Tummy Tuck Costs in the UK and Abroad

Tummy tuck costs have become a lot more affordable in recent years. Feeling conscious about the shape of our stomach is common. However, it can be a real confidence killer, especially when you’ve worked so hard to lose excess weight and have been left with sagging skin. A tummy tuck — known medically as an abdominoplasty — is a plastic surgery procedure that aims to improve this by removing any excess loose skin or fat. It can also work effectively for women following pregnancy, by tightening the abdominal muscles to remove stretch marks.

As abdominoplasty costs have steadied, the popularity of the treatment has increased. However, choosing where to have the procedure done and the specific doctor to go for can be tricky, as prices can vary significantly. That’s why Qunomedical is here to help. We’ve put together a dedicated tummy tuck cost guide where you can find information on prices worldwide, as well as some factors to look out for which can affect the overall cost.

What Is a Tummy Tuck?

A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is a surgical procedure that permanently removes excess skin and fat around your abdominal area to give you a sleeker, slimmer figure. This procedure is typically undergone by women following pregnancy, but anyone who has accumulated excess abdominal fat or skin due to age, obesity, or other factors may be a good candidate for an abdominoplasty.

It’s worth noting that to be eligible for a tummy tuck, you must be in good health and have no serious active, or pre-existing medical conditions. It’s also important to go into this procedure with realistic expectations of what it can and can’t achieve. You can discuss goals with both your doctor and your Qunomedical Patient Manager prior to treatment.

How Does a Tummy Tuck Work?

A tummy tuck works by removing excess skin and fat on your stomach in order to flatten it out. The procedure also aims to tighten the abdominal muscles that may have become separated due to excess weight or pregnancy. This can be done for both men and women, but it’s more frequently performed on women.

A full tummy tuck involves superficial removal of skin and fat as well as a deeper muscle repair. This gives the best, most noticeable results. The surgery focuses on the area surrounding your belly button down to your pubic region, as this is typically the region that is the most affected by sagging or excess skin. Once the excess fat and skin have been removed, the remaining skin is stretched to cover your stomach, and your belly button will be repositioned as needed. The end result is a noticeably flatter, tighter stomach.

Are There Different Types of Abdominoplasty?

When it comes to planning your abdominoplasty, there are a few different options available. It’s important to discuss these with your Qunomedical Patient Manager and your doctor. The option that you go for can be dependent on your individual situation and what you hope to achieve from the surgery.

• Miniature tummy tuck: A mini tummy tuck uses a smaller, shorter incision that mainly addresses the area below the belly button, often called "the pouch." This is generally chosen by people who have only a small amount of stubborn excess fat or skin they want to get rid of. Similarly to a standard tummy tuck, mini tummy tuck costs have steadied in recent years, increasing the popularity of the procedure.

• Full tummy tuck: A full tummy tuck addresses the entire abdominal region, both above and below the belly button. This is the procedure that was briefly outlined above that involves removing excess fat and skin across the entire abdomen, while also repairing any abdominal muscle separation.

• Extended tummy tuck: As the name suggests, this is an expanded version of a full tummy tuck, and is most often carried out on patients who have undergone extreme weight loss. In addition to removing the excess skin and fat in the abdomen, it also removes excess skin from the sides and repairs muscles around the hip region.

Tummy Tuck Surgery: What to Expect During the Procedure

On the day of your surgery, be sure to wear comfortable, loose clothing. Your doctor can give you some recommendations on this to ensure that you’re as comfortable as possible. The procedure itself is usually performed under general anesthesia and can take anywhere between one and five hours.

Once underway, the surgeon will aim to make an incision just above the pubic bone in order to hide the resulting scar. Once the incision is made, skin and fat are separated from the abdominal muscles. A separate incision will be made around the belly button to detach the surrounding skin, and the removal of fat and skin can then be completed. During a full tummy tuck, the abdominal muscles are folded and tightened along the center of the abdomen to produce a firm, flat stomach. Once this has been completed, the surgeon will pull the remaining skin down and close the incisions.

For most abdominoplasties, drains will be placed under the skin directly above the pubic bone to allow fluid to drain from the surgical site during recovery. Not every surgeon does this, however, so be sure to ask about drainage methods during your initial consultations.

After the surgery, you will be moved to a comfortable recovery area for observation. Typically, observation only lasts for a few hours, but in some cases, patients may be told to stay overnight.

How Much Does a Tummy Tuck Cost?

As previously mentioned, tummy tuck prices have steadied in recent years. However, final costs for the treatment can still vary significantly. Dependent factors include the country in which you undergo the surgery and the specific clinic and doctor that you choose.

At Qunomedical, we employ a thorough vetting process to identify clinics and doctors who offer high-quality tummy tuck surgery at a fair price. To do this, we developed our unique and proprietary scoring system: Qunoscore. This takes 21 unique data points into account, including qualifications, experience, accreditations, price, and reviews from past patients.

Below, we’ve outlined starting tummy tuck prices across a number of different countries. These prices have all been taken from Qunomedical-approved doctors and clinics. Bear in mind though that these tummy tuck costs are not fixed or guaranteed and may vary from patient to patient depending on a number of different factors.

As we can see from the table above, tummy tuck costs abroad can be significantly cheaper than in countries such as the UK or US. Abdominoplasties in Turkey for example, have been one of the most popular destinations among past patients, with tummy tuck costs in Turkey being much lower than other countries. However, the cheaper prices are also combined with high-quality care, highly-experienced doctors, and state of the art medical facilities.

What Are the Factors That Affect Tummy Tuck Costs?

As mentioned above, where you choose to have your treatment can have a significant effect on the overall price. However, there are a few other notable factors that can influence abdominoplasty costs. We’ve outlined these briefly below.

1. Surgeon’s Fee

Tummy tuck prices can vary depending on the specific doctor that you choose. For example, doctors with more skill, experience, and accreditations are likely to have higher costs. However, it’s important to avoid the temptation of finding the cheapest possible price out there, as a poorly performed tummy tuck could result in undesired results or the need for a second treatment to repair the damage caused by the first. At Qunomedical, we’ll help you to find high-quality doctors at an affordable price.

2. Anesthesia Fees

An abdominoplasty is a cosmetic surgery procedure that’s most commonly performed under general anesthesia. This means that anesthesia fees will also be added to the overall cost of the treatment, so make sure to factor these in when considering the final price.

3. Prescriptions and Medications

Following surgery, your doctor may prescribe or recommend certain medications for you to take. Prices for these medications can vary and it's therefore important to also budget for these when calculating the overall tummy tuck cost.

4. Operating Facility Costs

An abdominoplasty can be carried out in a hospital, surgical clinic, or private facility. Each of these have their own benefits, with costs varying between each of them. It’s important to discuss these with your Qunomedical Patient Manager before booking your treatment.

5. Type of Procedure

One of the biggest influences on tummy tuck prices is the type and extent of surgery that you undergo. For those who require a larger amount of excess skin and fat to be removed, overall costs are likely to be higher. For those who have a smaller amount of excess sagging skin, their price may be lower, as mini tummy tuck costs tend to be slightly cheaper.

6. Additional Treatments

It’s common to combine an abdominoplasty with an additional plastic surgery procedure such as liposuction, Brazilian butt lift or a full body lift. Patients often use the opportunity of travelling abroad for treatment to undergo multiple procedures during the same visit, however, doing so will have an effect on your overall treatment cost.

Does My Insurance Cover Tummy Tuck Costs?

Generally speaking, insurance companies consider abdominoplasty to be an elective, cosmetic procedure. This means that health insurance plans often tend not to cover any of the tummy tuck costs. In the UK for example, tummy tuck surgery is not covered by the NHS, however they can still provide assistance with information on the treatment and advice for those considering it.

It’s worth getting in touch with your insurance provider or checking if any practice will offer financing options before booking your tummy tuck. If you need any further assistance with this, a Qunomedical Patient Manager will be happy to help.

What Are the Potential Risks of an Abdominoplasty?

As with any surgical procedure, there are potential risks and complications that you should be aware of. During your initial consultations, your doctor will cover these potential risks with you in more detail. However, general risks can include:

• Bleeding

• Infection

• Tissue loss

• Fluid accumulation

• Reaction to anesthesia

If you’re concerned about any of these possible risks, then contact either your doctor or your Qunomedical Patient Manager to discuss them in more detail.

How Long Will My Recovery Take?

Since we all tend to progress at different rates following treatment, there is no set schedule for recovery. Generally though, the more extensive your procedure was, the longer your recovery period will be. Some patients are able to return to work after only two or three weeks, but others require upwards of six weeks before they can begin to resume normal activities. Your doctor will be able to more accurately outline a recovery plan for you.

Major swelling will generally subside after around four to six weeks, but it may take a few more months before all swelling clears. It’s important to regularly get up and move around gently within the first few days of surgery to help improve circulation and diminish the risk of blood clots. In addition, most doctors recommend that you avoid smoking for at least a month after surgery and that you steer clear of any movements that may lift or twist your stomach.

Why Choose Qunomedical?

At Qunomedical, we take a patient first approach to healthcare. Whatever your background may be, we are on a mission to help you to get easier access to high-quality care, at an affordable price. We’ll never provide you with information on doctors or clinics with poor reputations or reviews. Once in contact with us, one of our Patient Managers will be in touch to get you started. They will then be your personal point of contact throughout your entire treatment journey, from the initial consultations, through to your successful recovery.

With Qunomedical:

✓ You’ll find the trusted and reliable doctors worldwide in one place - your search is easy! ✓ You’ll get the best price online, as well as the highest quality. ✓ Your travel will be as stress-free as possible - with 24/7 patient support, we’ll be with you every step of the way. ✓ You’ll get the final, real price and no hidden costs!

Contact us now to get your tummy tuck surgery journey underway.

Disclaimer

The information in this article is for educational purposes only and does not replace medical advice. Always consult your doctor before starting any treatments.