In patients that are good candidates for a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) can drastically improve the look of the abdomen.. It not only can flatten the front and sides of the abdomen but can also restore pre-pregnancy aesthetics and streamlines the bodyAfter a tummy tuck patients can find it easier to work out and also feel they better “fit in” with other younger patients at the gym. 

Costs for tummy tuck depend on the fee of the surgeon, the place the surgery is being performed and the type of surgery necessary. Anesthesia may also be a factor but most tummy tucks are performed under general anesthesia to make this procedure safe and to get the best cosmetic result. 

The commonest type of tummy tuck is referred to as a “standard tummy tuck (standard abdominoplasty). The average patient that has this kind of tummy tuck has had children and has a prominence where the front of the abdomen protrudes and this is usually from the top to the bottom of the tummy. These patients also have skin excess where the skin of the abdomen is loose or folded, especially over its lower part and the skin can hang down over the pubic bone. There may also be skin excess within the upper part of the abdomen. 

Tummy tuck prices are generally the same with a certain geographic area but may vary depending on any additional procedures added to the tummy tuck, such as liposuction of other areas. Tummy tuck near Temecula, CA may be similar around the Temecula area but be less than costs in Beverly Hills, though the same operation is performed and with the same attention to detail and cosmetic result. That is why it behooves patients to shop around and even have procedures out of their residential area should the cost be significantly lower. Some plastic surgeons have packages they offer that include not only the procedure itself but short term lodging near their surgery center both to make surgery safer and more convenient for their patients. 

Mini May Be Better

Some patients may not need to have their entire abdomen treated and have a lesser procedure and these are often referred to as mini-tummy tucks. There are many variations of a mini-tummy tuck but they share in common the fact that they take less time to complete and therefore cost less than a standard tummy tuck. (By the way, most patients refer to a standard tummy tuck as a “full tummy tuck“). Sometimes mini tummy tucks are performed with liposuction as part of the treatment of the front of the tummy and liposuction surgery is much faster than any kind of tummy tuck. The decision to have a specific type of tummy tuck or liposuction is based on the patient’s anatomy and their goals for the treatment. But the tummy is an area where, often, the recommendation of the plastic surgeon is most important to consider, regardless of the price. 

The Dreaded Scar

Not to diminish the fact that a tummy tuck means that there will be a scar about the lower abdomen, patients often focus on the scar but don’t weigh the scar against the improvement they will gain with a tummy tuck because that is the reason the patient is in the doctor’s office in the first place! Patients must consider how badly they wish a tummy tuck versus how bad the scar might be ultimately. And there are things that can be done to treat scars. 

An experienced plastic surgeon can really help patient understand which procedure may be best for them and to give a reasonable expectation about the safety of the surgery and their cosmetic result.