How to Calculate the Cost of Liposuction
According to the ASPS (American Society of Plastic Surgeons), the average cost of liposuction performed on one area by an average American plastic surgeon is about $3,600.
Unfortunately, many patients visit the ASPS website and misunderstand this cost estimate as an exact price.
This is because the above quote does not include some key expenses, which will most definitely be added to this baseline cost: a surgeon’s fee, surgical facility costs, anesthesia fees hospital anesthesiologists charge, and more. Once these costs are added in, it’s easy to see that the cost of liposuction is not only generally higher than $3,600 — but also quite difficult to predict without details.
Still, we want to do our best to help you estimate the liposuction cost of your surgery so that you can plan in advance. Please remember that all information found here is only meant as general guidance and will not be specific to you and your circumstances.
Cost of Liposuction for Double Chin Removal
The following components will make up and/or influence your liposuction cost:
Liposuction Cost Surgeon’s Fee
Plastic surgeons charge their own amounts for surgery, and they’re all different. They are putting in the work ahead of the procedure, meeting with you for consultation appointments, planning your surgery on their own time, arranging surgical facilities and anesthesia, and performing countless other tasks to ensure a good outcome and your total safety in anticipation of your procedure.
A surgeon’s fee covers these tasks. All surgeons calculate their surgeon’s fee differently, but you can expect this sum to make up the majority of your bill.
Geographical Location
Nearly everything costs more in highly populated areas — from the cost of a cup of coffee or a gallon of gas to the cost of a brand-new house or … you guessed it: major surgery. If you plan to undergo cosmetic surgery in a large city like Chicago or Los Angeles, the cost of living is higher, so liposuction costs are higher too.
With that said, many plastic surgeons of the best caliber (top board certified plastic surgeons) have their practices in these areas. So, it’s often very worth it to travel to a large city for your surgical procedure. There, you can have your surgery performed by a top medical professional.
Surgical Facility
All major surgeries need to be performed in an accredited surgical facility. This means either a hospital or another location that provides the necessary operating room facilities.
In some cases, surgeons may have their own operating rooms. In other cases, a surgeon will be affiliated with one or more nearby hospitals and will perform their surgeries there.
In either situation, you will need to pay for the use of the operating room, the equipment, the staff required to maintain the equipment and tools — and to aid in surgeries — and other required services.
Scope of Treatment
Here’s where we get into the details with liposuction cost: How much liposuction you plan to undergo. It should go without saying that having more areas treated with liposuction will cost you more. If you only plan on having fat removed from your abdomen, for example, this is going to cost you less than if you decide to get fat removed from your arms, abdomen, thighs, hips, and elsewhere.
Furthermore, there are different types of liposuction, and some cost more than others. This is because certain types of liposuction require specialized skills and/or expensive technology and equipment.
How to Save on Liposuction Cost
Undergoing plastic surgery can literally turn someone’s life around. It can have a huge impact and can totally boost someone’s confidence and give them their self-assurance back. With this in mind, we want to help you figure out how to pay for the surgery that’s important to you. Here are some tips for saving on the cost of your liposuction:
Shop around.
This basically means doing your research on surgeons who perform liposuction procedures. Instead of just going to the first liposuction surgery practice that pops up online, do a bit of shopping and check out two or three surgeons that have the qualifications you’re looking for.
It’s difficult to talk about choosing a plastic surgeon and consider costs at the same time because we also want to impress upon readers that you should absolutely not choose a plastic surgeon based on cost alone. Doing this may not only put you at risk (if you choose an under qualified surgeon), but it may also end up costing you more if you have to have revision surgery.
Consider “bundling” your liposuction procedures.
Liposuction is commonly “bundled” (or added) with another surgery such as a tummy tuck. Most surgeons will provide some sort of cost incentive for doing this.
That’s because, ultimately, it’s going to cost less to perform two surgeries in one operation. You only need one round of anesthesia, one consultation appointment (or series of appointments), one recovery, etc.
Likewise, because you’ll only be undergoing one surgery, you’ll only have one recovery. This can be more comfortable for many people as enduring two recoveries is a lot more work!
Finally, you’ll also meet your liposuction surgery goals faster. You’ll get to see your results from both surgeries at the same time instead of having to wait through two recoveries to see your results over a longer period of time.
Look into financing options.
Lastly, don’t be shy about asking plastic surgeons if they offer financing options. Cosmetic surgery procedures are not covered by health insurance.
Still, some surgeons will offer financing options through their practice, but most offer financing through medical credit card companies such as CareCredit. You can sometimes receive 0% interest on these types of loans as long as you make your payments in full and on time.
Be Wary of Choosing a Surgeon Based on Cost
Choosing an unqualified plastic surgeon to perform your procedure may lead to undesirable results. In fact, it’s not uncommon to see a patient come to our practice having had their plastic surgery performed elsewhere (because of a lower liposuction price) and wanting a revision.
Sometimes, it’s a poorly healed liposuction scar or uneven fat removal. But inevitably, it would have been easier (and ultimately, less expensive) for the individual to have simply chosen a more experienced and skilled surgeon with slightly higher liposuction prices.
The good news is that when patients do undergo liposuction they are truly unhappy with, they generally do better research the second time around. They’ll look for a more qualified doctor who has more experience performing the surgery.
Schedule Your Consultation Today
Remember — the best way to know for sure how much your liposuction procedure will cost is to book an appointment with us! Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Smita R. Ramanadham welcomes you to call today and schedule a private consultation.