Every person in the world wants a fit and well-toned physique, for all of us will naturally feel less confident with a misshapen body. If you are not getting the desired results by diet and exercise then you can go for a tummy tuck. “How much does a tummy tuck cost?” This is normally the first question a person will ask if he or she wants to undergo the cosmetic procedure, and that question will be answered here.
Cosmetic surgery fees have gone down over the years due to competition among plastic surgeons offering the same services. The service fee for tummy tuck medical procedures may vary a lot based on which kind of abdominoplasty will be done, of which there are three main types: minimal tummy tuck, standard or traditional tummy tuck, and the extended tummy tuck. The total tummy tuck prices of one surgery in the United States normally range from $6,000 to $14,000.
If the procedure performed is a mini tummy tuck, then it will cost less mainly because significantly less work needs to be done. So how much is a mini tummy tuck? Most people are curious about getting one, and you will too, especially when you hear that regular mini tummy tuck prices are far lower than that of a standard and extended tummy tuck. This surgery is preferable for people with a slightly bulging abdomen with weak muscles and little or no sagging skin. However, a certified plastic surgeon will never perform a mini tummy tuck on just about anyone. Mini tummy tucks work best for healthy people with only a small quantity of loose skin and fats, and it shouldn’t be considered a solution for obesity. As tempting as a low mini tummy tuck cost is, people with large fat deposits and quantities of loose skin all over their abdomen are often better off with a full tummy tuck to achieve desired results.
To know how much are tummy tucks, from the cost of a mini tummy tuck to the extended one, check out the table below to give you an idea of what you should expect to pay on average.
| Type Of Abdominoplasty | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Mini Tummy Tuck | $7,000 |
| Standard Tummy Tuck | $10,000 |
| Extended Tummy Tuck | $12,000 |
The professional fee paid out towards the cosmetic surgeon contains a huge chunk of the cost, about 60% – 80% percent of the total bill. That amount will change on the type of tummy tuck method, on the location where the cosmetic surgeon performs, and how much medical expertise he or she has. It is important to understand that you should be prepared to spend more for an excellent cosmetic surgeon simply because you will be thankful in the long term for the excellent results.
Mini tummy tucks are commonly done on women who have given birth because of the rectus muscles having become loose and weak due to the pregnancy, and it is distinct from the other methods because it is less invasive. Usually no scars remain after the surgery, which is often completed in 1 to 2 hours, and requires a shorter recovery time. You can find a lot of mini tummy tuck photos in the internet which will prove that the procedure is really safe and very effective. And if you compare it to before and after photos of standard and extended tummy tucks, you can easily see that mini tummy tuck pictures give more natural-looking results. However, a good surgeon will make you see past the question of how much does a mini tummy tuck cost, especially if he or she sees that you will look better with the standard or extended method.
A few other factors that go into the cost or pricing structure of cosmetic plastic surgery are of minor interest to most but nevertheless should still be considered. The two that most people easily forget are the fees you can be charged before and after a tummy tuck procedure. These might not be included in the bill for a tummy tuck but can increase the total of a full tummy tuck cost.
Fees before the operation take the form of consultations with the plastic surgeon, where you can be charged by the hour. You will also need to take physical and blood tests that the doctor will find necessary to check that you are well enough to go through a mini tummy tuck. This will also help you get the best results and make sure you stay well-protected before and during the surgery. The fees that you may need to pay after the operation are for the materials that you will need to help you during the recovery, such as special medicines, compression cloths, and bandages. The plastic surgeon will know the right painkillers to take and ointments to apply to help you stay as comfortable as possible.
There is also the location fee, and this usually has a big impact on tummy tuck prices, but you can save more if your surgical procedure is carried out in a health care facility or clinic. Most health care facilities will ask for an operating room fee for the use of their services. Tummy tuck surgeries that are done at a clinic or the doctor’s office are generally less expensive because of the smaller work area and the location fee will average around $1,000 for one tummy tuck procedure. But if you are getting a tummy tuck at a hospital, the location and the plastic surgeon can charge as much as $8,000, especially if you need to stay longer at the hospital to recover. However, hospital stays for tummy tuck surgeries are usually only done for very special cases, like tough extended tummy tucks. Sometimes this type of surgery is combined with liposuction for more efficient results. In this way fats and extra skin are removed, resulting in a contoured and carved shape. Men and women who have undergone rapid weight loss or bypass surgery may also benefit from an extended tummy tuck.
Then there are the other costs such as the clothing service fees and the service rates for anesthesia used throughout the surgery. The service fee for the dispensing of anesthesia can get quite expensive. Since minimal tummy tucks are the easiest and fastest of the abdominoplasty procedures, it often requires little anesthesia, with the fee taking up as little as $300 on the bill. But for the extended tummy tuck, where more anesthesia is needed due to the longer and more challenging work, the anesthesiologist can charge up to $2,000.
Here is a table to summarize the extra fees that will add up to how much does it cost for a tummy tuck:
| Extra Fees For A Tummy Tuck | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Facility / Location Fee | $1,000 for clinics, $8,000 for hospitals |
| Anesthesiologist’s Fee | $400 – $2,000 |
| Pre-Operation Fees (blood tests, physical check ups, etc.) | $300 |
| Post-Operation Fees (medicines, bandages, etc.) | $300 |
The patient should also never presume that their own health insurance policy will automatically include the total expense of a tummy tuck surgical procedure. Most insurance providers usually take into consideration any type of plastic or surgical treatment before they are reimbursed or not. However, if the cosmetic surgeon is telling the individual to undertake a tummy tuck procedure as part of a treatment to fix a hernia or correct another medical problem, then insurance coverage could be legitimate. But before the beginning of surgical procedures, it is very important to know about other service fees included in the treatment that may actually be included in the patient’s insurance coverage.
A full or extended tummy tuck is the procedure that plastic surgeons will advise their patients with plenty of body fat and loose skin to get, since it is the one that will give the best results for them. Getting a full tummy tuck before and after gives the most dramatic results because the surgeons will remove as much extra fat and skin as possible, and people who undergo the surgery can emerge looking way smaller than before. However, this also opens one up to more risks during the surgery and while recovering, and in fact most doctors will say that one cannot expect to have plenty of fat and skin removed from their bodies without experiencing any difficulty.
A mini tummy tuck is one of the favorites and most sought after procedures, simply because it gives the most natural results, costs way lower than full tummy tucks, the surgery takes a shorter time, and you can recover faster.
A good plastic surgeon will recommend a special cream or ointment to their patients recovering from a tummy tuck that will decrease scarring. Some of these creams are rich in vitamin E, aloe vera, and/or silicone, while other doctors will recommend simple petroleum jelly. The right ointment won’t give you any skin allergies and rashes and they can erase any sign of a tummy tuck scar after 1 year, so ask your doctor which treatment is best for you. However, you should be patient, for it can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months for a scar to show signs of disappearing.
It is the most important part of a special method called the Tummy Tuck Miracle Slimming System. This differs from the regular tummy tuck surgeries by being a non-surgical or invasive method, for you won’t have to go under the knife when using a tummy tuck belt. All you have to do is to wear the belt for ten minutes a day after putting on a special thermal accelerator cream that is provided along with the system. You can also choose to put on the belt while exercising or even wear it the whole day; and after just 30 days, the Tummy Tuck Miracle Slimming System promises to give you the same results as a surgical abdominoplasty, satisfaction guaranteed.