The umbilicus, commonly known as the belly button or navel, is the first scar a person acquires, marking the location where the umbilical cord once connected the developing fetus to the placenta. This feature is present on nearly every human. A small number of individuals, however, are born without a navel or have it surgically removed or altered. This raises questions about the feature’s origins and whether its absence affects a person’s underlying health or physical function.
How the Umbilicus Forms
The process begins during gestation when the umbilical cord serves as the lifeline between the fetus and the maternal placenta. This cord contains two umbilical arteries and one umbilical vein, facilitating the exchange of oxygen, nutrients, and waste products. Immediately following birth, the cord is clamped and severed, leaving a small stump attached to the infant’s abdomen. Over the next five to fifteen days, this stump dries out and eventually falls off naturally. The resulting healed tissue forms the umbilicus, which is simply a superficial scar on the abdominal wall. The belly button is not an internal organ; it is the external manifestation of where the umbilical ring closed.
Causes for an Absent or Altered Navel
The absence of a typical navel appearance is frequently the result of extensive abdominal wall reconstructive surgery performed in infancy. Congenital defects such as omphalocele or gastroschisis require immediate and complex surgical repair shortly after birth. In omphalocele, abdominal organs protrude into the base of the umbilical cord. Gastroschisis involves the intestines protruding through an opening near the umbilical cord. The necessary surgical closure of these significant defects often leaves an extensive linear scar that incorporates the entire umbilical area, resulting in a smooth patch of skin or an altered scar line where the typical depressed navel would be located.
In adulthood, the navel may be altered or removed during cosmetic procedures, most commonly an abdominoplasty, or “tummy tuck.” During this procedure, excess skin and fat are removed, and the abdominal flap is tightened and pulled down. This process necessitates either the repositioning of the navel or its complete removal and reconstruction, which is termed neoumbilicoplasty. The resulting appearance is an altered or newly created navel, depending on the patient’s anatomy and the technique used.
Health Status and Internal Function
The absence of a belly button has no physiological consequence for an adult or child who has already successfully detached from the umbilical cord. The umbilicus is merely a post-birth scar, and its presence or absence does not affect the function of internal organs. The internal structures that once traveled through the cord undergo a natural and permanent process of atrophy and closure.
The umbilical vein collapses and becomes the ligamentum teres of the liver. The two umbilical arteries atrophy into the medial umbilical ligaments, while the urachus becomes the median umbilical ligament. These structures transform into dense, fibrous cords that anchor internal organs to the abdominal wall. This transformation is complete regardless of the superficial appearance of the navel. Therefore, digestion, circulation, and muscle integrity are not compromised in individuals without a typical navel.
Aesthetic Considerations and Reconstruction
For individuals who lack a navel due to congenital surgery or removal, the condition can sometimes lead to psychological distress. The umbilicus is widely recognized as a standard feature of the human form, and its absence can draw unwanted attention or create a feeling of being anatomically unusual. This can affect body image and self-consciousness.
For these aesthetic and psychological reasons, many individuals choose to undergo omphaloplasty, which is the surgical creation of a new navel. Techniques for neoumbilicoplasty involve using local skin flaps or specialized suture patterns to create a depressed, natural-looking abdominal feature. The goal of the reconstruction is to achieve an ideal shape, depth, and position, often aiming for the vertically oriented, almond-shaped appearance.