We are a concierge, not a clinic. For abdominoplasty, we introduce you to hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi, each one licensed and registered with the Ministry of Health. Beauty Link is free for patients.
Sources: American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Beauty Link team records
Why there is no single price
The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons says prices for a tummy tuck can vary widely between surgeons. It says three things can shape the cost: how experienced the surgeon is, which type of tummy tuck you have, and where the surgeon works. It also says whether the surgery is done in a day clinic or a hospital depends on how complex your procedure is.
Sources: Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons
What a tummy tuck quote usually includes
Healthdirect Australia says the cost of a tummy tuck varies and includes:
- what the surgeon charges
- what the anaesthetist charges
- the hospital or clinic bill
- dressings, medicines and support garments
- any medical tests
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) lists much the same parts. Ask each hospital to show these as separate lines. For a package, ask what it includes.
Sources: healthdirect Australia, American Society of Plastic Surgeons
Details to confirm in your quote
Full or mini. The NHS says there are 2 types. A partial (mini) tummy tuck uses a cut across the lower tummy, separates the skin below the belly button and removes excess fat and skin. A full tummy tuck uses a cut from hip to hip, a second cut to free the belly button, and realigning of the abdominal muscles. Ask which type your quote assumes.
Muscle repair. ASPS says a tummy tuck, in most cases, restores weakened or separated muscles. Ask your surgeon whether muscle repair is part of your plan.
Added liposuction or other surgery. The type of procedure is one of the things ASPS says shapes a surgeon's fee. If your plan adds liposuction, ask for it as its own line. See our liposuction cost guide. If you are thinking about more than one procedure in one trip, read our mummy makeover guide.
Anaesthesia and theatre time. The NHS says both types are usually done under a general anaesthetic, and the operation can take between 2 and 5 hours.
Hospital nights, drains and garments. The NHS says most people need to stay in hospital for a few nights, and usually wear a special corset or tummy control pants for 6 weeks. Healthdirect says drains, thin tubes that let blood or fluid out, are sometimes used and can stay in for several days. Your surgeon can say which of these times fit your case. Ask how many nights and garments your quote covers.
Sources: NHS, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, healthdirect Australia
Tummy tuck costs beyond the hospital bill
- Time in Vietnam. The NHS advises against flying for 7 to 10 days after an abdominoplasty, since flying and surgery each raise clot risk. Ask your surgeon how the NHS advice applies to your trip.
- Time off work. If time off affects your income, plan for that too. The NHS describes 4 to 6 weeks off, from both work and exercise; ask your surgeon how long you will need.
- Insurance. Medicare will not pay for cosmetic surgery, healthdirect says, and private funds often will not either. A plain travel policy rarely covers medical tourism, so Smartraveller points you to a specialised one.
- Complications. Smartraveller warns you may pay more to fix a complication, and asks that your estimate covers this.
Sources: NHS, healthdirect Australia, Smartraveller
Looking past the lowest tummy tuck quote
Surgery abroad can cost less than in the UK, the NHS notes, yet it asks you to weigh that saving against the risks, since overseas safety standards may not be as high. A tummy tuck is major surgery. Healthdirect lists risks that include wound infection, a build up of blood or fluid, numbness, poor wound healing and blood clots. It also says some people need further surgery.
Smartraveller suggests you confirm local authority accreditation for the hospital and both qualifications and accreditation for the surgeon. Treat lower risk talk with care too: Smartraveller says be wary of an overseas hospital that suggests the risks are much lower. More in is plastic surgery in Vietnam safe.
Our view: a quotation is not the first and only step to take, because not everyone is a fit for an abdominoplasty.
Sources: NHS, healthdirect Australia, Smartraveller, Beauty Link team records
Questions to ask before you compare two quotes
Ask the hospital about fees and your surgeon about the surgery:
- Is this a full or a mini tummy tuck, and is muscle repair included?
- What do my fees cover, and is liposuction a separate line?
- How many nights in hospital are included?
- Are garments, medicines, dressings and stitch removal included?
- What aftercare is provided, and is it in the cost?
- How are complications handled, and what would further surgery cost?
- How long does my surgeon advise me to stay before I fly home?
- Will I have a consultation with the surgeon who will do my surgery?
Ask your surgeon the medical questions in that list.
Sources: Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, NHS
What happens after you fly home
Follow up abroad can be thin: the NHS says overseas clinics may not offer it, or may not offer it to the same standard. Ask where your check ups happen and who pays if you need more surgery. The NHS says you will probably be asked to a follow up visit a few weeks after the operation.
Ask who looks after you once you are back in your home country. A proposed Beauty Link treatment plan set out a pre-op check, the surgery, planned nights in hospital, a review, and stitch removal around day 7 to 10. The exact day depends on healing and the surgeon's assessment, and it is your surgeon who tells you what fits your case. During recovery, your advisor stays in the WhatsApp chat and checks on you.
Sources: NHS, Beauty Link team records
How Beauty Link helps you compare
To compare tummy tuck quotes, you talk to each hospital on WhatsApp while your advisor follows along. It discusses suitable options, sends a written plan and quote listing what the price covers, and shares before and after photos of similar cases. Your advisor handles translation.
Our driver waits for you at arrivals once your flight lands in Vietnam. Our concierge service stays free for patients. Related reading: the tummy tuck in Vietnam guide, how we check a hospital, and the plastic surgery cost guide.
Sources: Beauty Link team records
Tummy tuck cost FAQ
There is no fixed figure on this site. Get a written quote from each hospital, broken into the parts set out above.
Pick the hospital and surgeon, not the flag. Smartraveller says standards differ between hospitals and doctors inside the same country. Our Thailand and Vietnam tummy tuck comparison may help.
ASPS says a tummy tuck is not a substitute for weight loss or exercise. The NHS adds that surgeons usually only suggest it if your body mass index is in the healthy range.
Per ASPS, good candidates tend to be in good physical health, at a steady weight, not smoking, and realistic about results. It says people planning substantial weight loss or future pregnancies would be advised to wait. Ask your surgeon whether it suits you.
It is major surgery. The NHS gives about 6 weeks for full recovery, though your surgeon will say what applies to you, and notes a scar will run across your lower tummy. Healthdirect says risks include infection, fluid build up and blood clots.
The NHS recommends not flying for 7 to 10 days after this surgery because of clot risk. How long you stay is for your surgeon to tell you, including any check ups wanted before you go.
Sources: Smartraveller, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, NHS, healthdirect Australia, Beauty Link team records