How Much Is a Tummy Tuck: Why the Cost Varies

woman grabbing her stomach and thigh (model)

It seems like the tummy tuck has really increased in popularity over the last decade, and I am doing this procedure on patients with a wider variety of BMI. For the first 10 to 15 years I was in the practice of plastic surgery, I only saw a few patients who had a BMI over 30. But gradually, over the last 10 years, I have noticed that patients call me now and want a tummy tuck but have a BMI over 30 (sometimes over 35). 

For this reason, the fees are adjusted to reflect the anatomy of the patient and the increased time and complexity of the surgery with an increased BMI. If you’re wondering how much is a tummy tuck at Aesthetica Plastic Surgery, let’s take a comprehensive look at what impacts the price of your procedure.

The Typical Cost for Ideal Tummy Tuck Candidates

The ideal candidate for a tummy tuck is a woman who has excess abdominal skin, usually with stretch marks. She is also at a healthy goal weight or only 5 to 10 pounds above it. The ideal patient also has decided they are not having any more children. This patient who has had a C-section is an even better candidate since they already have a scar on the lower abdomen. 

Additional Costs for Combining Tummy Tuck With Liposuction

The complexity of my surgical approach increases for a patient who has the attributes mentioned above but also has a few extra pounds of excess weight they just cannot take off. When their BMI is closer to 30, they usually have excess fat around the flanks that requires liposuction. While this increases your procedure cost, doing lipo at the same time is recommended so that there is only one recuperation time needed, and also, the OR fees are less when time is added. So, overall you save time and money.

Costs for Tummy Tuck After Weight Loss

Our approach becomes a bit more complex when a patient has lost weight and has excess skin that needs to be removed in both the horizontal and vertical vectors. The name we use for this operation is the fleur-de-lis (which is the symbol of the New Orleans team to those of you who follow sports). The resulting scar includes a vertical component straight up the middle of the abdomen, and then it includes the traditional horizontal scar of the tummy tuck as well. Addressing excess skin after weight loss increases your overall procedure cost.

Does Insurance Cover a Tummy Tuck?

Patients who have lost over 100 pounds may be able to get part of their procedure covered by their insurance. It can be deemed medically necessary to remove the flap of skin that hangs down after weight loss because it impedes proper hygiene. The insurance will cover the removal of the skin flap, but the cosmetic procedure to take off all the skin up to the bellybutton and tighten the muscles is not covered by the insurance. Therefore, you should expect to pay some out-of-pocket costs. We’ll help guide you through the process during your personalized consultation.

Your Estimated Tummy Tuck Pricing

In general, our tummy tuck pricing ranges from $10,200 to $19,000. As we’ve explained, the cost of your procedure varies widely based on your BMI variation, unique needs, and aesthetic goals. Our pricing always includes surgeon’s fees and anesthesia fees. We offer various patient financing options to break up the cost of your tummy tuck procedure.

Getting Started

The entire team at Aesthetica is quite knowledgeable about the variety of patient concerns and which procedures can deliver optimal results. The first step is to call and talk to our team at (614) 569-2649 or reach out to us online to request a consultation. We will ask you to send pictures to start the process.

From there, I can “see” where you are starting and then schedule you for the appropriate informational seminar. These are orientation sessions that will go over the details; you will receive a personalized—or “Taylored,” if you will—quote going over all the aspects of your case. 

From there, you can schedule surgery, which usually is three to four months out. This is not something you want to rush into; and do you really want a plastic surgeon who can fit you in next week? It is worth the wait to get the experience and expertise of the entire A team. The wait time also gives you an opportunity to prepare for your surgery. Be sure to read our related blog post to learn more about preparing for your pre-op visit and plastic surgery procedure. We can’t wait to help you embark on your aesthetic transformation!

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