the Price of Liposuction

This fee includes the surgeon's fee, hospital operating room fee, anethesiologist's fee, and post-operative compression garment. However, it also includes a discount for being bundled along with other cosmetic surgery procedures (breast lift and augmentation) so a patient's fee for liposuction only may be more than what I am quoting. The charges for this (and other cosmetic surgery procedures) also includes any post-operative doctor appointments. Patients will generally return for post-operative visits at approximately one week, two weeks, four weeks, eight weeks, six months, and one year post-operatively, depending on your plastic surgeon's preferences. Your surgeon's fee includes all these follow-up visits and any visits you choose to schedule with any problems or concerns. The anesthesiologist's fees are charged for the amount of time you are put under anesthesia. They charge in half hour increments and my anesthesiologist charged $325 per hour. Hospital operating room fees are also charged by the hour. Additionally, you would be charged more surgeons fees if you were to have more areas of the body liposuctioned. Patients usually receive some sort of discount for having multiple procedures performed at one time, and you will also save money on the anesthesiologist's fees and hospital operating room fees by bundling procedures together rather than having multiple separate surgeries.

Suction assisted lipectomy, or liposuction as it is more commonly known, is a very effective way to remove fat from stubborn areas. Liposuction is not really meant to be a method of weight loss, but rather a method of removing excess fat only from problem areas in people of an otherwise healthy weight. The first step in getting liposuction is going to a consultation appointment with a cosmetic surgeon. He will examine you and determine which procedures are right for you. I asked for outer thigh (saddlebag) liposuction at my consult, but my plastic surgeon recommended liposuction on the entire upper thigh area- inner, outer, front and back- to give my legs a more balanced shape. At the consult, my surgeon discussed what my wants and needs were and what I should expect during and after surgery. On the day of the surgery, I first went to my surgeon's office and he marked the areas to be liposuctioned. He circled the problem areas and marked where he would make the incisions where they would be hidden in most underwear and bathing suits. Then I went to the hospital where I was checked in, preliminary urine tests were done, I put on a gown and they started the IV. The last thing I remember was being wheeled into the operating room, then next thing I knew I was waking up after the surgery. I was in some pain but it was controlled by IV painkillers and oral pain medication (percocet). I stayed in the recovery area for a couple of hours and went home. You are given a compression garment to wear to help reduce swelling. I was in quite a bit of pain for the first couple of weeks. The first week or so it was extremely difficult to walk, especially standing up from a sitting position. The compression garment is difficult to get in and out of at first, but it is open at the crotch to use the bathroom. Bruising was also very extensive all over my upper legs. Pain was controlled with percocet and ice packs applied to the legs. I was quite swollen for the first few weeks, but once the swelling went down I was very satisfied with the results. My legs have a smooth silhouette and appear a lot slimmer than before. My thighs had been the widest part of me before and now my hips are, like they should be. This procedure was well worth the money (and pain), the final results are excellent.

If you are considering liposuction, first make sure that you have tried to lose the weight on your own and it is truly a stubborn problem area that you simply cannot lose weight from. If this is the case, then begin searching for a surgeon. Do a lot of research on your plastic surgeon and go on several consulations before you make a decision. Follow all your surgeon's instructions before surgery about types of medications to take or not take (no aspirin or ibuprofen, etc). After the surgery, expect to be in a lot of pain and make sure you have someone to help you get up and down and bring you things that you need. Take your pain killers as needed, and use ice packs to reduce swelling. Also expect to be very bruised for a couple of weeks, it looks scary and horrible (the entire backs of my legs, from butt to knee were totally dark purple) but it doesn't hurt as bad as it looks. Be sure to wear your compression garment, it helps with swelling and also helps control the pain by keeping your tissue from moving too much. Finally, make sure you have realistic expectations, you may not look like a supermodel overnight. Do not try to liposuction too much fat or you will end up with a lumpy, hollow appearance.