- After decreasing weight, panniculectomies and tummy tucks are done to remove extra skin around the lower stomach.
- A panniculectomy is considered a medical need after a large amount of weight loss, but a stomach tuck is a cosmetic treatment.
Safety
- Pain and numbness are common side effects of both surgeries. Scarring is also a possibility, though it will fade over several months.
- Infection, severe pain and numbness, and bleeding are all rare consequences.
Convenience
- Both treatments are invasive surgeries that necessitate extensive planning and post-operative care.
- Finding a board-certified surgeon with substantial experience in each treatment is critical.
Cost
- A panniculectomy is more expensive than a stomach tuck, although medical insurance generally covers treatment. The price tag can range from $8,000 to $15,000, without including anesthesia and other fees.
- The cost of a belly tuck is less, but it is not covered by insurance. The average cost of this elective treatment is $6,200.
Efficacy
- Tummy tucks and panniculectomies have equal success rates. The objective is to decrease weight prior to surgery, as weight maintenance is critical to the success of your treatment.
Do I qualify for a Panniculectomy?
If you’ve recently lost a lot of weight and want to get rid of loose belly skin, you might be a good candidate for a panniculectomy. Excess skin hanging below the pubic region is causing hygienic problems. Under the dangling skin, you keep developing ulcers, infections, and other problems.
Do insurance companies pay for a Panniculectomy?
Excess skin around the stomach is common in people who have lost a lot of weight, and it can cause skin rashes, irrational behavior, discomfort, and other issues. This is referred to as the pannus.
Many patients who have lost weight through lap band surgery, gastric bypass, or natural means consult with plastic surgeons to discuss their alternatives for resolving the issue.
A panniculectomy is a surgical treatment that removes excess skin from the pannus, which is located around the midsection. The pannus usually stretches from the abdomen to the back, causing skin irritation and other issues.
Making an incision similar to a stomach tuck and extending it around to the rear of the body as far as the excess skin occurs, the pannus is removed. This technique is done as an outpatient procedure with general anesthesia administered by a board-certified anesthesiologist. It’s frequently combined with other body lift treatments like a breast lift, breast reduction, or thigh lift.
PANNICULECTOMY VS. TUMMY TUCK
Both a panniculectomy and a tummy tuck are treatments that remove extra skin from the mid-section in order to obtain a flatter abdomen. A belly tuck, on the other hand, targets muscular laxity (diastasis), whereas a panniculectomy tackles solely the extra skin and tissue of the pannus. Your plastic surgeon will discuss which operation is ideal for you based on your objectives. Patients who have lost a lot of weight may need a panniculectomy first, then a stomach tuck 6 months to a year later to tighten the muscles.
Panniculectomy covered by insurance
Panniculectomy surgery is often reimbursed by insurance. Insurance companies frequently require documentation from medical professionals relating to weight reduction and/or weight loss surgery, skin irritability, or other disorders that affect daily living in order to qualify. In order to authorize the operation, most insurance companies also want images prior to the procedure.
PPO insurance is accepted by the board certified plastic surgeons at California Surgical Institute. Please complete the form below to receive a free insurance verification to see if you are eligible for panniculectomy with insurance and what type of copay you will have.
How many sizes do you lose with a Panniculectomy?
Because different individuals with varying body compositions seek this therapy to contour and define their stomachs, the results vary from patient to patient. However, depending on which technique you pick, you might anticipate to lose one to three sizes in total.
Those with the most excess fat and skin will notice the most significant improvements. Some patients will not lose a considerable amount of weight, but they will shed stubborn fat, excess skin, and gain a tighter, more toned core, making their clothes look and feel better.
Is Panniculectomy considered cosmetic surgery?
A panniculectomy is a surgical procedure that removes superfluous tissue. It’s possible that a panniculectomy is only cosmetic (to improve looks only). Cosmetic surgery is not covered by the plan. However, there are also cases where the panniculus is producing medical issues that are interfering with a person’s daily activities.
Does insurance cover apron surgery?
In most cases, insurance will pay breast reduction and panniculectomy (removal of the “skin apron” on the lower belly). These operations, however, may be deemed unnecessary or may not give all of the lifting required for optimal results.
Does UPMC cover a Panniculectomy?
Body contouring is usually not covered by health insurance, however there are exceptions.
Insurance companies frequently need documentation that the operation is medically required to avoid or alleviate difficulties.
- People with a big apron of skin who have a persistent rash despite using prescription creams may benefit from a panniculectomy.
- Breast reduction is for women who have enormous, heavy breasts that cause upper back pain, grooving in their bra straps, and a severe rash.
We will work with your insurer to obtain any available coverage and will assist you in exploring all alternative financing possibilities.
What is the difference between a tummy tuck and a Panniculectomy?
The surgical procedures of panniculectomy and tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) are used to remove excess lower belly skin. They can both be used to treat people who have lost a lot of weight due to natural or surgical causes.
The purpose of a panniculectomy is to remove hanging skin, but a stomach tuck enhances your muscles and waistline while also providing contouring effects. Both treatments can be performed at the same time if desired.
Both operations have the same goal: to remove extra skin from the stomach. However, you must understand the key differences between the two in order to achieve the desired results.
Will insurance cover a tummy tuck if I have a hernia?
The cost of any medical procedure is usually at the top of the list of considerations. Is this anything that insurance will cover? The good news is that an Umbilical Hernia Repair is frequently considered a medically required surgery by insurance. Because it is considered an aesthetic or cosmetic operation, it must be paid for out of pocket if done in conjunction with a Tummy Tuck.
While a Tummy Tuck tries to remove extra skin and reattach the abdominal muscles to the abdominal wall, a hernia repair frequently involves the first part of a Tummy Tuck surgery, where the muscles are brought together.
You may need to find both a general and a plastic surgeon to conduct both treatments at the same time.
It’s also crucial that you tell your insurance provider exactly what you’re doing so that you know what they’ll cover and what they won’t.
Your surgeon may or may not advise you to have both surgeries done at the same time. There is a higher chance of the umbilical stalk losing blood supply, and the hernia may not be in the optimum location for an abdominoplasty.
As with any medical operation, it’s critical to understand the expenses and what your insurance will and won’t cover.
Dr. Hovsepian will do everything he can to assist you in this process. He will also go over any potential dangers and side effects of the treatment with you to ensure that you are confident in your decision to get plastic surgery.
To speak with Dr. Hovsepian personally, call our office now and book a consultation.
Does a Panniculectomy remove fat?
A panniculectomy is a procedure that removes excess fat and skin from your belly that has stretched out. This might happen after a person has lost a lot of weight. It’s possible that your skin will hang down and cover your thighs and genitals. The removal of this skin improves your health and looks.
Abdominoplasty is not the same as panniculectomy. Your surgeon will remove excess fat and tighten your abdominal (belly) muscles during abdominoplasty. Both forms of surgery are sometimes done at the same time.