"Extroverted Navel"--Should I worry?

[tommyneko28]

I wasn't really sure where to post this, so....

You know when a woman is pregnant and their navel becomes an "outie" towards the end of pregnancy? Well, this has happened to my dad recently. He thinks it is just because he has gained a lot of weight and it's because of that, but I have never seen an overweight person's belly button change from an innie to an outie because of weight gain. I have only seen it in pregnant women.

I'm worried it might be a symptom of something internal going on? He had a hernia a long time ago when he was a teenager, but no problems since. I want him to get it checked out, but he is in his late 50s and scared of doctors.

Any advice? Thanks in advance!

[gengidashiell]

By your description, it sounds like he probably has another hernia.

These are certainly not serious and require very little surgery to repair. If it is not bothering him than the doctor will most likely leave it alone. The only reason to visit a surgeon is to make sure that the blood supply to his intestines is not being disrupted.

Your father has no need to be scared of doctors-get some referrals from friends and family.

[Baltharzion Snookleplum]

Thanks for the advice! I will talk it over with him. Yeah, he hasn't been to a doctor in soooo long so I tend to worry about his health now. :-)

["Vet"]

Did he have a hernia in the same area - an umbilical hernia? A navel won't extrovert just because of weight gain, or else half the population would be walking around with outties, but if he previously had an umbilical hernia, and then gained wait I guess it could be possible.

Does he drink alcohol much?