The cost of liposuction will vary on a case to case basis so trying to provide an estimate is best done by a plastic surgeon that has gone over some personal details with the prospective patient. Usually, when you call in to get a quote the clinic will provide an average price range for liposuction of the particular area of the body in question. Many times it will only be the surgeon fee and not incorporate all the other fees and charges that will significantly increase the total cost. Understanding the fee structure will allow the patient to make decisions that could potentially lower the overall cost. Of course, we want to do this without compromising the quality of service.

Breakdown of Liposuction Costs

The cost for liposuction surgery can generally be broken down into three fee categories. The surgeon fee is often what is advertised and quoted over the phone but it is an inaccurate depiction of the price the patient will eventually pay. There will be an additional charge for anesthesia based on the dosage as well as a facility or overhead fee. The facility fee includes the cost of using the surgery room, the cost of using the equipment which will vary depending on the type of liposuction technique, the cost of filling a bed if the patient isn’t released immediately, and all other details of the surgery.

Liposuction Surgeon Fee

The surgeon fee is one area that can be tricky. This is the rate the surgeon will charge for his or her service and generally will be higher if the surgeon is in high demand. A high demand surgeon usually can justify higher rates because they have a reputation of producing good results or simply high customer satisfaction for any number of reasons. A low cost plastic surgeon, all other factors held equal, means the surgeon is less qualified or doesn’t have the same reputation as other surgeons in the area.

Anesthesia Fee

Different procedures require different amounts of anesthesia. Laser liposuction and other small liposuction treatment patients can get away with local anesthesia meaning that only the treated area is numb and the patient is still awake. This lower dosage saves the cost of the drug compared to a procedure that requires general anesthesia to fully sedate the patient. Higher dosages increase the risk as well so a certified anesthesiologist is required to administer the drug. The anesthesiologist needs to get paid too, so that extra cost will be added into the final bill.

Facility Fee

Finally, the other charges are most likely overhead related. This includes the use of the facility such as the surgery room, patient bed and equipment. Newer techniques such as laser liposuction require specialized equipment that cost the clinic a lot of money to acquire. The clinic will look to recover their expense and pass those costs on to the patient.

Factors in Liposuction Prices

Liposuction prices are influenced by a number of factors. These are the things that a patient could possible affect to try and lower their overall cost. The most prominent factor is the geographical location of the clinic. All costs are priced relative to the cosmetic surgery market of that particular physical region and changing locations will definitely change the costs. More densely populated areas such as metropolitan areas and major cities where cosmetic surgery is in high demand will typically have the highest prices. Commuting to a slightly more remote area could offer significant savings.

The most important thing when shopping around for a liposuction surgeon is looking for a lower price without compromising the quality of the surgeon. In a region away from high demand markets, there are highly skilled and qualified surgeons to be found for lower rates. There are many inherent dangers to undergoing surgery by a lesser qualified surgeon so any shopper must remain wary of surgeons that offer too-good-to-be-true prices.

Another factor that affects the cost is the area on the body to be treated. This is something that a patient probably won’t change because what is the point of getting a cheaper treatment to an area other than the one you intended. It just helps to know that liposuction cost of certain areas will be more than others.

Liposculpture Costs

Don’t let the terminology confuse you. Liposculpture is the same thing as liposuction. Liposcuplture is actually an umbrella term as it describes the treatment whereas liposuction more closely describes the procedure. The term lipo means fat and sculpture is the shaping of the fat. Thus, liposculpture means sculpting the body fat. Liposuction means suctioning of fat. So, non-invasive liposuction alternatives are really methods of liposculpture.