The average cost of liposuction is $6,825, according to 6,125 patient reviews on RealSelf. That all-inclusive price is far higher than the $3,637 cited by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, but they note that their price data only includes the surgeon’s fee and “does not include anesthesia, operating room facilities or other related expenses,” which can add thousands to your final bill.
According to RealSelf reviews, lipo prices can range from just over $3,000 for one small area to as much as $17,000 for full body liposuction.
This popular surgical body contouring procedure suctions out excess fat deposits through a thin tube (a cannula) to contour areas like the hips, outer thighs, upper arms, stomach, flanks, and under the chin.
Like all body sculpting treatment options, lipo is intended to address exercise-resistant pockets of stubborn fat—it’s not a weight loss treatment. The best candidates are already relatively fit, with a healthy BMI and good skin elasticity.
Learn more about lipo, or read on to find out:
During your consultation, ask for a total cost quote based on your personalized treatment plan. An all-in estimate should include the:
If any of those costs aren’t included, you’ll still need to factor them into your budget.
Also ask up-front how your surgeon handles the cost of a revision, if you aren’t happy with your initial results and want to correct issues like asymmetry, bumps, dimples, or other contour irregularities.
Liposuction has an 87% Worth It Rating on RealSelf, so most people who have reviewed their procedure think it was worth the price they paid. Because liposuction permanently removes fat cells, results can last for a decade or more—as long as you maintain a stable weight via a healthy diet and regular exercise.
Many of those who were satisfied with their lipo results cited factors like fitting more easily into clothing and feeling more confident.
Among the people who say lipo was not worth the price, some noted no change in their physique, while others had complications, like changes in skin color and encapsulated seromas (pockets of fluid).
Liposuction is considered the gold standard of body contouring procedures, but if you're concerned about the high cost (or simply want to avoid cosmetic surgery), you may want to consider nonsurgical body contouring.
Just be aware that nonsurgical fat reduction treatments like CoolSculpting usually require multiple treatment sessions. It also takes several months for your body to naturally eliminate the fat cells, and final results are typically less dramatic. What’s more, these nonsurgical techniques aren’t risk-free, so be sure to discuss the pros and cons with a qualified provider who offers a range of fat removal treatments.
Liposuction prices can vary wildly depending on the following factors.
Liposuction prices are usually determined in one of two ways: by the size and number of areas treated, or by the amount of time the plastic surgery procedure takes. The majority of liposuction surgeons charge by the area.
When a surgeon bills “by the area,” the cost of the first area typically includes facility and anesthesia fees. Commonly, each additional treatment area is discounted.
Here are some typical lipo prices by body area.
Billing by the hour seems to be a less common pricing method for liposuction, but if your surgeon works this way, keep in mind that large areas of the body like the abdomen, back, or love handles usually take more time and effort. However, sometimes removing a small amount of fat from a very specific area—like the inner thigh or under the chin—can be very time-consuming because it requires such precise sculpting.
Depending on a surgeon’s billing method, price estimates for nearly identical treatment plans can vary significantly. This means it can be well worth your time to consult with more than one qualified plastic surgeon or dermatologic surgeon, so you can compare personalized treatment plans and all-in cost estimates.
Standard tumescent liposuction is still a popular choice (and the basis of every modern lipo procedure), but surgeons often offer newer lipo techniques and technologies that use cannulas that are motorized (a.k.a. power-assisted lipo) or deliver some form of energy (laser, radiofrequency, or ultrasound).
Choices include:
These devices break up the excess fat, making removal easier and improving contours. Energy-based technologies are often required to achieve high-definition (a.k.a. liposculpture) results, to accentuate the look of muscles.
They require more skill and time, which translates to more money, but going with one of these options may offer you an easier recovery, with less swelling and better results.
If you’ve had previous work done on the treatment areas, it’s important to let your surgeon know during consultation, as this could affect the cost of your treatment.
Past liposuction or other surgical procedures, especially those that involved energy (i.e. SmartLipo), can alter the fat and leave behind scar tissue, complicating future surgeries. Anything that makes a procedure more complex or challenging will make it more costly, sometimes by thousands of dollars.
Even if you’ve had a nonsurgical fat reduction procedure like CoolSculpting or Kybella before undergoing liposuction, the fatty tissue may be more fibrotic (knotty and firm) and difficult to remove via traditional means.
“Liposuction cannulas glide through healthy fat fairly easily, but in areas that have been treated with CoolSculpting, there’s significant resistance,” says Dr. Umbareen Mahmood, a plastic surgeon in New York City. It’s still possible to lipo these areas, she notes, but it often takes longer and requires energy to achieve a good result. Surgeons commonly enlist devices, like VASER, to help soften and loosen fibrotic fat prior to suction.
This is especially true when former CoolSculpting patients have suffered paradoxical adipose hyperplastic (PAH), which causes the treatment areas to enlarge and harden. Many surgeons consider these cases revision surgeries—and charge accordingly.
To achieve patients’ body contouring goals, surgeons commonly pair liposuction fat removal with other surgical procedures, like abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), breast augmentation, or fat transfer to the breasts, buttocks, or elsewhere.
When more than one body-focused procedure is performed during a single surgery, doctors refer to the combination as a “mommy makeover.”
Each additional procedure increases your total cost, but surgeons usually discount their fees for additional services when they’re stacked in a single surgery. Plus, you’ll save by paying only once for the facility and anesthesiologist. Consolidating your downtime may also allow you to get back to work faster, saving you vacation days.
Plastic surgeons also routinely enhance lipo results with skin tightening treatments such as BodyTite or Renuvion, or cellulite treatments like Avéli. Ask if yours discounts these procedures when they’re combined with a liposuction procedure.
It’s important to find an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon or dermatologic surgeon perform this surgical procedure—not a physician who advertises themselves as a “cosmetic surgeon,” without having the same kind of advanced training.
Why be wary? Lipo has a complication rate of just 5%, but some of its risks (like a blood clot in the lung or fat embolism) are potentially fatal. Doctors who aren’t properly licensed have higher mortality rates.
While experienced lipo surgeons may be more expensive, they’re also more likely to use gold-standard techniques and technologies to minimize common liposuction complications, like contour irregularities, and deliver better results with fewer headaches.
To protect your safety and set yourself up for the best cosmetic results, base your decision on solid qualifications—even if that means you’ll pay more.
Liposuction costs can vary by U.S. state, metro area, and neighborhood. Liposuction surgery costs less when it’s done in a private, accredited surgical facility than it would in a hospital. (Just make sure your surgeon has hospital privileges to perform liposuction, so they won’t just be calling 911 in case of an emergency.)
You’ll also pay more if your surgeon practices in an area with a higher cost of living.
For example:
Because location plays such a big part in cost, some people travel to places like Mexico, where lipo prices are cheaper thanks to the lower overhead. If you’re considering this, just be sure that you thoroughly research your doctor and know how to avoid the risks associated with medical tourism.
The most cost-effective surgery is one that doesn’t require expensive revisions or emergency medical care to address complications.
Doctors on RealSelf have different opinions about whether it’s best to have liposuction under general anesthesia (so you’re fully unconscious) or local anesthesia with sedation.
Even if you opt for local anesthesia—injectable lidocaine for pain control plus epinephrine to limit bleeding—having IV sedation means that your anesthesia will need to be administered by an anesthesiologist (an MD) or nurse anesthetist, who will monitor your vitals throughout the procedure.
You can expect to pay hourly fees for their services and the anesthesia supplies. An anesthesiologist will charge more for their time and expertise, but some surgeons prefer them because they have more advanced training. Especially if you have any underlying conditions, it’s worth paying for that experience.
Yes, most practices offer payment plans or accept financing options for cosmetic procedures (which aren’t covered by insurance).
The CareCredit credit card is widely accepted by providers across the U.S., for both plastic surgery and nonsurgical procedures.
The best way to get a personalized liposuction cost estimate is to book an initial consultation with at least one board-certified dermatologic or plastic surgeon. We make it easy to find qualified surgeons in your area.
Browse average liposuction costs and ranges by state, according to the 1,435 most recent RealSelf reviews as of February 2023. (Note: In the map image, blank states don't have enough recent data to display.)
State | Average Cost |
---|---|
Alabama | $4,857 |
Arizona | $7,806 |
California | $8,493 |
Colorado | $8,696 |
Connecticut | $7,575 |
Delaware | $5,125 |
Florida | $5,830 |
Georgia | $7,055 |
Hawaii | $7,466 |
Illinois | $6,952 |
Indiana | $6,722 |
Kansas | $6,267 |
Kentucky | $5,852 |
Louisiana | $8,773 |
Maryland | $7,528 |
Massachusetts | $8,192 |
Michigan | $7,282 |
Minnesota | $9,020 |
Missouri | $6,786 |
Nevada | $6,322 |
New Hampshire | $5,533 |
New Jersey | $6,388 |
New York | $7,673 |
North Carolina | $8,225 |
Ohio | $7,328 |
Oklahoma | $6,222 |
Oregon | $6,960 |
Pennsylvania | $7,499 |
Rhode Island | $10,003 |
South Carolina | $5,322 |
Tennessee | $9,178 |
Texas | $7,315 |
Utah | $9,842 |
Virginia | $6,430 |
Washington State | $8,855 |
Washington, D.C. | $6,460 |
Wisconsin | $4,890 |
Metro Area | Average Cost |
---|---|
Cleveland, OH | $5,308 |
North New Jersey | $5,786 |
Miami, FL | $5,500 |
St Louis, MO | $6,800 |
Louisville, KY | $6,500 |
Las Vegas, NV | $6,500 |
San Diego, CA | $6,640 |
San Antonio, TX | $7,067 |
Philadelphia & South New Jersey | $7,091 |
Pittsburgh, PA | $7,425 |
Kansas City, MO | $7,467 |
Washington, DC | $7,471 |
Long Island East of JFK | $7,773 |
Atlanta, GA | $7,989 |
Chicago, IL | $8,107 |
Phoenix, AZ | $8,114 |
Houston, TX | $8,121 |
Charlotte, NC | $8,250 |
Denver, CO | $8,250 |
New York City | $8,490 |
Orlando, FL | $8,500 |
Boston, MA | $8,771 |
Minneapolis-St Paul, MN | $9,063 |
West Palm Beach, FL | $9,100 |
San Francisco, CA | $9,133 |
Detroit, MI | $9,210 |
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | $9,239 |
Orange County, CA | $11,500 |
Tampa, FL | $10,800 |
Nashville, TN | $11,386 |
Memphis, TN | $11,400 |
Columbus, OH | $11,415 |
Seattle-Tacoma, WA | $12,991 |
Los Angeles, CA | $13,096 |
Salt Lake City, UT | $16,467 |