Tummy Tuck
Abdominoplasty removes excess skin and fat and repairs separated abdominal muscles for a smoother, tighter core.
Tummy Tuck near you
Charles
Lee, MD
David
Kahng
Peter
Ashjian, MD
Debra
Stafford, MD
John
Diaz, MD
David
Rosenberg, MD
Anthony
Griffin, MD
Mohammad
Khosravi, MD
Mark
Solomon, MD
Adam
O'Toole, MD
Jaime
Schwartz, MD
Kevin
Ruhge, MD
Samuel
Golpanian
Lily
Lee, MD
William
Rahal, MD
Gordon
Sasaki, MD
Amir
Tahernia, MD
Andre
Panossian, MD
Robert
Schlenker, MD
Andre
Marshall, MD
Armen
Vartany, MD
Joshua
Jacobson, MD
Nathaniel
Villanueva, MD
Joel
Aronowitz, MD
Elie
Ramly, MD
Bruce
Kadz, MD
Marc
Mani, MD
Nicholas
Nikolov, MD
Stuart
Linder, MD
Gary
Motykie, MD
Gregory
Mueller, MD,
Daniel
Barrett, MD
Elise
Min, MD
Faryan
Jalalabadi
Navanjun
Grewal, MD
Walter
Joseph, MD
Brent
Moelleken, MD
Michael
Hakimi, MD
Dr.
Mossi Salibian, MD
Michael
Zarrabi, MD
Graham
Ives, MD
Tummy Tuck: making the decision
What the price actually covers
Honest risks
- Drains and a hunched-over first week
- Seroma (fluid buildup) is the most common minor complication
- A long but low scar, hidden by underwear
Are you a good candidate?
- Stable weight for 6+ months
- Done having children ideally
- Prepared for 2 weeks of real downtime
Six questions for every consult
- Are you board-certified, and in what specialty? (Verify it — don't just ask.)
- How many of this exact procedure did you do in the last 12 months?
- Can I see before/afters of patients with my anatomy or skin type?
- Who handles complications, and what's your revision policy and fee?
- Where is the procedure done, and is the facility accredited?
- What results would you consider realistic for me — and what won't this fix?
Verify before you book
In an insurance cohort of 25,478 abdominoplasties, major complications occurred in 4.0% of patients versus 1.4% for other aesthetic procedures — and a fifth of those complications were venous thromboembolism, the blood-clot risk that makes this operation's recovery rules (early walking, sometimes blood thinners) non-negotiable. Risk rose independently with male sex, age 55+, BMI of 30 or more, and combining procedures. None of that makes the operation unreasonable; it makes the pre-operative screening and the surgeon's VTE protocol worth asking about directly.
Source: Winocour et al., Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2015 (25,478 patients) ↗Separation of the rectus muscles — diastasis recti, most commonly after pregnancy — has no effective nonsurgical fix, and its repair is an integral part of a full tummy tuck: the muscles are repositioned and sutured through the same low incision. Severe diastasis is linked to core weakness and even urinary and bowel symptoms that can improve after repair. If a quote seems unusually low, one thing to check is whether it's for skin-and-fat removal only, without the muscle repair that gives the operation its result.
Source: ASPS — Diastasis Recti Repair ↗From the same 25,478-patient study: abdominoplasty alone ran 3.1% major complications; adding liposuction took it to 3.8%; adding a breast procedure 4.3%; both 4.6%; adding body contouring 6.8%; and the full combination 10.4%. The authors' own conclusion is that combined procedures should be considered carefully in higher-risk patients — which is the honest counterweight to the appeal of one anesthesia and one recovery. For patients with obesity or other risk factors, staging is not upselling; it's the data-backed cautious choice.
Source: Winocour et al., Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2015 ↗Med spas by metro
OU Beauty Medical Spa
Shaped Secretz Body Sculpting
Sculpt Med Spa Downtown Los Angeles
Skin Story Med Spa
MedBeautyLA
VIP AESTHETICS AND MEN'S HEALTH BY VIP MEDICAL
The Sunset Aesthetics
Deluxe Cosmetic Center
The Spa by Adam Lee Kenney
R&J Medspa
Patient reviews
Tummy Tuck: common questions
How much does a tummy tuck cost?
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons puts the average surgeon's fee for a tummy tuck at $8,174 — and that is the surgeon alone. It excludes anesthesia, the facility or operating-room fee, compression garments, labs and follow-up visits, which is why most patients end up somewhere in the $8,000–$13,000 range all-in. Two things move the number most: whether you need a full or a mini abdominoplasty, and whether muscle repair for diastasis recti is included, which adds operating time. If liposuction of the flanks is bundled in — very common — ask whether that's inside the quote or beside it.
Does insurance ever cover a tummy tuck?
The cosmetic operation, no. A panniculectomy — removal of an overhanging apron of skin, without tightening the muscle or repositioning the navel — is sometimes covered when the skin causes documented recurrent rashes or infections that haven't responded to treatment, and it is a different, less aesthetic operation. Insurers ask for photographs and a history of failed conservative treatment. If you're pursuing that route, get the criteria from your own policy in writing before the consultation, because they vary considerably between carriers.
How long is tummy tuck recovery?
Most people are back at desk work in about 10–14 days and cleared for full exercise at around six weeks. Drains, if used, usually come out in the first week or two. You'll be walking bent forward for several days by design — standing fully upright pulls on the repair. Swelling settles over months rather than weeks, so the final contour is normally judged at three to six months, and the scar continues to fade for a year or more.