It’s common for potential liposuction patients to wonder about the expense entailed by the procedure. Most insurance plans don’t cover liposuction, but that doesn’t mean you should choose the least expensive option. Liposuction is a serious surgical procedure—the best way to ensure your liposuction procedure is safe and yields satisfactory results is to work with a highly experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon who understands your aesthetic goals.

The Cost of Liposuction in NYC

There are many factors that go into the cost of liposuction in New York City, but most liposuction patients can expect the procedure to cost between $10,000 and $30,000. 

The cost of liposuction varies based on:

• The type of liposuction performed

• The liposuction treatment area

• The amount of fat removal required

• Whether liposuction is combined with another plastic surgery procedure

• The plastic surgeon performing liposuction

Below, we examine each of these five factors in detail.

Cost factor #1: The type of liposuction performed

There are four types of liposuction procedures a plastic surgeon can use to help you achieve your goal silhouette. Each liposuction type has different costs, benefits, and risks. Depending on the location and amount of the fat deposits, a particular procedure may be more or less appropriate.

Traditional liposuction

Traditional liposuction is used for large, imprecise areas of fat removal, such as the thighs, abdomen, or buttocks. For this procedure, patients are given general anesthesia. Incisions are made in the treatment area, and a metal cannula attached to a vacuum is inserted through each incision. The cannula is physically manipulated to loosen fat cells from the skin before the loosened fat cells are suctioned out of the body. This is the least expensive type of liposuction.

Tumescent liposuction

Similar to traditional liposuction, tumescent liposuction involves inserting a cannula through an incision and suctioning fat out. However, with tumescent liposuction, local anesthesia, epinephrine, and saline are injected into the treatment area to loosen fat cells. This is the most common and safest form of liposuction.

Laser-assisted liposuction

Laser-assisted liposuction is a technique that offers more precise results. With this method, a laser is inserted through the cannula to liquify fat before suctioning it out of the body. Only a small incision is required and local anesthesia is used. Laser-assisted liposuction is a safe, precise option for fat deposits in sensitive areas like the chin or face.

Ultrasound-assisted liposuction

Ultrasound-assisted liposuction is a more robust option for tough fat deposits in areas like the thighs, chest, or back. In this technique, an ultrasound is used to dissolve fat cells before removing them. Although ultrasound-assisted liposuction is a more expensive method, it can be cost-effective for areas of stubborn fat deposits, since these areas may require multiple treatments with less robust liposuction methods.

Cost factor #2: The liposuction treatment area

Liposuction is a body contouring procedure that can be used in multiple areas of the body, and the area where it is performed can affect the cost of the procedure.

Certain areas of the body, like the neck, chin, or face, require a more precise liposuction procedure but involve less fat removal. Other areas, like the abdomen, buttocks, or thighs, may involve a greater amount of fat removal but a less precise technique. Generally, liposuction in the neck, face, arms, and calves is less expensive than liposuction in the abdomen, thighs, chest, or buttocks.

Cost factor #3: The amount of fat removal required

Each liposuction procedure can remove up to 5 liters of fat. If larger amounts of fat are to be removed from multiple areas of the body, then multiple liposuction procedures may be required, increasing the total cost.

Cost factor #4: Whether liposuction is combined with another plastic surgery procedure

After fat deposits are removed with liposuction, some patients find that their skin shrinks to adequately cover the affected area. However, if large amounts of fat are removed, excess skin may be noticeable over the treatment area, and skin may appear stretched or drooping in some areas. In those cases, liposuction patients may elect to have a skin lift procedure performed at an additional cost to remove excess skin and tighten body contours.

Liposuction does not always require an additional skin lift procedure, but some patients choose to have additional plastic surgery procedures performed at the same time as liposuction to achieve their ideal image. Combining multiple procedures can reduce the overall recovery time and cost. 

Some common add-ons to a liposuction procedure include: 

• Breast augmentation

• Tummy tuck

• Tummy makeover procedures

• Lower body lift (thigh, buttocks, etc.)

Each additional procedure increases the total cost of surgery.

Cost factor #5: The plastic surgeon performing liposuction

There are many plastic surgeons in New York City that offer liposuction, but not all are equally qualified. Because liposuction can be an invasive medical procedure and the results affect your physical appearance, it’s important to choose an experienced surgeon who will perform a procedure that is safe and also achieves your desired outcomes.

More experienced plastic surgeons often cost more than junior surgeons. Inexperienced plastic surgeons typically offload pre-operative and follow-up appointments to support staff, like registered nurses, so that they can do more surgeries in a day. While this practice can decrease the cost of a procedure, it is not ideal, because patients could end up with disjointed care and subpar surgical outcomes.

Experienced plastic surgeons who value patient care never pack in patients to increase revenue. They spend more time with each patient to guarantee that they are able to answer all questions patients may have and achieve their desired aesthetic. The increased patient comfort, patient satisfaction, and clinical outcomes make experienced, board-certified plastic surgeons worth the higher price of liposuction.

What is Covered Under this Cost?

Some plastic surgeons may advertise low fees for liposuction without stating what’s included. Added costs for anesthesia services, follow-up appointments, and surgical facility fees can greatly increase the cost of the procedure.

At Maman Plastic Surgery, our costs are all-inclusive and cover all pre- and post-operative liposuction care, including:

• A 60- to 90-minute pre-operative consultation with Dr. Maman. This visit includes a discussion of your goals for surgery, the development of a customized treatment plan, and specialized support to help you understand the procedure, possible insurance coverage, cost, and recovery

• All liposuction procedure fees such as the physician’s charges, anesthesia costs, surgical facility costs, and medical supplies

• A recovery room at a luxury NYC hotel

• Any necessary post-operative compression garments and scar treatment supplies to minimize adverse effects of the procedure

• All post-operative visits and annual follow-up appointments to ensure that results are satisfactory over time

How Can I Set Up a Consultation?

Once you’re ready to schedule a liposuction procedure, the first step is to choose a qualified plastic surgeon. You can look online for a plastic surgeon or seek advice from a trusted friend or physician. Before scheduling an appointment, make sure the surgeon you choose is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. You should also check out reviews and before and after pictures from previous liposuction clients.

Once you’ve selected a surgeon, you can request a liposuction consultation. At this visit, your plastic surgeon should discuss your goals for surgery and their timeline for when it will be performed. If you feel rushed or uncomfortable during the initial consultation, or if the surgical timeline doesn’t align with your aesthetic goals, consider going elsewhere. It’s worth it to take the time to find a highly experienced and certified surgeon who understands your aims.