At our plastic surgery practice in San Francisco, we often get a lot of questions concerning tummy tuck financing. We understand if you’re concerned about the popular body contouring procedure truly being within your budget.

The good news is that a tummy tuck isn’t limited to celebrities and the wealthy anymore these days. With smart planning and the right financing resources, you don’t have to rely on a trust fund or a six-figure income to afford a tummy tuck.

In this article, you’ll learn about the different options to help finance your tummy tuck, even with bad credit, and how to qualify for the best financing options.

Tummy Tuck Financing Options

One of our patients in San Francisco, Mary, came to us after years of being unhappy with her tummy.

After the birth of Maddie, her youngest daughter, Mary tried everything to put an end to the tummy pooch. She ate clean and avoided foods that were high in calories.

She even hired a personal trainer to help her out in the exercise department.

Despite losing roughly ten pounds, the lower belly pooch remained. When Mary complained to a friend, she suggested a tummy tuck. Mary thought about it, but she knew they couldn't afford it. With a mortgage and raising kids, it was just outside of their budget.

So, she put up with being self-conscious about her belly for a few more years. Finally, a friend talked her into attending a free consultation with Dr. Fan. When she arrived at our office, we explored a few low monthly payment financing plans with her, and soon found an option that made a tummy tuck affordable for her.

While her kids were away at camp, Mary came in for her tummy tuck. And she was thrilled with the results.

She only had one regret: that she waited so long before having a tummy tuck.

How To Finance a Tummy Tuck

Body contouring procedures like a tummy tuck can be costly, but the positive impact of the results are worth every penny.

Whether you’re interested in a tummy tuck alone, like Mary, or would prefer to have it done with other procedures, financing options benefit you the most if:

• You need financial help to cover tummy tuck costs
• You wish to preserve your savings

Like all things financial, you have to understand the responsibilities behind each option. This will also help avoid any unpleasant surprises in the future.

8 Financing Options for Plastic Surgery

1. Your Surgeon’s Payment Plan

These plans can include low monthly payment options and extended payment options, making them appealing. Fees and interest rates are competitive, although they can sometimes be higher than conventional credit cards.

2. Personal Credit Cards

Try to find a personal card with a 0% APR offer to pay for your procedure. Or use a rewards credit card to pay for it and earn points or cash back.

3. Medical Credit Cards

Like the other forms of financing, it's important to make sure that you don't miss any payments or make any late payments, or you can be liable for a higher interest rate or incur penalties.

4. Personal Loans

Personal loans have a fixed interest rate with a specified amount of time for repayment.

5. Home Equity Loan (HELOC)

A home equity loan or home equity line of credit takes the equity you've accumulated in your home and converts it to cash you may use to pay for your tummy tuck procedure.

6. Family Loans/Gifts

Some patients have successfully come up with sufficient funds by asking loved ones to contribute money to their surgery.

7. Retirement Account/401(k) Loans

Your 401(k) account may allow you to borrow up to 50% of the balance you have vested, up to a maximum of $50,000. Loan repayment is automatically deducted from your paycheck. The loan repayment period is up to five years.

8. Savings

Using the money you've saved to pay for your tummy tuck surgery is always an option if you have money in the bank.

Qualifying for Tummy Tuck Financing

Initially, you might be reluctant to spend for a tummy tuck or have a difficult time justifying the expenses of surgery. However, keep in mind that it’s your body and this is something that you should be able to work out for yourself through careful research and thorough planning.

For some, it may make sense to delay tummy tuck until they have enough savings. Others are more comfortable taking on one of the financing options we’ve discussed.

2 Qualifying Factors:

1. Your Existing Credit

If you have good or excellent credit, or in some cases even fair credit, you may qualify for a number of financing options such as a medical credit card or a personal bank loan. If you have poor credit, you may have to look for other options.

At 77 Plastic Surgery, the good news is we have a financing option available even for those with poor credit.

2. Your Monthly Budget

Some practices, such as ours, offer a variety of financing programs, including a plan with low monthly payments — as low as $299 a month for a tummy tuck. For this reason, it’s important to plan your monthly budget ahead of time, so you’ll know much you can afford to set aside for your procedure. The more you can pay each month, the faster you can pay off your loan.

**With these factors in mind, it makes sense to take the following steps before applying for financing:
**

1. Find out about the cost of a tummy tuck specific to your geographical area, and the extent of your needs. An in-office consultation is the best way to start.
2. Assess your savings, income, and credit-worthiness to learn whether it is realistic to pay for the costs of surgery upfront or whether getting financial help is needed.
3. Appraise your monthly budget as well as how much you can afford to set aside to pay for your procedure if you take the monthly payment route.
4. Learn whether a down payment is needed for financing. If it’s required, save up for that down payment.
5. Focus on finding a good plastic surgeon rather than a cheap plastic surgeon (or, worse yet, a "cosmetic surgeon"). You only have one body, and you want your procedure to be done correctly the first time. After all, it's your safety, well being, and figure at stake.

The Best Tummy Tuck Financing Options For You

It’s tempting to “bargain shop” when planning for your tummy tuck. However, a plastic surgeon’s experience and training are critical to attaining the best tummy tuck outcomes possible without compromising your safety.

To help ease the financial burden of tummy tuck financing without resorting to dangerous plastic surgery "deals," there are many plastic surgery financing options available.

At 77 Plastic Surgery, we advocate for a positive tummy tuck experience. We want you to be excited about taking this step in becoming the best version of yourself. You shouldn't feel worried or uncomfortable about the financial aspect of the procedure.

Our tummy tuck patients typically qualify for low monthly payment plans, including options for individuals with limited credit histories. Some patients may also qualify for insurance coverage for lower body contouring surgery, including patients who have lost a significant amount of weight.

If you think you're a good candidate for a tummy tuck but worried about the costs, schedule a consultation with Dr. Fan today. You can also take advantage of our free online self-assessment to learn about alternative procedures to a tummy tuck.