In case one loses weight considerably, in a very short time, sagging skin can be a problem, as it is unsightly and is at risk to infections. This article talks about the excess skin removal cost, and the various factors that affect the price while undergoing this medical procedure.
Paying money for losing weight is nothing new. Day in and day out, people are spending a truck load of money to get in shape. Sometimes due to an obsession or to avoid health complications, people even go for surgeries, when no other method works for weight loss. However, at what cost? Take for instance a bariatric surgery or a lap band surgery. These surgeries are not exactly inexpensive. A lap band surgery is used for removing excess skin and fat and thus weight from a person’s body as a weight loss procedure. On the contrary some surgeries have to be done when people are obese and they lose weight by other means, only to have unsightly, sagging skin.
Cost of Skin Removal Procedure
There are a number of procedures and techniques used for removing extra skin. There are procedures like a tummy tuck to bariatric weight loss surgery to fat and skin grafting. It entirely depends on what kind of surgery you will have to undergo to deal with excess skin after weight loss, what is the extent of that surgery, and how invasive is it. In addition to that, a lot depends on the hospital and the region you are in. The area you get operated in is another very important consideration. Let us take one of the procedures, bariatric surgery, which indirectly leads to sagging skin. The cost of bariatric surgery on an average is between USD 17,000 and USD 30,000.
For gastric bypass surgery it is somewhere around USD 20,000 to USD 35,000. A tummy tuck, on an average can cost anywhere between USD 5,000 to USD 7,000 or perhaps even more, depending on individual cases. In all these surgeries, the experience of the surgeon matters a lot, and so the more experienced and popular the doctor, the more the doctor’s fees and more the overall cost. To give you another example, excess fat on the underside of the arms can be gotten rid off at around USD 4,000. Or for instance, for getting the breasts in shape after a weight loss surgery it can cost anything from USD 5,000 to USD 7,000 or USD 10,000 to USD 15,000. Most of the time, people having a body mass index of more than 40 or thereabouts, go for these surgeries. A thigh lift, on the other hand might cost less.
Other Costs
The above mentioned factors are the basic ones. Several other factors come into play when it comes to these surgeries. We learned about the surgeon’s fees. In addition to that, you have the hospital charges, medication, anesthesia, the tests prior to the operation, follow-up visits, and everything else related to the surgery. The pre-surgery tests if billed separately can run up to USD 1,000 or more. Most of the time, these are not billed separately. Instead they are included in the total hospital bill package. In case the surgery is done outside USA, the excess skin removal cost may be in the range of USD 11,000 and USD 16,000.
In case, individuals are not able to pay the entire amount, there are quite a few financing options available. Many a time, if the patient is able to prove the medical necessity, the insurance companies cover these surgeries and skin tightening procedures. All in all, if any such surgery is warranted as absolutely essential for leading a good life, go ahead, avoid shying away even if you are cash strapped.
Disclaimer: This article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.
