NEW YORK. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – Whether it happened during pregnancy, or they were just born that way, thousands of women and men have outie bellybuttons they don't like. Now, they don't have to hide their tummies any more. A relatively new procedure can turn that outie into an innie in minutes, just in time for bathing suit season.
Shenade Charles told Ivanhoe, "I think we all have just that little thing that we're quite self-conscious about."
For 21-year old Shenade, it's her outie belly button.
"I could probably count in my life like three times or so I've ever worn a bikini," she said.
Matthew Schulman, MD, New York Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, is an expert when it comes to turning an outie bellybutton into an innie.
Dr. Schulman told Ivanhoe, "I always tell my patients I do more bellybutton surgeries in a month than most other plastic surgeons do in their entire career."
Schulman perfected his procedure by using the training he received in both general surgery and plastic surgery. First the doctor marks the bellybutton and numbs the area with a local anesthetic. He then creates an incision to get to the hernia, or hole,that causes a bellybutton to poke out.
"And then I can put stitches in that hole to close the hole," Dr. Schulman explained.
Next, Schulman tacks the bellybutton down from the inside, and finally he closes up the incision. The entire process takes about 30 minutes.
Shenade's new bellybutton has given her the beach body she's always wanted. "For such a short procedure it can make a big impact on your life," she said.
In just three days Shenade can take her bandage off and show off her bellybutton at the beach, and in four weeks it will be completely healed. The procedure costs about $3,500.