Apron surgery vs tummy tuck

No, it is not. A tummy tuck is a surgical procedure that removes fat and skin from the abdomen and tightens the muscles in the stomach area. The procedure takes around two hours to complete, and you will need to rest for at least three days after your tummy tuck surgery.

In this guide, we review the aspects of Apron surgery vs tummy tuck, what qualifies you for a panniculectomy, panniculectomy vs tummy tuck cost, and why is a panniculectomy more expensive than a tummy tuck.

Is tummy tuck expensive?

Tummy Tuck is not expensive, but it does cost more than other cosmetic procedures such as liposuction or breast augmentation. If you want to get a tummy tuck, we recommend that you compare prices and find out how much each surgeon charges before making a decision about which one will perform your surgery.

n a mini tummy tuck vs full tummy tuck?

Efficacy

Panniculectomy and tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) are two surgical treatments aimed at removing excess lower belly skin. They may both be performed in cases of extreme weight loss from natural or surgical causes.

The goal of panniculectomy is to primarily remove hanging skin, while a tummy tuck also provides contouring effects to enhance your muscles and waistline. It’s also possible to have both procedures done at the same time.

The goal for both procedures is similar: to remove excess skin from the stomach. However, it’s important to learn the key differences between the two so that you get the results you want.

Both panniculectomies and tummy tucks target lower belly skin. The goal of the procedures is to get rid of loose, hanging skin that often forms after losing a lot of weight. This may be due to surgeries such as a gastric bypass, natural weight loss, or even pregnancy.

Panniculectomy

A panniculectomy is an invasive surgical treatment. It’s most helpful for people who have recently had weight loss surgery and are left with large amounts of hanging skin on the lower belly.

This type of surgery may be considered a medical necessity if the remaining skin affects your quality of life. For example, you may develop rashes, infections, and ulcers underneath the area of hanging skin.

During a panniculectomy, your surgeon will make two cuts into the abdominal wall to remove excess skin in the middle. Then the bottom portion of skin is reattached to the top via suturing.

Tummy tuck

A tummy tuck is also intended to remove excess skin. The key difference is that this invasive surgery is usually elected for aesthetic reasons and isn’t medically necessary like a panniculectomy.

In some cases, a tummy tuck can help alleviate incontinence and back pain.

With a tummy tuck, your doctor will cut out excess skin while also tightening abdominal muscles. While the surgery itself won’t give you six-pack abs, it will make it easier for you to build abdominal muscles on your own through exercise in the future.

Surgeries of this nature take time. Aside from the actual time spent in surgery, you should expect to arrive at the hospital early for pre-operative care. You’ll also need to stay in post-operative care while your doctor monitors your initial recovery.

Panniculectomy timeline

It takes about two to five hours for a surgeon to perform a panniculectomy. The exact timeline depends on the length of incisions made, as well as the amount of excess skin that’s being removed.

Tummy tuck timeline

A tummy tuck may take two to four hours to complete. Though the skin cutting may be less extensive than with a panniculectomy, your surgeon will still need to shape the abdominal wall in a tummy tuck.

Both panniculectomy and tummy tuck share similar success rates. The key is to maintain a healthy lifestyle following the procedure so you get the best results.

Results of a panniculectomy

The recovery process may be slow, but the results from a panniculectomy following massive weight loss are considered permanent. If you maintain your weight, you shouldn’t need any follow-up surgeries.

Results of a tummy tuck

The results of a tummy tuck are also considered permanent if you maintain a healthy weight. To increase your chances for long-term results, your doctor may recommend you lose or maintain a stable weight before the procedure.

You may be a better fit for one procedure over another. Both panniculectomies and tummy tucks are intended for adults and for women who aren’t pregnant, as well as for those who don’t smoke and are at a stable body weight.

It’s important to remember that while both surgeries target excess lower belly skin, these aren’t weight loss procedures.

Panniculectomy candidates

You may be a candidate for a panniculectomy if you:

Tummy tuck candidates

A tummy tuck may be a good fit if you:

The cost of panniculectomies and tummy tucks can vary drastically, especially when considering insurance coverage. Below are total estimated costs.

You’ll need to check with your doctor for a breakdown of all the costs before the selected procedure. Some facilities may provide a payment plan option.

Costs of a panniculectomy

A panniculectomy is far more expensive out of pocket, ranging from $8,000 to $15,000. This may not include other associated costs, such as anesthesia and hospital care.

Many medical insurance companies will cover a portion of this procedure. This is especially the case if your doctor thinks the panniculectomy is medically necessary.

You’ll want to call your insurance company ahead of time to see how much they’ll cover or if you’ll need to work with a specific surgeon.

Another consideration is the cost of taking time off work. It can take up to eight weeks to recover from this procedure.

Costs of a tummy tuck

While a tummy tuck is the cheaper option of the two procedures, it’s usually not covered by medical insurance. This means you could end up spending around $6,200 out of pocket, plus any additional medical service fees.

Like a panniculectomy, you’ll need to spend time off work or school after a tummy tuck surgery. Since this surgery isn’t as extensive, you’ll spend less time in recovery.

The average recovery time is about four to six weeks. More or less recovery time may be needed depending on the incision number and size.

Like any type of surgery, both panniculectomy and tummy tuck can cause immediate discomfort, along with a risk of side effects. Some of these effects are common, while others are rarer and require further medical attention.

what qualifies you for a panniculectomy

A panniculectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the pannus — the excess skin and tissue from the lower abdomen. People who have lost a lot of weight can have their loose skin removed with this procedure.

The excess skin is sometimes referred to as an “apron.” However, unlike a tummy tuck, the panniculectomy does not tighten the abdominal muscles for a more cosmetic appearance, disqualifying it as a cosmetic procedure.

That said, removing the excess fat can make your abdominal area flatter. The panniculectomy can also be performed alongside a tummy tuck or other abdominal procedures.

Surgical costs can range from $8,000 to $15,000 for this procedure to cover anesthesia, surgeon, and facility fees. Since the panniculectomy is not typically seen as cosmetic surgery, your insurance provider may help pay for the procedure. But, you must meet specific criteria, and the panniculectomy must be seen as a medical necessity. Contact your health insurance provider to discuss your payment options.

After losing significant amounts of weight from exercise or surgery, people may be left with excess skin and loose tissue around the abdomen. The excess skin can cause skin rashes and irritation as well as odor from moisture.

You may be an ideal candidate for panniculectomy if:

A qualified plastic surgeon performs a panniculectomy. This invasive surgical procedure that can last up to five hours. During the surgery, an anesthesiologist will administer general anesthesia to put you to sleep.

Your surgeon will then make two incisions:

The length of the cuts depends on how much skin needs to be removed. Through the incisions, the surgeon will remove excess fat and skin. The remaining skin and tissues are then pulled together and closed with stitches, and the incision areas are taped. Doctors may insert drains during the procedure to remove excess fluid.

In some cases, the belly button may be removed or repositioned. Your doctor will advise you of this in a consultation before making the decision in surgery.

Realself is a community-driven website where people can upload before and after photos following cosmetic surgery and write reviews. Photos of the panniculectomy procedure can be found here.

In most cases, a panniculectomy is an outpatient surgery. But depending on the extent of your procedure, you may be required to stay over night for observation and proper healing. Within your pre-consultation, your surgeon will advise you to have someone drive you home after surgery and help you for the first few days. There should be no heavy lifting or strenuous activities for a few weeks following your procedure.

Panniculectomy patients can expect pain and discomfort from swelling and bruising at the incision sites. Your stitches may be removed within a week while deeper sutures dissolve on their own. Complete recovery will take months and you will be required to have follow-up appointments with your doctor to ensure lasting results.

Patients are generally pleased with results and often lose 5–10 pounds from the surgery. Some patients may notice improvement in their physical activity and personal hygiene.

panniculectomy vs tummy tuck cost

Both a panniculectomy and tummy tuck address loose skin near the abdomen and are therefore often confused with one another. While there is some overlap in terms of the end goal of both procedures – a flatter stomach without loose, sagging skin – they are very different and you are likely a better candidate for one surgery over the other. The main difference between Panniculectomy vs Tummy Tuck is that a panniculectomy is often considered a medical necessity while a tummy tuck is typically for cosmetic purposes. More severe sagging that causes health issues like rashes and ulcers is addressed through a panniculectomy.

We will provide a breakdown of the basics of both procedures and their most important differences:

Pannus refers to an abnormal growth of skin that forms a large abdominal flap descending over the thighs. This is not the typical type of sagging skin that may come from pregnancy or mild weight loss. A pannus is often the result of extreme weight loss of 100 pounds or more and is a common complication of procedures such as gastric bypass or gastric sleeve surgery.

A panniculectomy is performed under general anesthesia. Your surgeon will make two incisions to the abdominal wall, the length of which depends on how much skin is to be removed. Then, the excess skin is removed before bringing the remaining skin edges together and closing them with sutures. The belly button is typically not moved in a panniculectomy.

A panniculectomy is considered major surgery and can take several hours.

Also known as abdominoplasties, tummy tucks are performed under general anesthesia. Your surgeon makes an incision, usually from hip bone to hip bone. Then, they will remove excess skin and fat and tighten your underlying abdominal muscles. An absorbable mesh may also be used to reinforce the muscle repair.

Tummy tucks typically take between two and three hours. Tummy tucks are often done in conjunction with other procedures, such as during a mommy makeover. There are also many iterations of abdominoplasties ranging from mini to hybrid to full. Frequently, progressive tension sutures are also placed to facilitate healing and minimize the need for surgical drains.

Tummy tucks are cosmetic procedures and therefore not covered by insurance.

Panniculectomy Vs Tummy Tuck: Key Differences

Broadly speaking, a panniculectomy addresses more severe sagging skin in the abdomen that significantly impacts a patient’s life and leads to chronic health issues (more on that below). A panniculectomy is often performed after extreme weight loss. Tummy tucks are often performed after weight loss as well, but usually address loose skin not associated with health problems.

A tummy tuck treats more minor loose skin issues. It is often performed after pregnancy or to address a loss of skin elasticity due to aging. In conjunction with liposuction, a tummy tuck can also help remove small fat deposits from the abdomen that do not respond to diet and exercise.

Immediately after surgery, you will have steri-strips or skin glue on the incisions and likely surgical drains in place. Your surgeon will provide you instructions on how to care for drains and dressings, which you should follow closely to avoid complications.

Recovery from a panniculectomy can take up to eight weeks. During this time, you will need to refrain from heavy lifting and most strenuous activities. Talk to your surgeon about your precise recovery timeline as every patient’s needs are different.

As a tummy tuck is often done on patients with a lower BMI, recovery time is often shorter, taking between four to six weeks. As with a panniculectomy, you will have steri-strips or skin glue on the incisions and likely surgical drains in place, which you should clean carefully according to your surgeon’s instructions. You can gradually resume regular activities in the weeks following your surgery in accordance with your surgeon’s recommendations.

A panniculectomy is considered a medical necessity. Excessive skin hanging over the abdomen can cause health problems such as rashes, ulcers, and infections, and even hygiene issues. Because of this, a panniculectomy is more likely to be covered by insurance. (However, policies vary, so make sure to double-check with your provider.)

A tummy tuck is nearly always considered a cosmetic procedure. Therefore, in the vast majority of cases, it is not covered by insurance and you will have to pay out of pocket.

Panniculectomy Vs Tummy Tuck: The Bottom Line

Both a panniculectomy and a tummy tuck treat loose abdominal skin, but they are two vastly different procedures. While a tummy tuck is performed for cosmetic purposes, a panniculectomy is a medical necessity that helps treat issues that can substantially impact your health and well-being. The best way to determine which procedure is the right fit for you is to book a consultation with a professional. Ready to get started? Leif Rogers, MD is an Ivy League-educated, board-certified plastic surgeon and a standing member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Get in touch with his team to schedule a consultation.