“What does loose skin surgery cost?” is a common question for weight loss patients to ask in our office.
After all, many such patients have just shelled out thousands of dollars for weight loss surgery. And now that they’ve decided to undergo cosmetic surgery after weight loss, it can be hard to bite the bullet and pay again for another expensive procedure.
What’s important to keep in mind about the cost of loose skin surgery, however, is that it’s essentially an extension of the weight loss experience itself. Many men and women on their weight loss journeys plan far ahead of time to ultimately undergo skin removal surgery.
And once you think of it this way, it can be easier to see the merit of arranging your finances in such a way as to make the surgery possible.
Still, we understand that arrangements do often need to be made. So, let’s take a closer look at the typical loose skin removal surgery cost and what you can expect in terms of financing options.
How Much Does Loose Skin Surgery Cost?
Unfortunately, we cannot give you a set number for the cost of body contouring surgery after weight loss via bariatric surgery (such as gastric bypass surgery), Ozempic use, or simple diet and exercise. That’s because your ultimate excess skin removal cost will be based on numerous different factors, including:
Geographic Location
Large cities have a higher cost of living, and this extends to everything — even plastic surgery.
Time of the Year
Because more people tend to get cosmetic surgery in the winter, summer surgeries may be slightly less expensive.
Type of Skin Removal Procedure
Options vary, and every patient requires a unique approach to hanging skin after weight loss. Your surgeon will help you choose the right body contouring procedures for you.
Surgery Scope
The more extensive each surgery is, the more costly the entire procedure will likely be.
Surgeon’s Experience
The more experience and skill a surgeon has, the more in demand they will be and the more they will typically charge for their care.
Surgical Facility Fees
As with any major surgery, the facility where you undergo your operation will charge for their location, care, and use of supplies and equipment, etc.
Anesthesia
Anesthesiologists charge for their services on a separate bill from your surgeon (typically). General anesthesia is also more expensive than local anesthesia.
Follow-up Appointments
After your surgery, you’ll need to see your surgeon several times for checkups and so that they can note your progress and catch any potential complications.
Aftercare Expenses
As you recover, you may need to pay for extra in-home nursing care, childcare, pet care, meal services, recovery equipment, medications, etc.
Is There Insurance Coverage for Loose Skin Surgery?
In rare cases, health insurance plans may cover an insured’s loose skin after weight loss surgery cost. However, all insurance providers dictate their own policies regarding plastic surgery after significant weight loss, and coverage also varies plan to plan.
What’s more likely to be covered for individuals who are severely overweight or obese is the weight loss surgery itself. After that, it is typically the individual’s responsibility to cover the cost of skin removal surgery if this is something they are interested in.
Patients are often shocked by this realization as it is understandably very troubling to endure the difficulties of carrying around loose belly skin and other large folds of excess skin every day. Loose skin after weight loss can cause all sorts of issues such as rashes, difficulty moving, and general pain and discomfort. Unfortunately, many health insurance companies still do not consider plastic surgery after weight loss to be “medically necessary”.
How Can I Pay for Skin Removal Surgery?
Most plastic surgeons accept major credit cards or can connect you with medical financing companies such as CareCredit. Many patients also simply budget and save for their procedures. Ask your plastic surgeon about their unique financing options.
FAQ: Loose Skin Removal Surgery
Will I need skin removal surgery after using Ozempic?
The use of Ozempic to lose body weight is often termed medical weight loss.
And yes, medical weight loss — like surgical weight loss — tends to be rapid. Therefore, most patients who use this method to drop a significant amount of weight will have excess skin afterward. The faster one loses weight, the more likely it is to have loose skin.
What plastic surgery procedures can help reduce excess skin after weight loss?
Every weight loss patient is different and will have different cosmetic issues they want to address after losing weight.
Most patients choose a combination of the following procedures: upper body lift surgery, lower body lift surgery, tummy tuck surgery, liposuction, breast lift surgery, breast augmentation, breast reduction, male breast reduction, arm lift surgery, Brazilian butt lift surgery, or thigh lift surgery.
Will I have scars after skin removal surgery?
Yes, nearly all skin removal surgeries will result in scars. Incisions (and thus scars) are an inherent part of breast lift surgery, tummy tuck surgery, liposuction, upper and lower body lift surgery, and all other skin removal procedures.
Incidentally, patients often have scars after weight loss surgery as well. However, these tend to be smaller than plastic surgery scars. The good news is, with the proper care, all surgical scars should reduce in size and appearance over time.
Is excess skin removal surgery after weight loss worth it?
Take a look at any weight loss surgery before and after photos, and you’ll almost always see that although individuals can certainly change their bodies drastically with weight loss surgery, they still often have a tremendous amount of excess skin to contend with.
This is because extreme weight loss with surgery tends to happen quickly. And the faster you lose weight, the more likely it is you’ll have loose skin — and want that excess skin removed. In this way, extra skin removal surgery can be an extremely worthwhile procedure.
Contact Us Today to Request a Consultation
If you have recently experienced a major weight loss and now want to remove excess skin from your belly, thighs, buttocks, breasts, arms, or elsewhere, there are a number of body contouring surgeries that can help. Collectively called “excess skin removal”, these procedures can help you look the way you feel, by reducing sagging skin and tightening up the contours of your remaining skin.
If you need help finding the right surgical procedure for you, we suggest booking a consultation appointment before anything else. It’s also important to work only with excess skin removal surgeons who have extensive experience and who are board certified — like Dr. Matthew Schulman.
Please call our NYC office today to set up your consultation appointment with Dr. Schulman and finally achieve the ultimate goal of your weight loss journey.
