative attitudes in 60% of cases appeared in the form of jabs, giggles and teasing. 14% and 10% of girls, respectively, experienced bullying and physical aggression. Only 21% turned to their parents for help. “I think that the children in their answers downplayed the volume of problems that happen to them. All this is very alarming in terms of how much we understand the scale of what is happening. And I do not exclude the possibility that teenagers can speak and complain in their own language, but their parents do not hear them,” Rodin commented on these figures.

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The girls were also asked how often their parents compliment them. 9% of respondents reported that they never receive compliments from their parents, while less than 1% of parent respondents admitted that they do not compliment their daughters.

47% of parents named organizing leisure time, 44% mentioned psychological work at school, and 40% suggested limiting the time their children spend on social networks as ways to develop confidence in their appearance in teenage girls. Parental control in this matter was considered important by only 22% of adult study participants. “Many studies show that for a child the role of parents is leading, but the parents themselves try to shift their functions to other institutions, although they cannot compensate for their influence. We see a difference in the perception model of children and parents. Will this problem somehow solve itself? I doubt that this will happen on its own, although dialogue between children and parents is the main function,” Kirill Rodin summed up the presentation.

The results of the study were commented on by the psychologist, head of the department of social and psychological safety of the individual at the Moscow Social Pedagogical Institute Larisa Karnatskaya. In her opinion, the inability to achieve ideals of beauty contributes to the emergence of a gap in adolescents between the “real self” and the “ideal self,” and as a result, children are in a constant state of painful self-evaluation.

“Adolescents lack the skill of identity formation. If previously the child had a protective self-esteem screen, then in adolescence it breaks down. Children try to exercise control over their changing bodies, but they may not succeed, and these futile attempts can lead to eating disorders, suicidal thoughts and even suicide attempts,” Karnatskaya is sure. She points out that the ideal screen image is presented as a sign of success. Teenage girls associate a thin body with status, success and desirability. Karnatskaya also spoke about the results of a British study, which showed that 60 minutes spent by a teenager on social networks looking at photographs of influencers reduces the child’s self-esteem by 80%.

“During this period, a teenager must find strength in adults. But the first mistake adults make is that they see a teenager who has withdrawn into himself, into his reflection and is silent - and they really think that there are no problems. Parents often limit their dialogue with their child to a couple of phrases. And if parents are also silent, then teenagers think that their parents are not interested in them. Many parents do not know the characteristics of adolescence, and this is indeed a very difficult age,” the psychologist emphasized, adding that adolescents are often focused on their shortcomings and do not see their strengths at all. It is very important, Karnatskaya believes, for parents to voice what they are proud of in their child, especially if it is something that the child himself does not see in himself.

Vice-President of the Russian Association for Public Relations, Director of External and Internal Communications of the Moscow School of Management Skolkovo Ksenia Trifonova, during the presentation of the research results, decided to search on the Internet what the media write about the appearance of celebrities - according to her, an article which appeared in the first place in the search results, is called “Stars with an imperfectly shaped navel.” “This generation lives almost entirely online. And against this background, the social responsibility of those who create content for online media and order content for media increases greatly,” Trifonova is sure. — Unfortunately, the advertising industry still remains very conservative. It continues to be largely ruled by grown men who promote images of ideal beauties who are impossible to meet in life.”

“I sincerely hope that in my professional life I live to see advertisers admit that everyone is different and there is no perfect belly button on this earth. And not the argument that body positivity is about ugly people who are too lazy to take care of their appearance,” she concluded.

The study involved 500 girls aged 14 to 17 years and 800 parents whose daughters were aged 10 to 17 years. Dove, together with the Research Institute of Hygiene and Health of Children and Adolescents of the Ministry of Health, conducts lessons in schools on healthy attitudes towards oneself and one's appearance, and also publishes useful materials for teachers, mentors and parents.

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Expert opinion

• Cosmetologist

Irina Dorofeeva

practicing cosmetologist

I would like to note that the scar after umbilicoplasty is still noticeable.
There is a high risk of developing stretch marks, especially with weight changes or pregnancy. Personally, I think that it is better not to touch a bulging navel, especially since it does not look terrible and many people have this exact appearance of the navel. The appearance of a bulging navel does not always harm the health of children and adults. If the condition of the umbilical ring worries its owner or there is a desire to improve this piquant place on the human body, umbilcoplasty (umbilical surgery) will help.

Not only photos before and after the surgical procedure convincingly prove the effectiveness of umbilicoplasty (navel correction). Positive changes in obtaining the ideal shape of the umbilical hollow are visible in the video of the procedure performed by a plastic surgeon.

Symptoms

Typically, the natural scar is located in the midline of the abdomen, between the xiphoid process of the sternum and the pubis. For most, it has a funnel-shaped appearance, and its depth is determined by the number of fat cells in this area of ​​the abdominal wall. The size, shape and depth of the navel can change throughout life, which may not always please its owner.

Possible symptoms associated with an unsympathetic navel:

• spoils the overall appearance of a beautiful torso;
• protrudes above the level of the skin, causing discomfort to the owner, as it may cling to the belt of clothing;
• shifts to the right or left relative to the midline of the abdomen, which leads to asymmetry of the navel.

A cosmetic defect can create physical discomfort for a person and negatively affect his mental health.

People of a pedantic nature who have an ugly navel may experience decreased self-esteem. It is also possible that complexes will develop, leading to a refusal to visit places with a bare torso (baths, beaches, swimming pools). In the hot season, an individual increasingly wears clothes that cover up a deficiency. The presence of a not very attractive scar-like formation can become a problem in building relationships with the opposite sex. Mental disorders caused by the presence of this deficiency are characteristic of women and young girls.