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Factors Determining Laser Liposuction Prices

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.

Laser Liposuction Procedure

There are many advantages to laser liposuction that ameliorates the common problems associated with traditional liposuction. The procedure itself in general is similar to liposuction with minor adjustments that plays to the difference in technique and improvements that laser lipo offers. Liposuction has long been a procedure that causes a lot of stress to the nearby tissue of the area being treated. A common issue is the loss of blood caused by damaged vessels and in many cases requires a blood transfusion to compensate for the amount of bleeding. The different tools and techniques in laser lipo alleviate a lot of the issues that arise surgically and during recovery.

Consulting a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

The first step toward any plastic surgery procedure is consultation with a certified plastic surgeon. During the initial consultation session, the prospective patient will learn a great deal of details about the particular procedure, in this case liposuction, and allows the doctor a chance to evaluate the prospective patient. They might suggest alternative procedures that could better produce the desired results. It is also a chance for the patient to learn about the qualifications of the surgeon. Any board certified plastic surgeon will be proud of their accomplishments and have no problem showing off their certifications as well as proof of their experience.

Preparing for Liposuction Surgery

Before entering the surgery room the patient will be instructed on ways to better prepare for the surgery. This includes certain drugs to avoid such as caffeine and anything containing epinephrine-like solutions such as cold medication which could cause adverse effects with the anesthesia. The patient should also be mentally prepared for the permanent changes that liposuction will have on the body as well as any risks involved.

One the day of the surgery, the patient will receive a local anesthesia to numb the area of the body that will be treated. Usually, the drug will be administered by a certified anesthesiologist to minimize or prevent potential side effects that the solution in the drug might cause. It also helps to ensure the proper dosage is administered to the patient.

Laser Liposuction Surgery

To begin the surgery, the liposuction surgeon will make a small incision and insert a cannula which will break up the fat. The tool used in laser liposuction is approximately a quarter of the size of a traditional cannula so the incision necessary is smaller. The laser generates heat to target fat cells causing the fat to literally melt away. A small suction tube is then used to remove the liquefied fat from the body. Small trace amounts of fat that cannot be reached by the suction tube will be picked up by the body’s lymphatic system and is discharged through natural means, that is, in the urine.

Once the surgery is done, the patient is usually released the same day with care instruction for the resting and recovery period.

Recovery

The biggest advantage of laser liposuction is the relatively quick recovery time. Most patients will be instructed to stay home and rest the day after the surgery. They are free to return to work and normal daily life the following day. However, strenuous physical activity should be avoided for at least a couple weeks for the body to completely heal. In terms of exercise, typical patients are able to perform brisk walking exercises in a couple weeks but should avoid heavy lifting and work outs for at least a month.

Facial Liposuction

Since the development of laser liposuction as a means of providing a relatively safe method of liquefying fat, the opportunity for facial liposuction expanded tremendously. It was quickly followed by a surge in demand and the facial liposuction trend continues today. The precision of the laser technique coupled by the ability to work small areas of the body makes it an ideal method of slimming down and correcting the delicate regions of the face and neck.

Facial Plastic Surgery

The facial area is one of the most popular for plastic surgery procedures. But whatever the procedure the goals is almost always the same and that is to look younger and rested. That means eliminating lines and wrinkles either by Botox injection, skin resurfacing, rhinoplasty (nose job), blepharoplasty (eye lid surgery) or some other procedure. Facial liposuction is just one of the many options and can actually provide some extra positive side effects to improve the results beyond just removing fat.

Laser Liposuction for Facial Surgery

Many patients both female and male request facial liposuction because they want a slimmer face and more definitive features since the face is probably the hardest place to eliminate fat through traditional methods such as exercise and dieting. These areas that harbor stubborn localized pockets of fat are perfect for liposuction surgery. The most common treated facial areas are the chin to eliminate or reduce a double chin, the jowls to reduce a sagging appearance, or in the neck to eliminate rolls from excess accumulation of fat. Some procedures are also performed to cheeks to produce enhanced facial features.

Patients with a lot of elasticity in their skin, namely younger skin that hasn’t been damaged by sun exposure or other weathering effect, can expect optimal results from the laser treatment. This is due to the heat generated by the laser causing collagen in the skin to contract. This contraction means tighter and younger looking skin as a side effect. Older skin that does not have much of its elasticity might be recommended to undergo a facelift as a complement to further enhance the results of facial liposuction.

Side Effects of Facial Liposuction

As with any surgical procedure there are always risks involved and despite being a relatively safe procedure it is important for the prospective patient to be aware of these risks. Common side effects include bleeding, infection, embolisms, necrotizing fasciitis, nerve damage, scarring and anesthesia related risks such as allergic reactions and cardiac arrhythmia if general anesthesia is required. Depending on the exact procedure and technique involved there may be other risks.

Serious side effects, both surgical and anesthesia related are rare. Recovery time is one of the advantages facial liposuction offers because it is a quick and usually low pain. Most patients are released from the clinic to return home after a few hours of completing the surgery and able to return to work following a day of rest.

Superficial Liposuction

A technique that has received a bad reputation as of late is superficial liposuction. This is not without reason since there are many undesirable side effects of this liposuction technique when performed incorrectly. It was originally developed as a way to combat sagging skin that resulted from traditional liposuction. Since skin with less elasticity cannot contract well, removing fat under the skin can result in even more sagging of the skin. Superficial liposuction is a method of removing fat closer to the skin. This brings about a myriad of problems.

Working on the fat closer to the surface of the skin means threatening more nerves and tiny blood vessels. This can cause side effects such as necrosis and scarring when blood vessels that supply nutrients to the skin are cut off causing the skin cells to die prematurely. Also, in parts of the body a net of blood vessels will grow to make up for the original vessels that were damaged. This net-like collection of new vessels grows near the surface of the skin causing it to appear discolored and is a permanent effect.

The only place where this technique is acceptable is in the area of the face and neck because of the difference in vertical and horizontal direction of blood vessels. The different flow direction prevents the patches of blood vessels and resulting pigmentation from appearing in the face and neck. This is a common technique used in a face lift so as long as the practice is restricted to the face and neck regions superficial liposuction is a viable choice of technique.

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