You are here: Home / Archives for affordable liposuction

Dangers of Cheap Liposuction

One of the biggest mistakes a person could make when shopping for a liposuction surgeon is basing their decision solely on the lowest price. There is much more to it than just looking for cheap liposuction. The quality of the results achieved from the procedure is dependent almost completely on the skills of the plastic surgeon. Liposuction, the suction of fat, is also known as liposculpture which is literally translated as the sculpting of fat. Sculpting the body is as much art as it is science and a lesser skilled, lesser experienced surgeon will not be able to produce to same results as someone who has all the history to all but guarantee happy patients.

Basement-bottom prices relative to the cosmetic surgery market rate in that region is usually indicative of potentially higher risk. A surgeon will charge a rate depending on the demand and what the market dictates for his skill and experience level. A lesser skilled, experienced, or otherwise under qualified surgeon might advertise amazing discounts to lure new clients. There are other ways to save money and compromising the quality of the service is not an option.

Make sure the liposuction surgeon is properly certified by an appointed board such as the American Board of Plastic Surgery which is appointed by the board of American Board of Medical Specialties. Some cosmetic surgeons might have a background in something unrelated such as dental cosmetic surgery so make sure your plastic surgeon has experienced and a background in liposuction and other related procedures.

Advertised low-cost plastic surgeons might use some sneaky tactics that borderline ethical standards. Usually, the low prices seen in advertisements or quoted over the phone are not the full price for liposuction surgery. Often, these numbers are the surgeon’s fee which is what the surgeon charges for his or her services and does not include the other charges that will apply.

Some clinics will participate in cost-cutting practices that greatly increase the risks to the patient. These risks are not disclosed but the cost savings allow these clinics to offer lower prices and maintain a profitable margin. One such behavior that is particularly dangerous is allowing a trained nurse to administer the anesthesia when a certified anesthesiologist is required. It costs money to have an anesthesiologist on board but there is a reason for that. Anesthesia administration is one of the biggest risk areas in any surgical procedure and is not an area where safety should be compromised.

The point of shopping for a liposuction surgeon is to get the best deal, not the lowest price. The best deal means quality service for a lower price than equal quality somewhere else. Remember, this does not mean sacrificing quality for cost saving. Taking the risk with a cheap liposuction surgeon can backfire more times than not and end up costing more in the long run. Often, a second procedure with a new surgeon will be required to fix the mistakes of the first surgeon. This is counter intuitive to the whole low-cost idea and doesn’t factor in the health risk associated with cheap liposuction surgery.

Cheap Liposuction and Affordable Liposuction

Liposuction prices in general are not cheap. There are options that can lower the cost of the surgery but the key is to do so without compromising the quality of the service. There is a very high risk of complication for anyone who agrees to allow a lesser qualified cheap liposuction surgeon to perform the treatment. Liposuction in itself is a relatively safe procedure assuming all the proper preparatory precautions are taken. So it is very important that the plastic surgeon is qualified, skilled, and experienced enough to do the job right the first time. Otherwise the seemingly cheap liposuction will end up costing more if a second procedure is required to fix the first mistake.

Sources of Cheap Liposuction

Teaching Hospitals

There are many ways to lower the cost of liposuction without compromising the quality of the surgeon. In many cases, academic institutions have learning hospitals that are filled with residents who would perform the surgery at a cheaper price. It is not as dangerous as it might initially sound because throughout the procedure a certified surgeon will oversee the surgery. So the resident will perform the surgery but it will be monitored by the real surgeon. Most states have academic hospitals with high quality programs so do some research in your area for a university hospital or other training hospitals.

Liposuction Abroad

Despite the many horror stories and warnings about plastic surgery procedures performed in a different county, many developed countries have excellent health care programs and their medical professionals are screened, tested and certified under the same level of scrutiny as in the States. A safe practice is shopping and researching the surgeon from the United States and look for reviews and testimonials from past clients. Just make sure the facility is as safe and hygienic as the surgeon who will perform the procedure. Going overseas means getting a quality service while taking advantage of the lower demand of the local cosmetic surgery market. Sometimes the exchange rate can play to your favor as well further lowering the relative cost of liposuction.

Planning and Alternative Procedures

Most people who receive plastic surgery will continue to have treatment as they age. Rarely does a patient limit themselves to one treatment their entire lives. Knowing this, we can create a long term plan to request different procedures as the years go by. This way, the best complementing procedures can be planned to work in conjunction with each other and minimizing the amount of work required in the future. Although this might not help directly with the immediate liposuction costs, saving money on plastic surgery is always a good idea. Consultation with a plastic surgeon can help you research the treatment options and create the long term plan.

On the same note of plastic surgery procedures that complement each other, there are liposuction alternatives that could possibly replace traditional liposuction if the area to be treated is small. The plastic surgery market offers more than one way to achieve the same results and sometimes a different, smaller, cheap procedure could produce the same effects. For example, facial liposuction could cost thousands of dollars but depending on the patient’s desired outcome, a small injection might produce the same effect for only a couple hundred dollars. Discuss your options with a plastic surgeon to determine what the best procedure is for you.

Affordable Liposuction

Since most cosmetic enhancement procedures, liposuction included, are considered elective treatments almost no health insurance plan will cover the cost. Some people might find it hard to imagine that a five thousand dollar surgery can be considered affordable liposuction. For these people there are always other payment options and we are talking about more than just cash or credit. Actually we are talking about credit. Almost any big purchase can be financed and liposuction is no exception.

Most clinics will offer financing in-house for their patients. Just ask the surgeon during your consultation session for information about your financing options. While we cannot condone taking on massive amounts of debt just to satiate your vanity, everyone has a reason for their decisions and we can only hope that those who choose to go down this path are doing it for the right reasons. In such a case the best thing to do is find the best financing deal or else the few thousand dollar procedure could end up costing many times more when all is said and done. The financing offered by most clinics are poor choices because the interest rates are usually so high it might be a better decision to make a cash advance on a credit card. That is how bad some rates are and no one should fall victim to 25% interest.

Chances are that local financing companies are familiar with liposuction and other plastic surgery patients who require a line of credit. Many surgeons have working relationships with these companies so ask during the consultation session for recommendations. These companies will be able to work out affordable payment plans based on the individual’s income and monthly budget. There are also nationwide companies that specialize in financing cosmetic procedures or for people who have health insurance that won’t pay for liposuction surgery.