Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)

Dr Richard Maxwell performs standard, extended, Fleur-de-Lis, and mini abdominoplasty from his Melbourne practice. Tummy tuck surgery addresses excess abdominal skin, subcutaneous fat, and the rectus abdominis muscle separation (diastasis recti) that commonly follows pregnancy or significant weight loss. Technique selection is guided by the distribution of excess tissue and the degree of muscle laxity present. Medicare may apply in cases of medically necessary skin excess following bariatric or massive weight loss surgery where functional impairment is documented.

Tummy tuck surgery (abdominoplasty) at Maxwell Plastic Surgery in Melbourne, Australia addresses the multi-layered changes to the abdominal wall that occur following pregnancy, massive weight loss, or natural ageing — changes that diet and exercise cannot reliably correct because they involve the structural integrity of the muscle fascia as well as the quantity and distribution of skin and subcutaneous fat. Dr Richard Maxwell's particular interest in post-massive-weight-loss body contouring gives him a strong technical grounding in this procedure, including the more complex extended abdominoplasty and Fleur-de-Lis variants that are frequently required in this patient population. The standard abdominoplasty involves a low horizontal incision placed within the natural underwear or bikini line, through which the abdominal skin is elevated from the underlying fascia to the level of the costal margin. The paired rectus abdominis muscles are plicated — their anterior fascial sheaths sutured together at the midline — to repair the diastasis recti and restore abdominal wall structural support. Excess skin and subcutaneous tissue are excised, the umbilicus is repositioned and secured, and the skin is redraped under appropriate tension before closure. The extended abdominoplasty incorporates a component of lateral thigh and hip skin resection beyond the limits of the standard incision, addressing excess tissue that wraps around the flanks in patients with more significant skin laxity after major weight loss. The Fleur-de-Lis technique adds a vertical midline excision component for patients with significant transverse skin excess that cannot be fully addressed through horizontal excision alone — common in patients who have lost very large amounts of weight. Mini abdominoplasty is a more limited procedure suited to patients with excess skin confined to the lower abdomen below the umbilicus, without significant diastasis or upper abdominal skin laxity. Medicare rebates may be applicable for patients with documented functional skin complications following bariatric surgery. Melbourne patients are advised to allow a recovery period of four to six weeks before returning to demanding physical activity.