Body Surgery

Umbilicoplasty

at Cadogan Clinic, London’s Leading Cosmetic Surgery Specialists. 

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Award Winning Specialist Clinic

We've won 12 top industry awards since 2010 and regularly feature in the national and international press.

Industry Leading Consultants

We've invited only the very best consultants in the country to practice with us.

Care Quality Commission

Our Leadership has been rated Outstanding by the independent regulator of health and social care in England

GMC Registered Surgeons

All of our surgeons are registered with the General Medical Council.

Medically Reviewed 16 February 2024, by Mr. Bryan Mayou (GMC: 1414396) - founder of the Cadogan Clinic and one of the world's leading plastic surgeons

What is an Umbilicoplasty?

An Umbilicoplasty is, essentially, belly button surgery which enhances or reduces the appearance of your naval. This procedure can make the naval (more commonly known as your belly button) more aesthetically pleasing, or improve the shape, to prevent discomfort or it showing through tight clothing.

Concerns with the naval can have many causes. Pregnancy, weight changes, and belly button piercings can all have long term effects on the naval, leaving it misshapen or protruding leading to physical and emotional discomfort.

Our London Umbilicoplasty cases are performed as a day case procedure, meaning that you will be able to go home on the same day as your surgery. Depending on the extent of the surgery, it can be undertaken using either general or local anaesthetic and usually takes between one and four hours to complete. Most patients can fully recover within two to four weeks.

Umbilicoplasty is often combined with other procedures such as Liposuction or Abdominoplasty, to enhance the overall results of the surgery.

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Umbilicoplasty
At a glance

Surgery Time

1.5 hours

Time off work

1 week

Hospital Stay

Day Case

Shower

After 1 day

Reasonable Mobility

After 1 day

Exercise

4 - 6 weeks

Sexual Activity

After 4 weeks

Sleeping on back

2 weeks

Full Recovery

6 weeks

Driving

1 - 2 weeks



Before and After

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Why do people have an Umbilicoplasty?

People opt for Umbilicoplasty if they have concerns surrounding the shape or size of their naval. The appearance of the belly button changes commonly due to pregnancy, dramatic changes in weight, or a piercing. As the belly button is often visible when wearing swimwear, underwear, or during intimacy, those who are self-conscious about this area may avoid certain activities such as swimming or changing in communal areas, and not feel confident in their body with their partners. This may also impact their confidence in intimate relationships. London belly button surgery is more common than many people may recognise, and we find that we are able to help our patients regain confidence in their appearance with natural-looking results. Umbilicoplasty before and after cases, therefore, are transformative and yet discreet.

Who is suitable?

To establish your suitability for Umbilicoplasty, you will meet with your surgeon for a one-to-one consultation at our award-winning clinic, based in Chelsea, London.

Your surgeon will discuss your concerns and examine your naval to help them develop your surgical plan. This will include the most appropriate surgical technique and the results they will realistically be able to achieve. You must be over 18 to have Umbilicoplasty at Cadogan Clinic.

Words from our clients:


The cost of an Umbilicoplasty

To get more information on pricing for London Umbilicoplasty, please contact our dedicated Surgical Patient Advisors on 0207 901 8500 or complete the form opposite.

We offer a range of payment options, including finance packages starting at 0% interest.

Cadogan Clinic has collaborated with Chrysalis Finance to offer a variety of payment choices for our patients including:
12 months 0% Interest-free - APR
24 - 60 months at 12.9% APR
Flexible Finance

Get in touch now to get a price

Get in touch 0207 901 8500

Included in this treatment

Up to two 60 minute consultations with a leading specialist plastic surgeon at our award-winning premises in Chelsea

Your procedure carried out at London’s leading specialist cosmetic surgery centre of excellence

24/7 on call nurse assistance

Dedicated Patient Co-ordinator, as a personal point of contact through your journey with Cadogan

A pre-operative medical assessment to ensure you are fit for surgery

Comprehensive post-operative aftercare courtesy of our specialist cosmetic nurses


What is involved in an Umbilicoplasty?

To carry out the Umbilicoplasty, your surgeon will make incisions within the belly button itself, to conceal any scarring as much as possible.

Any excess skin and fat in the naval, is removed or repositioned to create the desired shape and position. Any herniations will also be addressed during the procedure. The incisions are then closed with dissolvable sutures. 

Umbilicoplasty takes between one and four hours to complete, depending on the complexity of the procedure and any other procedures that are being performed at the same time.


Umbilicoplasty Surgeons

We have invited a selection of the country's very best consultants to join us at the Cadogan Clinic so that you can be sure that whatever the nature of your treatment, you will be seeing one of the top practitioners in the country.


Umbilicoplasty Procedure

How will you need to prepare for your procedure and what can you expect having an Umbilicoplasty at Cadogan Clinic.

When you first contact Cadogan Clinic, you will speak with one of our Surgical Patient Advisors. They will be able to answer any initial questions you have about Umbilicoplasty and will book in your first consultation with your surgeon. Surgical consultations are usually between 30-60 minutes and your surgeon will explain the results you can expect from an Umbilicoplasty as well as discussing your concerns. We recommend writing down any questions you have for your surgeon ahead of your consultation so that you are fully prepared.

Your surgeon will also carry out a general health and wellness check and take clinical photos for your medical records.

Following your consultation, your surgeon will send your procedure plan to your patient advisor. If the surgeon has decided you are suitable for Umbilicoplasty, your advisor will contact you to explain the options your surgeon has suggested, as well as the pricing and available surgical dates. You will then have a mandatory two week cooling off period to allow you to consider whether you wish to proceed with surgery.

 If you proceed with your Umbilicoplasty at Cadogan Clinic, your surgeon will ask you to prepare for surgery in the following way:

  • You will need to complete your pre-operative medical and psychological questionnaires. These will be reviewed by your surgeon, anaesthetist and the nurses to ensure you are ready to proceed with your Umbilicoplasty.
  • If you smoke or vape, your surgeon will ask you to stop for six weeks, before surgery can take place. Smoking can have a negative impact on your body’s ability to heal, which may influence your final surgical outcome.
  • You will also be asked to cut down on drinking alcohol as excessive alcohol consumption can also impact the healing and recovery process as it causes inflammation.
  • In the week before your procedure, avoid taking any anti-inflammatory medications (including ibuprofen and aspirin) and any herbal supplements as these can increase your risk of bleeding.
  • You will need to organise a chaperone to come and collect you after your Umbilicoplasty. This should be a family member or friend who can either drive you or accompany you in a taxi and stay with you for the first night.
  • In the 6 hours before you arrive at the clinic, you mustn’t eat any solid food, or consume any juice or milk (including tea or coffee). You can have sips of clear liquids (water, or black tea and coffee) up to 2 hours before you arrive at the clinic.

On the day of your Umbilicoplasty, you will be asked to arrive at the clinic an hour before your surgery time. When you arrive, the nurses will check your blood pressure, height and weight, and ask you to change into a surgical gown and compression socks. Your surgeon and anaesthetist will then come to answer any questions.

You will then be taken into theatre, where your anaesthetist will administer your general anaesthetic. All procedures at Cadogan Clinic are carried out with TIVA (Total Intravenous Anaesthesia) which minimises post-operative sickness and nausea, and allows for a faster initial recovery, meaning you can go home faster.

Your surgeon will then carry out your Umbilicoplasty. After the procedure is finished, you will be taken to our recovery ward, where you will wake up from the anaesthetic and a nurse will monitor your vital health signs. You will then be taken into our ambulatory ward where you will have something to eat and drink. Before you are discharged, a nurse will talk you through any medication you need to take once you leave. When you are ready, the nurses will ask your chaperone to come and collect you and you will head home.

Recovery following Umbilicoplasty is usually quite quick, and most patients are fully recovered within four weeks. You will have to sleep on your back for one week after surgery and will need to avoid exercise and strenuous activity for four weeks.

Following your Umbilicoplasty, you will have two appointments at Cadogan Clinic. The first will be with our specialist nurses, one week after your procedure. They will assess your incisions and explain how to look after your dressings. The second appointment will be with your surgeon, six weeks after your procedure. They will discuss your results and take another set of clinical photos.

Throughout your recovery period, you will have access to our 24-hour specialist nurses’ line, to assist with any queries or concerns you have.

The Patient Journey. A breakdown of what you can expect on your journey with us

We are deeply invested in ensuring that every step of your surgical journey with us is as informative and reassuring to you as it can be. This article outlines what you can expect at each stage of the journey

The Patient Journey

Frequently Asked Questions

Pregnancy can have a major impact on the size, shape and appearance of a woman’s body and in some cases these changes remain, even after the postpartum period.

It is very common for the belly button to change shape during pregnancy. You may notice that your belly button becomes stretched during pregnancy, leaving it shorter and wider after birth than it was before. Umbilicoplasty can be carried out after pregnancy to return the belly button to its pre-pregnancy state. Often women who choose belly button surgery after pregnancy also have other treatments, such as lipo or abdominoplasty, to further improve the aesthetic of the abdomen. An umbilicoplasty alone will not change the overall appearance of the stomach.

If you intend to get pregnant again, then we would advise waiting until after your final pregnancy before having belly button surgery. This is because a further pregnancy will undo the results of any cosmetic surgery in that part of the body.

Umbilicoplasty is an effective way of treating a scar left behind by an old belly button piercing.

If the scar is on the small ring of skin around your belly button or within the indentation of the belly button, then umbilicoplasty can effectively treat this scar, leaving it invisible to the naked eye.

However, if the scar is anywhere else, including slightly above the belly button, then an alternative treatment may be a more effective option. Your surgeon will be able to advise the best procedure to help you meet your goal.

Broadly speaking, there are two different types of belly button: an ‘innie’ and an ‘outie’.

A protruding belly button is known as an outie and an estimated ten percent of the population has one. An outie occurs when the remains of the umbilical stump goes out instead of inwards. An outie belly button is nothing to be concerned about and does not cause any health issues.

An innie belly button, as the name suggests, is when the umbilical stump has gone inwards, creating a ‘well’ in the stomach. There are a number of different types of innie belly buttons. These include a vertical belly button (usually narrow and the most common type), a horizontal belly button (usually narrow), round (no hooding or covering), deep hollow (usually seen in people with excess abdominal fat) and lightbulb shaped (little hooding, a slightly oval shape that narrows at the bottom).

You are more likely to have an outie belly button if you have an umbilical hernia, a condition where the surrounding muscles don’t grow together properly causing the belly button to pop out, or an umbilical granuloma, which causes crusting on the belly button, making it appear bigger.

Umbilicoplasty leaves little scarring behind. Any scarring is expertly concealed within the natural shape of the belly button, so it cannot be seen. We also recommend meeting one of our aestheticians to discuss ongoing treatment to support the healing process if required.

Umbilicoplasty permanently changes the shape of your belly button. However this can change due to large fluctuations in weight, muscle tone or by pregnancy. If you look after your body and maintain a steady weight through diet and exercise, you can enjoy the results of your belly button surgery for many years to come. We do not recommend umbilicoplasty until you have completed your family.


A state of the art, award winning clinic.

Founded in 2004 by world renowned plastic surgeon Mr Bryan Mayou, we now work with over 100 leading consultants and successfully treat over 20,000 patients each year. We have been winning industry awards since inception.

About Us

Best in Class Facilities

All of our treatments take place at our beautiful boutique premises in Chelsea. We have six consulting rooms and five operating rooms, as well as a dedicated pre and post-operative suite, and a full team of specialist nursing staff.

Our Clinic

A Strong Tradition of Innovation

We were founded in 2004 by world renown plastic surgeon Mr Bryan Mayou, best known for his pioneering work in the area of liposuction, lasers and microvascular surgery. We continue to collaborate with pioneers in our field.

Our History

At Home in Sloane Street, London

We are proud that our state of the art award-winning clinic is located in one of the best neighbourhoods in the country

Welcome to Sloane Street

Clinics Nationwide

We offer surgical consultations in London, Birmingham, Chelmsford and Bristol, and attract international patients from all corners of the globe such as as the USA, the Middle East and Europe.

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The Risks of an Umbilicoplasty

All cosmetic procedures carry a degree of risk, and it is important that you discuss this with your surgeon, and the complications that may arise. Your surgeon will assess your personal risk and may ask you to prepare in a certain way to ensure the best results possible.

The complications your surgeon will make you aware of are:

  • Hematoma - This is the build-up of blood beneath the skin and will require treatment from your surgeon
  • Poor wound healing - Healing complications or infection can affect the incision sites
  • Asymmetry - Occasionally, the shape or size of your naval may appear uneven. This may be a temporary part of the healing process or maybe longer term
  • Seroma - This is the formation of a lump under the skin caused by build up of fluid around the incision sites. This will require treatment from your surgeon.
  • Excessive bleeding 
  • Allergic reaction to general anaesthetic
  • Infection at the surgical site
  • Deep vein thrombosis (blood clot in a vein)

Our award-winning team have been premier belly button surgery London providers for many years, and have performed countless successful procedures. We always put the safety of our patients first, and will only accept suitable cases who meet our suitability criteria. As one of the UK's and the world's leading surgical clinics, we take our responsibility to our patients very seriously.




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Laurel Wreath for Awards

2023

Aesthetic Awards

Highly Commended Best Clinic in London

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2021

Aesthetics Awards

Highly Commended

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2021

My Face My Body

Best Clinic Winner

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2020

My Face My Body

Best Clinic Winner

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2019

My Face My Body

Winner

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2018

My Face My Body

Highly Commended

Laurel Wreath for Awards
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2018

Aesthetics Awards

Highly Commended

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2017

Aesthetics Awards

Winner

Laurel Wreath for Awards

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