Mommy Makeover Cost: Average Price, What Affects It & Financing

A mommy makeover is not a single operation. It is a name for a custom combination of body procedures, most often involving the breasts and abdomen, and sometimes the hips, arms, or thighs. The price therefore depends almost entirely on which procedures are on your list.

This guide shows what packages cost, what each component costs on its own, and how surgeon's fees fit in. It covers pricing only. Which procedures to combine, and whether to do them together, are questions for a board-certified plastic surgeon.

CareCredit prices three example packages, from a smaller combination to a large one. The midrange package averages $34,189. Use it as a reference point; your own list may differ from any package.

The basic package, which is a tummy tuck, breast augmentation, and CoolSculpting, averages $17,100. The midrange package, a tummy tuck, breast augmentation, BBL, and thigh lift, averages $34,189. The largest, which adds a breast lift, liposuction, an arm lift, and more, averages $49,948. Each package adds procedures, and each added procedure adds cost.

Adding up individual procedures shows where the money goes. These ranges come from CareCredit and show what each operation costs on its own:

A tummy tuck has a typical cost of $8,777, breast augmentation $6,721, and a breast lift $7,792. Liposuction of the upper and lower abdomen runs $7,491, a BBL $9,619, an arm lift $7,197, and a thigh lift $9,072.

The package totals above may not match the sum of these individual prices. Practices set their own combined pricing, and a combined operation shares some costs, such as a single anesthesia session. Ask your surgeon for a combined quote and for the individual prices of each part.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) publishes average surgeon's fees for the operations that often make up a makeover. These figures are the surgeon's fee only. ASPS states that they do not include anesthesia, the operating room or facility, medical tests, prescriptions, or garments. They are the fees for each procedure alone, not for a combined operation, so they are not a total for a makeover.

The ASPS averages are $8,174 for a tummy tuck, $6,816 for a breast lift, $4,711 for liposuction, and $4,875 for breast augmentation with implants. They show how a surgeon's fee compares from one procedure to another, but your quote will reflect how your surgeon prices the combined operation.

Several factors push one quote above or below another:

• The procedure list: More procedures mean a higher price.
• The surgeon: Experience, demand, and the practice's location all affect fees.
• The facility: Hospitals and surgery centers charge different facility fees.
• Anesthesia time: Longer operations mean more anesthesia time, which is billed accordingly.
• Staging: Some surgeons split a makeover into more than one operation, which changes how the bill is structured. Whether to stage is a medical decision.
• Implants and materials: Whether they are included in the quote.

Because a makeover is large, the gap between what is and is not included can be large too. Before you compare quotes, ask whether each includes:

• Surgeon's fee for every procedure
• Facility fee
• Anesthesia
• Implants or other materials
• Pre-operative tests and prescriptions
• Compression garments
• Follow-up visits
• Revision policy

Ask for an itemized estimate in writing. A single combined number makes it hard to see what you are paying for.

A mommy makeover is generally treated as cosmetic, and health plans typically do not pay for cosmetic procedures. A plan may cover parts of certain operations in specific circumstances, and rules vary by insurer. Call your insurer, ask what your plan covers, and get the answer in writing.

Most people use savings or financing. Many practices partner with medical financing companies such as CareCredit. Terms vary, and some promotional offers charge deferred interest if the balance is not paid in time. Read the agreement and compare it with a personal loan or other options before signing. For a total this large, a small difference in interest rate can change what you pay over time.

• Which procedures does the quote cover, and what does each cost on its own?
• Is the price all-inclusive, or are facility, anesthesia, and garments extra?
• What is the deposit, and what is the cancellation policy?
• What does the practice charge for a revision?
• If the operation is staged, how is each stage billed?