Liposuction Vs Tummy Tuck Costs

The two most common procedures to remove excess fat from the midsection are liposuction and tummy tuck. Though both have their benefits, the choice between the two is often difficult to make.

Liposuction involves suctioning out the fat cells with a small tube device. The procedure can be done under local anesthesia or general anesthesia, depending on your preference and comfort level. Recovery time for liposuction is usually 1-2 weeks and can result in scars that are typically not noticeable once healed. In this guide, we review the aspects of Liposuction Vs Tummy Tuck Costs, what is more painful, tummy tuck or liposuction, full body liposuction cost, and Does tummy tuck hurt more than lipo?

Tummy tuck surgery involves removing fat, tightening abdominal muscles, and repositioning skin around your abdomen. This procedure requires an incision across your lower abdomen, which means there will be visible scars after healing is complete (typically 3 months). The recovery time for tummy tuck surgery is longer than that of liposuction (3-6 months), but it also results in better results with minimal scarring.

Liposuction Vs Tummy Tuck Costs

The abdominal area can be a stubborn area of the body to achieve a flat, taut or smooth appearance. If you’ve been looking for a treatment that will get rid of the sagging pooch or flab around your stomach, you may have looked into liposuction or a tummy tuck. Although both treatments may address similar areas, there are important differences to consider when deciding on your treatment.

Trying to determine which option is best for you can be confusing and overwhelming. The information below will help get you started.

What is Liposuction?

Liposuction is a minimally-invasive surgical treatment that suctions excess fat away from the body permanently.

Achieving a flatter, tighter abdomen may not come to you despite regular exercise and a healthy diet. When it comes to stubborn deposits of belly fat, there are few treatments that can deliver results like liposuction. Though liposuction is not meant to be considered a weight-loss alternative, it is a great treatment for spot-reduction of exercise-resistant fat stores that typically develop around the stomach.

If the problem areas around your belly are primarily an issue of excess fat, then liposuction is typically the best route.

What is a Tummy Tuck?

A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is a surgical procedure that removes excess, stretched or sagging skin from the abdomen to restore a flatter, and tighter abdominal area. A tummy tuck is also highly capable of repairing weakened or stretched abdominal muscles.

In many cases, when we’re talking about the stomach and abdominal area, there is also the issue of excess, sagging skin. Pregnancy, aging, and large amounts of weight loss can result in sagging, stretched “flaps” of skin around the stomach. In these cases, liposuction may not be the best treatment because the excess skin is better addressed through treatments such as a tummy tuck.

Tummy Tuck vs. Liposuction Houston, TX

Both a tummy tuck and liposuction can deliver great results for achieving a flatter, leaner abdomen. To answer the question of which treatment is right for you comes down to the issue of excess skin versus excess fat.

Belly Fat versus Excess Skin

The struggle to achieve a slimmer stomach is one of the most common issues and only tends to get more challenging as you get older. Age, gender, genetics, and lifestyle all have a significant impact on fat distribution. For women, they may notice a pronounced change of excess fat deposits around the waist after menopause, which studies show is linked to the changing levels of estrogen in the body.

Hormone levels have an important influence on how your body stores fat.

Aging, genetics, and lifestyle also play a big role in skin elasticity. Skin elasticity is the ability of your skin to hold a taut shape and resist the effects of gravity. When skin becomes stretched due to weight gain, age, and pregnancy, sagging skin can develop. Additional dieting and weight loss cannot treat sagging skin and may actually make the appearance of sagging skin worse.

Tummy Tuck or Liposuction? Which treatment is right for me?

The best choice for you is based on a number of factors unique to your body and goals. At a glance, the key differences between a tummy tuck and liposuction are:

Benefits

Liposuction: Fat removal and reduction
Tummy Tuck: Skin reduction and abdominal muscle repair.

Cost:

Liposuction: Between $4,000 to $8,000 ~ average costs $6,000.
Tummy Tuck: Between$6,000 to $$10,000 ~average cost $8,000.

Recovery Time:

Liposuction: 2 days off work and light physical activity, return to high impact exercise after 2 – 3 weeks.
Tummy Tuck: 2 – 3 weeks off work and light physical activity, returning to high impact exercise after 2 – 3 months.

Ideal Candidates for Liposuction

You may benefit from liposuction treatment if you:

• Are in good overall health, within a reasonable range of your ideal body weight
• Are a non-smoker
• Do not have sagging skin around the abdomen
• Have excellent skin elasticity

Ideal Candidates for Tummy Tuck

You may be better served by a tummy tuck if you:

• Are in good, overall health, close to your ideal body weight
• Have a “paunch” or excess flab of sagging skin around the abdomen
• Have completed your last pregnancy
• Are open to a surgical procedure that will involve significant recovery time

In general, patients under the age of 40 are better-suited for liposuction because they tend to have better skin elasticity. Patients over the age of 45 may benefit from a tummy tuck’s ability to tighten weakened or separated abdominal muscles. Weakened abdominal muscles can occur due to age or as a result of multiple pregnancies.

Your Consultation

The best way to be certain of which treatment will achieve your desired result is with a consultation. Speaking in person with a fat reduction and body sculpting specialist is the best way to get an accurate assessment. An experienced cosmetic surgeon will always recommend the treatment that will best serve the patient’s realistic goals and their unique anatomy.

Your consultation is a private personalized meeting where you can discuss your goals and concerns in detail.

After a physical examination and assessment of your medical history, you will receive a tailored treatment plan that is created to fit your body and goals. In some cases, our patients may discover they may even qualify for non-surgical options such as CoolSculpting.

Only a consultation with an experienced surgeon can determine which options are best for an individual.

How is Liposuction Performed?

Liposuction is a safe, effective option for spot-reducing and eliminating stubborn pockets of exercise-resistant fat. At Houston Liposuction Center, SmartLipo, Vaser Lipo, and Tumescent Liposuction techniques are available for reducing fat from the abdomen.

Liposuction treatments are performed on an outpatient basis and typically range from one to two hours in treatment time. The modern techniques used make it possible for patients to remain awake and comfortable during the entire treatment. Patients are back on their feet and able to return home as soon as the treatment is complete. The procedure requires 1 to 2 mm incisions near the treatment site to enable a specialized tool called a cannula to suction fat from the body.

After treatment, mild swelling and bruising is common, but are managed with pain medication and compression garments.

How is a Tummy Tuck Performed?

Tummy tucks are relatively more involved surgical treatments compared to liposuction. The procedure requires about two to three hours to complete.

First, a tummy tuck is typically performed under general anesthesia. A horizontal incision is made across the lower abdomen. Every effort is made to locate the incision where it will be well-hidden by the bikini line. Then, excess skin is trimmed and the abdominal skin is pulled taut for a flatter appearance. In some cases, an additional, circular incision will be made to make an appropriate space for the belly button.

A tummy tuck is indicated for repairing stretched or weakened abdominal muscles. This is achieved by stitching the two vertical muscle groups of the rectus abdominis together with permanent sutures. The most common type of abdominal muscle separation occurs along the vertical line between the two major muscle groups of the abdomen, a condition called rectus diastasis.

After the muscles have been tightened and excess skin removed, sutures close the incision sites. Drains, compression garments, and surgical dressings are applied to protect the treated area as it heals.

Results of Liposuction versus Tummy Tuck

Both liposuction and tummy tuck can achieve a flatter, smooth stomach with long-term results. Weight gain in the future can impact the results of both procedures.

Liposuction permanently removes excess fat tissue from the body, which will not return to the treated area unless there is future weight gain. Most patients are encouraged by their great liposuction results, which instills a newfound enthusiasm for healthy habits.

The results of a tummy tuck are permanent unless there are future pregnancies or weight gain that can re-stretch the abdominal wall. The excess skin is permanently removed by the procedure. Tummy tucks will leave a visible surgical scar along the lower stomach, but this will continuously fade over time.

Cost of Liposuction versus Cost of Tummy Tuck

Liposuction is a less intensive treatment and typically costs less than a tummy tuck. Liposuction costs between $4,000 and $8,000 with an average cost of $6,000, whereas a tummy tuck ranges between $6,000 and $10,000 with an average cost of $8,000.

The numbers above are rough estimates. You will receive a personalized quote for your treatment at the end of your consultation.

what is more painful tummy tuck or liposuction

I started doin’ liposuction and tummy tucks about 15 years ago, and I’ve learned through experience that you’ll feel more pain after a tummy tuck than after a liposuction. This is because the incisions are right over your abdominal muscles (if you’re doing it by hand), which means they have to be very precise in order to avoid damaging nerves or blood vessels. If they aren’t precise enough, then they start bleeding out everywhere, including into your abdominal cavity. Then we clamp up all those holes before putting stitches in them, which means there’s less room for swelling without increasing pain by pushing liquid around inside the abdomen area.”

I’m sure you’re wondering how I can know what’s more painful. Well, it’s my experience that liposuction is less painful than a tummy tuck.

Pain is relative, subjective and varies from person to person. It depends on their mood at the time of surgery (some people feel better when they are happy) or if they are in their cycle (women tend to be more sensitive around this time). Pain also varies depending on where your surgery takes place – for example some surgeons use local anaesthetic while others use general anaesthetic so this would make your experience different too!

Liposuction is less painful than tummy tuck. It’s also easier to recover from, since you don’t have to deal with the incision that your surgeon makes when they remove fat. The procedure itself feels like pinpricks or pinches–not painful at all!

With lipo, you’re under general anesthesia so there’s no pain during your surgery but afterwards it can be sore as your body heals from each session of liposuction (each session is called an “treatment”). You should take it easy for a few days after each treatment and give yourself time for any swelling or bruising to go down before having another one done. It’s best if you stay off of your feet for at least 24 hours after each treatment because this helps reduce swelling even more quickly than walking around would do alone without putting any extra pressure on those areas where doctors have worked hard removing excess fat cells from beneath surface layers via tiny needles inserted into targeted areas beneath skin layers themselves using specialized equipment designed specifically for this purpose which allows them access deep enough inside bodies without damaging anything important except maybe nerves; however these nerves rarely get damaged because surgeons know how much pressure needs applied before damaging them becomes likely so most patients won’t feel anything beyond mild discomfort once procedures are complete anyway – especially if they take Ibuprofen beforehand!

I had lipo done on my entire torso and it wasn’t terrible. I was in a lot of pain the first day, but it was manageable with pain meds. I took them before I went to bed and then again in the morning to help with the swelling. The only thing that really bothered me was how tight my skin felt after getting up from lying down or sitting for too long–it would feel like a rubber band around my stomach area when I moved around too much!

If you’re worried about liposuction hurting more than tummy tuck surgery: don’t be! Liposuction involves removing fat deposits from different parts of your body (usually underarms/thighs/abs), whereas tummy tucks are typically only performed on one area–your abdomen region (belly button). The recovery process for both procedures varies depending on which part(s) are being worked on; however, neither procedure should cause significant discomfort beyond some mild soreness after surgery itself has been completed.”

When you get liposuction, the surgeon will make a small incision and insert a tube. The suctioning device is then used to remove fat cells from the area being treated. When it comes to tummy tucks, there are two types of incisions:

• Vertical–The surgeon makes an incision across your abdominal muscles in order to reach all areas of excess skin that need removing.
• Circumferential–Your entire abdomen is cut open vertically and then horizontally around its perimeter so that they can be stitched back together after all of your loose skin has been removed.*

With minor surgery, you don’t want to do too much for about two weeks, but you aren’t in bed about two weeks either. You can start walking around the house and doing light things like laundry and cleaning up after yourself.

You shouldn’t lift anything heavy or drive a car until after your follow-up appointment with your doctor (usually one week after surgery). If there’s any pain in your stomach area that doesn’t go away with time, let us know right away so we can take care of it before it gets worse!

Your incisions may ache more than usual as they heal over the next few weeks; we recommend taking ibuprofen (Advil) as needed for pain relief during this time period. You should avoid strenuous activity for two weeks after liposuction or tummy tuck surgery due to increased bleeding risk from movement–this includes exercise classes at gym facilities where other people could bump into your newly operated areas!

Pain meds are needed for four to six days and then you could take some aspirin or Tylenol to help with inflammation. You should not need pain medication for the rest of your life, but it’s good to have a couple of weeks’ supply on hand just in case. Pain management is often more difficult after surgery than before because there’s no way to predict how much discomfort you’ll experience during recovery.

You should not move the area too soon. You should wait at least two weeks before you lift heavy weights or do sit ups, push ups, crunches and lunges. If you were to do any of these exercises during this time period it would be very painful for your body and could cause damage to your stitches or even tear them out all together.

The reason why we recommend waiting two weeks is because this gives the area time to heal before introducing movement into the muscles and skin which would be painful with stitches in place.

The pain you experience after a liposuction procedure is generally less severe than after a tummy tuck. The reason for this is that liposuction only removes fat cells, while tummy tucks remove excess skin as well as fat.

Pain medication is needed after both procedures, but you’ll need less of it with lipo because there aren’t any incisions to heal or stitches to remove (unless they’re used to close up small holes left behind by needles). You may need pain medication for several days after your surgery; however, most patients find they can take over-the-counter medications and do not require prescription strength drugs like Vicodin or Oxycodone.

The amount and type of postoperative pain varies from person to person and depends on many factors including age, overall health condition prior-to-surgery etc.

Liposuction Cost

Liposuction Cost and Liposuction Price Guide

Liposuction Cost is an important factor when considering liposuction surgery. However, the quality of liposuction is more important than the liposuction cost. If the ultimate goal of liposuction is to have a happy patient, then the surgeon’s expertise and experience are probably more important than finding the cheapest liposuction surgeon. Liposuction prices are important, but it is not the most important factor to considering lipo surgery. Be careful not to put your body on the “Discount Rack”.

Lowest Liposuction Price Can Be Most Expensive

Choosing a liposuction surgeon based on the lowest price might ultimately be the most expensive choice, If the initial cosmetic results are so bad that another surgeon must be paid to repair the work of the first liposuction surgeon. Among the most common undesirable outcomes of liposuction are:

1. incomplete liposuction with very little evidence that liposuction was actually done,
2. excessive liposuction producing an unnatural or disfigured appearance,
3. irregular and uneven results with unsightly depressions in the skin, and
4. large scars that reveal that the patient has had liposuction. Caveat emptor (Buyer beware).

Tummy Liposuction Cost

How to Use Liposuction Cost  Table (Below)

The total cost for lipo surgery is a global fee that includes the sum of the non-surgical fee plus one or more surgical fees.

The non-surgical fees include the cost of the operating room, nursing staff, pre-operative laboratory tests, post-operative garments and supplies. The surgical fees represent the prices for lipo surgery of each individual area.

For example, the total cost for liposuction of the hips, outer thighs and buttocks might be the sum of the surgical fees for hips ($3,400), outer thighs ($3,000), and buttocks ($2,000), plus non-surgical fee ($1,800), which equals $9,400. However, usually these fees are bundled so you could be looking at a lower cost.

The following table is merely a rough estimate of the possible liposuction prices.

Factors That Determine Can Liposuction Cost

Factors that determine cost of liposuction include

1. The size of the patient,
2. Amount of time and effort required of the surgeon,
3. Cost of anesthesiologist’s services,
4. Operating room fees,
5. Preoperative laboratory fees,
6. Other related expenses, such as elastic compression garments, etc.

Expected Time and Effort
The expected time and effort that is required to accomplish a liposuction surgery is the most important factor in determining the cost of liposuction. Factors that typically affect the surgeon’s time and effort include:

1. Number of areas being treated,
2. Size of the patient,
3. Anticipated degree of difficulty.

Bundling areas and performing liposuction on 2-3 areas during one surgery saves money in non-surgical fees. Although the cost of liposuction of the abdomen alone is less than the cost of doing liposuction on both the abdomen as well as the inner thighs and knees, total dollars spent will be higher if the two areas are done during separate surgeries.

Similarly, the cost for abdominal liposuction on a patient who weighs 80 kilograms (176 pounds) might be more than the cost for liposuction of the abdomen of a patient who has never weighed more than 60 kilograms (132 pounds). Liposuction is more difficult and requires more time if the patient has previously gained and then lost a significant amount of weight. In any area previously treated with liposuction or other non-invasive technology like Coolsculpt, the fat often contains scar tissue which makes liposuction in the same area more difficult.

Other Variables Affecting Liposuction Price
Other variables affecting price of liposuction include the

1. experience of the surgeon and
2. geographic location of the surgeon.

An expert liposuction surgeon who has done thousands of liposuction procedures, who consistently achieves outstanding results, and who is in great demand, will often charge more than a less experienced surgeon. Surgeons who have had unhappy patients and who do not have a good reputation might also lower liposuction prices in order to attract new patients. In geographic areas where rents and labor costs are high, one can expect higher prices for liposuction. Dr. Jeffrey Klein and Dr. Norma Kassardjian are two of the most experienced liposuction surgeons in the world. Both have excellent reputations, have never had a serious complication and maintain the highest standard of care.

Global Liposuction Costs
Dr. Klein and Dr. Kassardjian quote a single global liposuction cost that includes almost every possible surgery-related expense in one lump sum. Typically, a global liposuction price is the sum of the surgical fees, plus the non-surgical fee. A global liposuction cost is commonly used when the liposuction surgery is done in the surgeon’s office or surgery center. There are no anesthesiologist fees or operating room fees with KleinLipo performed completely with local anesthesia in our in-office operating rooms. Compression garments are included.

When comparing costs to other surgeons, be certain to determine if the quote is for a global fee or merely the surgical fee. An office employee who answers the telephone might only give information about the surgeon’s fee and not mention other important items such as the anesthesiologist’s fee, and operating room fee.

Itemized Liposuction Prices Including Surgical Fees
Some surgeons prefer to give prospective patients an itemized list of all the anticipated costs of liposuction. These separate costs might include the surgical fee (money paid to the surgeon for his services), anesthesiologist’s fee, operating room fee, pre-operative laboratory test fees, charges for post-operative elastic compression garments, and possibly prices for antibiotics and other recommended drugs.

Sometimes itemized prices are used when the surgeon cannot control all of the related expenses, such as when the lipo surgery is to be done in a hospital operating room with a hospital anesthesiologist. Itemized lipo prices are also used by surgeons who are in the habit of doing multiple unrelated surgical procedures at the same time that the liposuction is done.

Telephone Estimates are not Precise
It is almost impossible to provide an accurate estimate of liposuction price unless the surgeon has had the opportunity to examine the patient. One can expect to be given a range of liposuction prices or at least the smallest fee charged for a specific area.

Dr. Klein always quotes an all-inclusive global price.  For example, the receptionists usually state that “For most areas, the minimal price is $4800 and may be as much as $8000 for a very large abdomen. Additional areas usually start at $2000. Dr. Kassardjian typically quotes about $1000 less”.

Written Estimate
A written estimate of total cost for the liposuction surgery is essential. Beware of any surgeon who is not completely candid, open and honest about all of the associated fees.

Financing and Loans
Financing and loans for cosmetic surgery are available through private finance companies. Often, one can also pay for liposuction surgery using a credit card. Liposuction is generally regarded as a luxury and thus going into debt to have liposuction requires careful consideration.

Does tummy tuck hurt more than lipo

Arlington Heights, Ill. – Patients undergoing cosmetic liposuction and/or abdominoplasty (“tummy tuck”) procedures report significant improvements in self-esteem and quality of life, according to a study in the April issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

Outcomes are especially good with liposuction plus “tummy tuck,” although they include somewhat higher pain scores and longer recovery times, reports the new study by ASPS Member Surgeon Dr. Eric Swanson, MD, a plastic surgeon in private practice in Leawood, Kan.

Study Shows Improved Quality of Life and Other Benefits

Dr. Swanson formally evaluated quality of life and other outcomes in 360 patients undergoing liposuction and/or abdominoplasty to remove excess abdominal fat. About 60 percent of patients underwent liposuction alone, while 35 percent underwent a combination of liposuction and abdominoplasty. The rest underwent abdominoplasty alone.

The patients’ average age was 42 years; 85 percent were women. Thirty percent of patients underwent other cosmetic plastic surgery procedures (such as face lift or breast augmentation) at the same time. Outcomes were assessed an average of four months after surgery.

Patients undergoing liposuction alone had shorter recovery times: average time off work was about six days, compared to 16 days with abdominoplasty (with or without liposuction). The liposuction-only patients also had less discomfort: average pain score 6 out of 10, compared to 7.5 for those undergoing abdominoplasty.

Combined Procedure Yields Best Results

Patients undergoing abdominoplasty rated their cosmetic outcomes higher than others: average score 9 out of 10, compared to 8 out of 10 with liposuction only. Liposuction plus abdominoplasty produced the highest patient satisfaction rate-over 99 percent-with no increase in pain compared to abdominoplasty alone.

Ninety-eight percent of patients undergoing liposuction plus abdominoplasty said they would undergo the procedure again and 99 percent that they would recommend it to others.

Overall, 86 percent of patients reported an improved sense of self-esteem after surgery. About 70 percent reported improved quality of life, more commonly after liposuction plus abdominoplasty.

Quality of life is an increasingly important focus measure of effectiveness for all types of medical and surgical treatments. Even though liposuction and abdominoplasty are among the most frequently performed cosmetic surgery procedures, few studies have formally evaluated their impact on quality of life and other patient-reported outcomes.

“Liposuction and abdominoplasty, individually and in combination, produce high rates of patient satisfaction and reliably improve self-esteem,” Dr. Swanson writes. By formally assessing these important outcomes in a large number of patients, he hopes his study will provide a clearer picture of the expected results and recovery times associated with these widely performed cosmetic surgery procedures.

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery® is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

About Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

For over 75 years, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery® has been the one consistently excellent reference for every specialist who uses plastic surgery techniques or works in conjunction with a plastic surgeon. The official journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery® brings subscribers up-to-the-minute reports on the latest techniques and follow-up for all areas of plastic and reconstructive surgery, including breast reconstruction, experimental studies, maxillofacial reconstruction, hand and microsurgery, burn repair and cosmetic surgery, as well as news on medico-legal issues.

About ASPS

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. Representing more than 11,000 physician members worldwide, the society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises more than 92 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

About Wolters Kluwer

Wolters Kluwer (WKL) is a global leader in professional information, software solutions and services for the clinicians, nurses, accountants, lawyers and tax, finance, audit, risk, compliance and regulatory sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with advanced technology and services.

Wolters Kluwer reported 2020 annual revenues of €4.6 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 19,200 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands.

Wolters Kluwer provides trusted clinical technology and evidence-based solutions that engage clinicians, patients, researchers and students in effective decision-making and outcomes across healthcare. We support clinical effectiveness, learning and research, clinical surveillance and compliance, as well as data solutions. For more information about our solutions, visit https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/health and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter @WKHealth.