Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)

Standard, mini, and extended abdominoplasty performed by Dr. Gary Motykie to remove excess abdominal skin and fat, tighten the rectus abdominis muscles, and reposition the belly button for a flatter, firmer abdomen. The standard procedure involves a low horizontal incision, muscle plication, and navel repositioning. Mini abdominoplasty uses a shorter incision and addresses only the lower abdomen. Extended abdominoplasty wraps around the flanks for waist and hip improvement.

Abdominoplasty — commonly called a tummy tuck — at Motykie Plastic Surgery addresses the abdominal skin laxity, excess fat, and muscle separation (diastasis recti) that frequently persist after significant weight loss or pregnancy despite diet and exercise. Dr. Gary Motykie performs three variants tailored to the degree of excess tissue and the areas to be addressed. The standard abdominoplasty is the most comprehensive: a low horizontal incision is placed across the lower abdomen, typically from hip to hip just above the pubic hairline; the abdominal skin flap is elevated upward to the rib margin, allowing direct access to the rectus abdominis muscles; separated or weakened muscle edges are sutured together in the midline (plication) to restore the abdominal wall's structural support and narrow the waist; excess skin is resected from the lower flap, and the belly button is repositioned through a new opening in the tightened skin to maintain its natural location. The result is a flatter abdomen, tighter waist, and elimination of the overhanging skin fold (pannus) that frequently causes hygiene and comfort issues. The mini abdominoplasty uses a shorter incision and does not reposition the belly button — appropriate for patients with limited excess confined to the area below the navel. The extended abdominoplasty extends the incision laterally around the flanks and hips, removing excess lateral trunk skin and improving the silhouette from the front and side simultaneously. All variants are commonly combined with liposuction of the flanks, hips, or lateral thighs in the same operative session to optimise the overall body contour; the combination is sometimes called a 'lipo-abdominoplasty' or 'Brazilian tummy tuck'. Recovery involves drains for the first one to two weeks, a compression garment worn for six weeks, and restriction of strenuous activity for six weeks.