The phone at Southwest Plastic Surgery rings with one cost question more than any other: how much is liposuction and a tummy tuck together? Most practices answer with “schedule a consult.” This one answers with a number, because Dr. Frank Agullo publishes his prices on the fees page and always has.
The number has a catch, and it is a good one. The liposuction most people are trying to add is already inside the tummy tuck.
Start With What Is Bundled
Is flank lipo bundled into the tummy tuck?
Dr. Agullo: “Yes. Flank lipo is bundled in, not priced on top. This is why a combined case comes in below the two line items added together.”
Every tummy tuck Dr. Agullo performs includes liposuction of the abdomen and the flanks. Patients who price the tummy tuck, then price abdominal lipo, then price flank lipo, and add all three, arrive at a figure the practice would never quote. The combined case starts at the tummy tuck band.
The Published Bands
What does liposuction cost right now?
As of this writing, the liposuction bands on the practice’s fees page are: flanks $4,000; abdomen $5,500 to $7,500; 360 $11,000 to $15,000; and “Lipo, Lipo, Everywhere” $15,000 to $21,500. Patients should confirm the current number there before planning around it.
The tummy tuck band is $16,000 to $26,000, covered on its own in the practice’s tummy tuck cost post.
| Procedure | Band, as of this writing |
|---|---|
| Liposuction, flanks | $4,000 |
| Liposuction, abdomen | $5,500 to $7,500 |
| Liposuction 360 | $11,000 to $15,000 |
| “Lipo, Lipo, Everywhere” | $15,000 to $21,500 |
| Tummy tuck, with abdomen and flank liposuction included | $16,000 to $26,000 |
| Skin tightening | Add-on |
These are starting prices and they are all-inclusive: facility, anesthesia, garments, vitamins and scar care. The patient picks up prescriptions at the pharmacy and nothing else. Pricing changes over time, and the fees page is updated first, so confirm there.
What Moves a Quote Inside a Band
What drives the price within a lipo band?
Dr. Agullo: “The number of liposuction sites performed. How long the surgery takes, since that determines the cost of the operating room and anesthesia. Adding skin tightening (BodyTite or Renuvion J-Plasma) adds both cost and time.”
What moves a patient up the tummy tuck band?
Dr. Agullo: “The exact type of tummy tuck required, which often tracks the incision length: mini, standard, extended, or circumferential. Expected time in the operating room, since that influences anesthesia and OR cost. That time is often determined by the complexity of the case and the patient’s BMI.”
Sites, time, and technology on the liposuction side. Incision length, time, and BMI on the tummy tuck side. None of it is hidden, and all of it is discussed in the exam room before a quote is written.
Skin Tightening: Which Device, Which Area
This is the add-on patients ask the practice about most, because they have seen Renuvion J-Plasma on social media and want to know whether it is included.
Does Renuvion J-Plasma cost extra?
Dr. Agullo: “Skin tightening is an add-on that increases cost and time. The practice offers a family of radiofrequency devices, chosen by body area: BodyTite: radiofrequency with both an internal and external component. Renuvion J-Plasma: radiofrequency plus a helium plasma component; works internally only (subdermal). FaceTite: used on the neck. Many patients combine liposuction with skin tightening.”
At Southwest Plastic Surgery, BodyTite goes on the arms and inner thighs, FaceTite on the neck, and Renuvion J-Plasma on the rest of the body. Dr. Agullo has explained why he adds it so often.
“I saw a missing need after liposuction, which was skin tightening. We were able to perform liposuction effectively, but after deflating the subcutaneous tissue layer, many patients were left with loose skin, which required surgical excision. When we began using Renuvion, we noticed that the tissues would contract, and oftentimes the surgical excision of excess skin was not necessary anymore.”
Why a Quote Comes Back Higher Than the Website
The practice hears this one the day after a consultation, and Dr. Agullo’s answer is the same every time.
Why does a quote come back higher than the published band?
Dr. Agullo: “Baseline: if nothing else is added and the surgery is not expected to take longer than the standard time, the quote matches the website.”
“Common reason a quote runs higher: the patient wants liposuction in more areas to improve the overall body contour, frequently adding the upper back and the lateral chest. Those areas especially benefit from adding Renuvion J-Plasma. This makes the procedure longer (more OR and anesthesia time) and adds the cost of the additional procedures and areas themselves. So the base price holds, but added zones plus skin tightening lift the final quote.”
The website number is the operation as published. Added zones and skin tightening make it a bigger operation. The band stays where it is.
The Combination Most Patients Book
What are the common tummy tuck combinations?
Dr. Agullo: “Most common of all, with its own name: the MOMMY MAKEOVER. A tummy tuck with liposuction, plus some kind of breast procedure, whether a breast augmentation, a breast reduction, or a breast lift. Adding more liposuction sites: upper back, lateral chest, arms, inner thighs, and neck. Adding a BBL or fat transfer to the buttocks to improve the hip and buttock contour.”
The practice’s mommy makeover cost breakdown covers the breast side, which is where most of the variation lives. The full version of this post, with the FAQ and the complete table, is on agulloplasticsurgery.com.
Why Dr. Agullo
Dr. Agullo is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery, completed his plastic surgery fellowship at the Mayo Clinic, and serves as Clinical Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. He has been a Castle Connolly Top Doctor for thirteen consecutive years. He publishes his prices, and the published price includes the facility, the anesthesia, the garments and the follow-up.
Schedule a Consultation
An exact quote can only be provided after a consultation. To ask about liposuction and tummy tuck cost at Southwest Plastic Surgery, call (915) 590-7900, text 1-866-814-0038, or contact the practice online. #StayBeautiful
Find Dr. Agullo at @RealDrWorldWide on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, @Agullo on X, or @AgulloPlasticSurgery on Facebook.
