A tummy tuck or abdominoplasty is cosmetic surgery to tighten loose or flabby skin the stomach area. Men or women with a paunch or pot belly may be able to use this to get a tighter abdomen and younger profile. A tummy tuck procedure can also reduce some stretch marks on the stomach, and reduce the amount of lax skin folds, sagging skin or hanging skin.

Types of Tummy Tuck Surgery and Costs

People considering tummy tuck procedure for excess baggy skin on the belly include women who have lost stomach elasticity due to pregnancies, men or women who have lost a lot of weight and have a flabby stomach, as well as people with a sagging pouch or a pot belly due to age. Surgery for a flat stomach does not come cheap. The cost of an abdominoplasty starts at $4000 depending on how extensive the surgery is. This contouring procedure is done under anesthesia and hospitalization, so there are also those costs to consider.

Different types of tummy tuck procedures include:

• Full tummy tuck - This impacts loose stomach skin below the waist, lax abdominal muscle and the stomach fat. Areas of skin with stretch marks may also be removed. This is a procedure for men or women with a protruding stomach with a lot of hanging skin folds. The cost for a full tummy tuck for a flatter belly would start at around $6000
• Mini tummy tuck or partial abdominoplasty - This is usually done on men or women with a smaller pouch or pot belly below the waistline, for example a pocket of flab just below the belly button. The cost would be less than for a full tummy tuck procedure.
• Dermatolipectomy - This is cosmetic stomach surgery that removes fat and excess skin folds that may hang, but does not touch the muscle. The cost for stomach contouring would start around $4000.
• Endoscopic tummy tuck - This type of abdominoplasty involves smaller incisions to reduce the excess skin folds. The plastic surgeon uses a tiny camera inserted through one of the incisions to monitor the surgery.

Information on Tummy Tuck Surgery

If someone has mostly fat in the belly area, liposuction surgery may be more appropriate for these fatty deposits. If they have fat hanging over the hips, a full or lower body lift might be an option. This includes the tummy tuck as well as a thigh lift and buttock lift. Sometimes, if different procedures are combined, the individual cost would be lower, for example, if a woman was having breast augmentation surgery or a breast lift, as well as a tummy tuck.

A tummy tuck is serious surgery. During the procedure, the skin between the belly button (or navel) and the public hairline is cut. Excess skin above the belly button is stretched down to tighten it, and the navel or belly button is repositioned. Sometimes the belly button does not need to be repositioned (what's called a panniculectomy) In a full tummy tuck, the muscles also would then be tightened. There will be scarring, from either a vertical (called a fleur-de-lis) or horizontal incision.

This is considered to be very major surgical procedure. So really think about whether this is the correct thing for you to do. The risks include any associated with major surgery, including anesthesia, infection, pain, and numbness. Before considering, make sure you have already lost excess weight and that your muscles are in good tone. Recovery from a tummy tuck is not easy. If the muscles are cut, it will be difficult to move or sit up. There will also be pain and swelling. It may take several weeks or even months to heal.

Remember that if you gain weight after abdominoplasty, you would lose any benefits. As with other kinds of cosmetic surgery, if you are thinking about getting a tummy tuck, be realistic in what you can achieve. Find a very qualified doctor, a cosmetic surgeon who specializes in abdominoplasty. It does you no good to have a doctor who is good at hair grafts or ear pinning, if you are having a tummy tuck. Ask to see before and after photos of people with your body type.

This type of surgery is not covered by most insurance, and the cost is steep, so you would need to find your own financing for this surgery.