Excess skin after WLS

[maintenanceman 286]

I was low BMI (35.9), lost 80 lbs. I have a bit of loose skin around my tummy (which is where I carried most of my fat). It’s mostly invisible when I’m dressed but very apparent when I’m naked. As a fellow WLS patient said about herself… I look like a potato. Annoying, but I’d much rather deal with some loose skin than be obese!

[Kimpossible00 20]

Did any of you pay out-of-pocket for your skin removal procedure and can you provide a range and the procedure type? My insurance already said they won't cover a panniculectomy, unless it's due to infection.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using BariatricPal mobile app

[catwoman7 11,221]

11 hours ago, Kimpossible00 said:

Did any of you pay out-of-pocket for your skin removal procedure and can you provide a range and the procedure type? My insurance already said they won't cover a panniculectomy, unless it's due to infection.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using BariatricPal mobile app

I had my skin surgeries in 2017 and 2018 (and a face/neck lift a year ago). Before I started doing consultations, I'd read on bariatric internet forums (and it might have been this one) to expect $8K-$10K per procedure, with a lower body lift counting as two procedures since they do both front and back (in other words, it's more extensive than a panniculetomy). I had three consults in the US, and that range rang true. I did one email consult with a surgeon in Mexico, and his estimate was maybe half that (although I chose to stay in the US for my surgeries). I've had a lower body lift, an arm lift, a breast lift, and again, a face/neck lift.

EDITED to add: part of it depends on where in the country you have it done. You're probably going to pay more in a city like NY, Chicago, or LA than you will in a place like Knoxville, Tennessee. I know there are some people on this forum who had theirs done in Florida, which for some reason seems cheaper than other parts of the country.

Edited December 27, 2022 by catwoman7

[ms.sss 15,727]

13 hours ago, Kimpossible00 said:

Did any of you pay out-of-pocket for your skin removal procedure and can you provide a range and the procedure type? My insurance already said they won't cover a panniculectomy, unless it's due to infection.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using BariatricPal mobile app

i did.

i had a Tummy Tuck, arm lift and breast lift all in one shot back in 2019.

im in canada (ontario) though, so the following prices may not apply depending on where you are from:

i paid roughly 15k CAD in total (~11k USD in todays dollars)

my provincial insurance covered the pannilectumy portion of the surgery and i paid the difference to "upgrade" to a tummy tuck (which is essentially muscle tightening and a bit of Lipo on the flanks)...and i think that "upgrade" cost me 2-3k CAD?

up here in ontario, pannilectumy is apparently covered if there is infection or whatever from the hanging over skin (which i did not have?, or if you lost 100+ lbs (which i did). i did not know this until my chosen surgeon informed me of it. i was already willing to pay for the whole thing, so the insurance coverage for that portion of it was just bonus for me.

p.s. i booked the next available surgery as soon as i reached goal which was 6-7 months later (so i had the deeds done at 14 months post wls)

[Kimpossible00 20]

Super helpful to see some ranges. Thank you both!

Sent from my Pixel 5 using BariatricPal mobile app

[kristieshannon 1,669]

On 12/26/2022 at 17:45, Kimpossible00 said:

Did any of you pay out-of-pocket for your skin removal procedure and can you provide a range and the procedure type? My insurance already said they won't cover a panniculectomy, unless it's due to infection.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using BariatricPal mobile app

I had a Tummy Tuck, breast lift & augmentation, and arm lift just about 2 years ago. I paid out of pocket $16,000 but I know my surgeon’s prices have increased quite a bit since then.

[kristieshannon 1,669]

Also-lots of folks (myself included) have posted info including before and after pics over on the plastic surgery feed. Check it out!