Cost is one of the first things callers ask the front desk about a mommy makeover, often before a consultation is even on the calendar. Most practices will not answer that on the phone. Here is the answer.
“As of this writing, a mommy makeover, which includes a tummy tuck, liposuction, and a breast procedure, ranges from about twenty-five thousand five hundred to forty-five thousand dollars,” Dr. Frank Agullo says. “If we add a BBL, that becomes an extreme mommy makeover, ranging from about thirty thousand to fifty-five thousand dollars. Prices are subject to change, and you can always find my updated fees at agulloplasticsurgery.com/fees.”
What the Fee Covers
Ask him what that buys and he does not hand over a brochure. He just lists it.
“The fees that we talked about include everything for your surgery. That includes the surgeon’s fees, OR fees, anesthesia fees, your garments, and your preoperative and postoperative vitamins and supplements. That includes SinEcch, which are tablets that contain Arnica, and Bromelain, which we give separately, both to help with bruising and swelling. We also include Skinuva scar cream, a separate skin moisturizer, usually Elastin, and Exparel for long-acting pain control. Your BBL pillow is included if necessary, along with all of your lymphatic drainage massages and all of your postoperative visits. Really, the only thing you are responsible for is picking up your prescription medications at the pharmacy.”
That last sentence is the one worth rereading.
The Recovery Is Already Paid For
Lymphatic drainage massage is not a single appointment. It is repeated hands-on work across the weeks after surgery, during the stretch when patients are most discouraged by swelling. Postoperative visits run for months, not weeks.
At Southwest Plastic Surgery, every one of those sessions and every one of those visits sits inside the surgical fee. A quote that excludes them can look thousands of dollars cheaper on paper and end up costing more by the time a patient reaches month three.
The Medspa side of the practice supports recovery beyond that too. ElixirMD offers IV hydration and nutrient therapy, and scar and skin treatments are available once healing allows.
Why One Surgery Costs Less Than Three
Patients sometimes ask about splitting the procedures across separate surgeries to spread the cost. It reliably costs more.
“When you combine your procedures into one surgery, you share one anesthesia, one operating room, and one recovery, and I can perform it all safely in a single setting,” Dr. Agullo says. “The main savings comes from the time in the OR and anesthesia. The first hour of anesthesia in the operating room is the most expensive, because it includes all the equipment necessary and all the setup for a routine surgery. Therefore, when you do everything in one surgery, you only have that one first hour. Whereas if you break it up into two or three surgeries, you have the cost of that first hour two or three times.”
The same is true of everything downstream. “On top of that, you also do not have to spend on medications two or three times, or the body moisturizer, scar creams, and lymphatic massages,” he says. “By doing everything in just one surgery, these expenses only come up once.”
What Changes the Final Number
| Factor | How it moves the price |
|---|---|
| Type of abdominoplasty | Mini, standard, extended, or circumferential |
| Number of liposuction sites | More sites, more operative time |
| Energy devices | Renuvion J-Plasma, BodyTite, or FaceTite add cost |
| Type of breast surgery | Augmentation, lift, lift with augmentation, or reduction |
| Mesh support | GalaFLEX or DuraSorb when the case calls for it |
| Patient physique | Directly affects anesthesia and operating room time |
Regardless of which abdominoplasty a patient has, Dr. Agullo performs the triple plication internal corset on all of them. That internal repair is not a premium tier.
Financing
A mommy makeover is a cosmetic procedure, so insurance does not cover it.
“Making a mommy makeover affordable is something we take seriously, so we offer several financing options, including PatientFi, AlphaEon, Cherry, and CareCredit,” Dr. Agullo says. “Beyond those, we also offer direct financing through the practice itself, where a patient can make payments toward their surgery ahead of time. This lets them schedule their procedure around a timeline that works for them, paying gradually and at their own convenience.”
Patients are also welcome to use a credit card, pay in cash, or finance through their own bank or another institution.
A Word on Bargain Quotes
“I always feel like when things are too good to be true, they usually are,” Dr. Agullo says. “If a price seems far below what everyone else is charging, you have to ask what is being cut, whether it is the surgeon’s experience, the accreditation of the facility, the type of anesthesia, or the follow-up care. With a mommy makeover, you are not just paying for the operation, you are paying for safety.”
He sees the consequences regularly. “Unfortunately, I perform a lot of revision surgeries for procedures done by other surgeons from around the United States and Mexico,” he says. “I can tell you that the cost of revising a surgery here is far greater than the fees for the initial procedure. And the final results are usually compromised, so the patient will not obtain their best possible result, the result they would have had if it were done correctly the first time.”
About Dr. Agullo
Dr. Frank Agullo is a double board-certified plastic surgeon and a Clinical Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine. He completed his plastic surgery fellowship at the Mayo Clinic and has been named a Castle Connolly Top Doctor for thirteen consecutive years. Roughly sixty percent of the practice’s patients travel to El Paso from out of town.
#StayBeautiful
Ready to Talk?
A consultation turns the range above into a real quote for your case. Bring your questions about timing, financing, and recovery; all three get answered in the same visit.
Call (915) 590-7900, text 1-866-814-0038, or book a consultation. Current pricing is published at agulloplasticsurgery.com/fees.
Follow along: @RealDrWorldWide on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, @Agullo on X, or @AgulloPlasticSurgery on Facebook.
Related reading: Dr. Agullo’s own line-by-line breakdown is at What a Mommy Makeover Really Costs, and his editorial take on published pricing is at The Price Nobody Posts on drworldwide.com. See also body contouring.
