Male Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) Sydney
- Non-Cosmetic and Cosmetic Procedure
- Possible rebates from Medicare and Private Health fund
- Minimum 3 night stay in private hospital
Male abdominoplasty is designed to remove excess skin and fatty tissue on the stomach. The contours of the abdomen are usually affected by the quality and elasticity of the skin, the amount of fat deposits beneath the skin and the laxity of the abdominal muscles – problems that affect both men and women. The abdomen is an area where excess skin and fat can easily form but it doesn’t always respond to diet and exercise. The effects of ageing, weight loss and past abdominal surgeries can all contribute to excess skin and fat and to lax abdominal muscles.
There are several different types of tummy tuck (male abdominoplasty) procedures that can be used to achieve the desired outcome. All these procedures involve removing the excess skin and fat, while also tightening the abdominal muscles. Liposuction might be needed at the same time.
It should be noted that abdominoplasty is not suited to patients who still need to lose weight. Men considering a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) should be close to or have already achieved their goal weight. As you can imagine, regaining weight after surgery will impact your results, which is why an ongoing healthy lifestyle is encouraged after surgery.
Male Abdominoplasty FAQs
What happens at the first consultation?
At your first male abdominoplasty consultation with Dr Norris, your specific concerns will be discussed and he will want to know more about what you hope to achieve with this procedure.
Dr Norris will assess the amount of excess skin and fat you have, the elasticity of your skin, and the state of your abdominal muscles. He will also need to check for hernia and evaluate any past surgical scars. You may require a full abdominoplasty, lower abdominoplasty, or mini-abdominoplasty depending on the appearance of your tummy. Dr Norris will discuss in detail how the male abdominoplasty operation is performed and where the incision will be placed. You will be provided with a surgical quotation, which will outline your surgery options.
If after careful consideration you decide that you would like to proceed with the surgery, a second consultation will need to be scheduled. During this consultation, a date will be set for your procedure and Dr Norris will explain how you should prepare for your surgery and what you can expect afterwards.
How much does a male abdominoplasty cost in Sydney?
Male abdominoplasty is a personalised procedure and every patient has different requirements – different factors will need to be considered before a final cost can be obtained. The type of abdominoplasty that you choose and whether or not you decide to add on additional procedures will all make a difference to the overall cost. Hospital and anaesthetist fees will also need to be added to your quotation. The only way to get an accurate surgery cost is to schedule a consultation with Dr Norris who can take all of the necessary factors into account. The only time that Medicare or your private health insurance provider will cover some of the costs of a male abdominoplasty is if it’s being performed for reconstructive reasons. Dr Norris can explain more about rebates during your first consultation.
How is the surgery performed?
Dr Norris only ever performs male abdominoplasty in a fully accredited hospital. On the day of your procedure, you will meet with Dr Norris as well as the anaesthetist who will be administering your general anaesthetic. The entire procedure generally takes 3 – 4 hours to complete.
If you are having a full abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), the incision required (and the scar that subsequently forms) will need to be across the lower abdomen at the level of your pubic bone and extend upwards and outwards on either side to your hip bones. Dr Norris will ask you to bring the type of underwear or swimsuit bottom you intend to wear after your operation to ensure the scar will be hidden. The skin is lifted up from the abdominal muscles towards the rib cage. The belly button (umbilicus) is released from the lifted skin but remains attached to the abdominal muscles. The abdominal muscles are tightened. The lifted skin is then pulled down firmly so that the excess skin and fat can be removed, and the umbilicus stitched into its new position.
If you are having a lower male abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), the incision may still need to be as long as the one for a full abdominoplasty but the skin is lifted off the abdominal muscles only to the level of the umbilicus. The umbilicus won’t need to be separated from the lifted skin and stitched back into a new position. If you are having a mini-abdominoplasty it might be possible to limit the incision and scar to the width of your pubic area and the umbilicus will not need to be moved. With all types of male abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) you might benefit from having some liposuction performed at the same time to give you the result you desire.
At the end of the operation two drains are placed beneath the skin and the incisions are closed with absorbable sutures to save you the inconvenience of having them removed later on. A dressing is applied over the incisions and you will leave the operating theatre wearing a comfortable and supportive compression garment.
What happens after the surgery?
- Most patients will need to spend at least 3 – 5 days in the hospital to recover after male abdominoplasty procedure
- If your drains are not removed in hospital, they will be removed in Dr Norris’s rooms at your next appointment
- Your range of movement will be limited after your tummy tuck and your pain medication might make you drowsy, so you will need a friend or family member to drive you home once you are discharged
- Dr Norris will provide you with a list of aftercare instructions as well as a prescription for pain medication to make your recovery that much better
- You will not be able to drive for up to 2 weeks, so it’s best to arrange for someone to assist you during this time before your surgery
- Daily short showers are permitted, provided your waterproof dressings are dried adequately
- Patients are advised to sleep on their backs, propped up by pillows, for at least 6 weeks. This will make comfortable sleep possible and it will reduce swelling
- The most pain and discomfort are experienced during the first 3 days after surgery but can be managed with pain medication
- Patients can return to work after 2 weeks but may want to stick to lighter duties for 3 weeks if their job is physically demanding
- Swelling can take up to 6 weeks to settle but wearing the necessary compression garment will help with this
- Light exercise can be resumed after 2 weeks but your regular exercises routine should be avoided for at least 6 weeks
- You will have a follow-up appointment scheduled after you have been discharged from hospital to check and change your dressings
Possible complications
- Keloid Scarring – In some instances, abdominoplasty scars can begin to look raised, lumpy and darker in colour. If this happens after surgery, Dr Norris can treat the scars with steroid injections. Wearing your supplied silicone gel strips after surgery 24/7 will help prevent this from occurring.
- Haematoma – This refers to a collection of excess blood in the abdominal area. The blood is either absorbed naturally or will require surgical drainage. Symptoms include swelling, pain, bruising, skin that is hot to the touch and itchy skin.
- Infection – While infections are unpredictable, they usually occur within the first 3 weeks after an abdominoplasty. Any infections will require an antibiotic and should be treated as soon as possible
- Seroma – It is possible for seroma fluid (leaking tissue fluid) to collect beneath the abdominal incisions after the drains have been removed. If this happens, this fluid can be removed painlessly in the consulting rooms using an aspiration needle.

Here at Form & Face, we provide patients with a
Lifetime followup guarantee
This means that we will be there for you far beyond the recovery period.
You can rest assured knowing that you can come to us about any
post-surgical concerns for the rest of your life.