Product guide · Surgeon-directed umbilical care
BellaButton and the umbilical sphere
Two different silicone inserts for the belly button after abdominal surgery. Both are used only when, and how, your surgeon directs.
- Two distinct products
- Surgeon fits and directs
- Not interchangeable
Two products — not interchangeable
As described on Silagen’s product page. Your surgeon decides whether you need either one, which one, and how to fit it.
| Topic | BellaButton™ Belly Button Shaper Kit | Silicone Umbilical Sphere |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Oval silicone insert with a wide collar | Round sphere, 1.56″ |
| Silagen’s stated purpose | Designed to support a particular belly button shape during healing | Designed to improve scars in and around the belly button and maintain its shape and opening while healing |
| What’s in the box | Shaper, a bottle of foaming cleanser, and a full roll of medical tape | One sphere and a square of adhesive tape |
| Status | Listed by Silagen as new | Longer-standing product |
The two inserts differ in shape and fitting. Do not swap one for the other without your surgeon’s direction.
Source: Silagen Scar Refinement System product page (opens in a new tab)
Why umbilical care is separate
In a tummy tuck the belly button is usually brought through a new opening, leaving a small circular scar inside a hollow. That is a very different surface from the long, flat incision along the lower abdomen — and a strip cannot shape it.
Umbilical inserts sit within the belly button. Whether one is used, when it goes in, how long it stays and how it is secured are all decisions your surgeon makes for your specific repair. The Silagen × LBBC and RUSH reconstruction guides, for example, mention a BellaButton Shaper for the belly-button scar after flap reconstruction.
Source: Heal With Confidence post-mastectomy guide — Silagen × LBBC edition
Fitting instructions and the current label
Exact model, sizing and fitting instructions come from your surgeon and the package insert. Refer to current packaging for complete directions.
Check on your current package
- Confirm the exact product name on the box — BellaButton or Umbilical Sphere.
- Ask your surgeon to show you how to insert, secure and remove it, and how often to check the skin.
- Ask how to clean it; the BellaButton kit includes a foaming cleanser.
- Report any increasing redness, drainage, odor or pain to your surgical team.
Questions for your surgeon
- Do you recommend an umbilical insert for my repair — and which one?
- When can it first go in, and how long should I wear it each day?
- How do I secure it, and with what tape?
- Can I shower with it in?
- Should I use strips or gel on my lower abdominal incision at the same time?
- When should I stop using it?
Frequently asked questions
Are BellaButton and the umbilical sphere the same thing?
No. BellaButton is an oval insert with a wide collar sold as a kit; the sphere is a round 1.56″ insert. Use only the one your surgeon chooses.
Source: Silagen Scar Refinement System product page (opens in a new tab)
Can I buy one and fit it myself?
Umbilical inserts are surgeon-directed. Fitting depends on how your belly button was repaired.
What comes in the BellaButton kit?
Silagen lists the shaper, a bottle of foaming cleanser and a full roll of medical tape.
Source: Silagen Scar Refinement System product page (opens in a new tab)
Do I still need strips for my tummy tuck scar?
Possibly — the long lower incision is a separate scar. See the tummy tuck guide and ask your surgeon about both.
Get help with your recovery
Questions about your scar care?
Your surgeon’s instructions come first. A TRC Care Planner can help you organize questions for your surgical team and recovery arrangements.
Educational information from manufacturer materials, not medical advice. Silagen® is a trademark of Newmedical Technology, Inc. Follow your surgeon’s instructions.