No one should expect a straight answer when asking how much a laser liposuction surgery will cost since the price of laser liposuction is affected by so many factors. An estimate over the phone is different from an in-person consultation session because often, the quick answer such as over the phone will be only a quote for the surgeon’s fee. There are three basic fees that make up the cost structure of laser liposuction and in addition to the surgeon fee there is the anesthesia fee and facility fee. The factors that affect the prices of each fee are primarily the geographical location of the clinic, the surgeon’s skill and demand, and the area of the body being treated.

Geographical Location

The geographical location affects the prices of the various fees because all the prices are determined by the cosmetic surgery market of the immediate geographical region. Anyone shopping for a surgeon and willing to commute could potentially find a cheaper clinic simply because it is in a lower demand market. Densely populated areas such as large metropolitan cities like Los Angeles and New York will typically cost more whereas surgeons in smaller towns will typically charge a lot less for the same service. When shopping for a lower priced surgeon, this does not mean lowering the qualifications of the surgeon.

Surgeon Skill

A big mistake is shopping based solely on the price. The quality of the surgeon is probably the most important thing since this minimizes the risk of human error on the surgeon’s part. The price should be relatively comparable to other clinics in the regions. A highly experienced and skilled surgeon will be in higher demand and therefore have no reason to lower their prices down to the level of discount surgeon. Be sure to check for certifications as well as past patients as references. A good surgeon will put extra care into ensuring the best for his or her patients. While no amount of experience and skill can guarantee the elimination of all risk, a bad surgeon increased the risk tremendously.

Area of the Body

Laser liposuction is a slower fat removal method than traditional liposuction in terms of the amount of fat removed per time spent. Because it is usually a smaller surgery the amount of actual time spent is about the same. The region of the body to receive treatment is one of the greatest determinates of cost. The different sizes of different areas of the body means more or less effort and time required of the surgeon. Also, certain areas such as the chest and back are made up of fat cells that are more fibrous than the rest of the body. Places that are prone to cellulite are composed of softer fat cells that are more easily broken and removed. The amount of fat in each treatment area also matters since it is quicker and less effort to liposuction smaller pockets of fat.