How Much Does Liposuction Cost?

The average cost of liposuction is $8,657, according to 693 patient reviews. Prices range from $3,500 for one small area to as much as $21,000 for full-body liposuction.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons cites and average price of $4,449, but as they note, this only the surgeon’s fee: it “does not include anesthesia, operating room facilities or other related expenses.” All of these fees, along with pre- and post-op care, can add thousands to the final bill.

There are various types of liposuction, which also helps explain the broad price range.

Learn more about lipo, or read on to find out more about:

• what should be included in your personalized cost quote
• why prices vary
• whether it’s worth the money, according to patients who had it
• how average lipo costs near you compare to other U.S. states and major metros

What does the cost of liposuction include?

During your consultation, ask for a total cost quote based on a personalized treatment plan. This all-in estimate should include the:

• Surgeon’s fee
• Anesthesiologist fees
• Facility fees for the hospital or surgery center
• Lab work and medical tests
• Prescription pain medications and recovery supplies, such as a compression garment
• Follow-up appointments
• Post-op lymphatic drainage massage (if prescribed by your surgeon)

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 revision surgery, if you aren’t happy with your initial results and want to correct issues like asymmetry, bumps, dimples, or other contour irregularities. Some will waive their surgeon’s fee, but not the other expenses.

Is liposuction worth the money?

Liposuction has an 88% Worth It Rating on RealSelf, so a solid majority of reviewers say that their results are worth the money and recovery time.

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 treatments, lipo is intended to address exercise-resistant pockets of stubborn fat—it’s not a weight loss treatment. The best candidates are relatively fit, with a healthy BMI and good skin elasticity.

Because lipo 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 reviewers who say they 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 It,” some were disappointed not to see more of a change. Others had complications, like changes in skin color, asymmetry, or 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 may be incision-free, but they aren’t risk-free. Be sure to discuss the pros and cons with a qualified provider who offers a range of fat removal options.

Why the cost of liposuction varies

Liposuction prices can vary wildly depending on the following factors. 

1) The scope of your procedure

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. Most liposuction surgeons charge by the area.

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.

• To treat any single area, Austin-based plastic surgeon Dr. Johnny Franco charges around $5,500. For an additional zone, he charges an extra $1,800 ($2,800 for two more areas). To contour the entire torso, a procedure commonly called Lipo 360, he charges approximately $9,200.
• Chin liposuction costs $3,275 on average, according to patient reviews.
• Thigh liposuction costs between $3,000 and $4,000, depending on the specific part of the thigh being sculpted and how large the area is, at the New York City practice of plastic surgeon Dr. Darren Smith. 
• For thigh and hip lipo, the price jumps to between $5,000 and $8,000 for this combination procedure. 
• Stomach liposuction costs between $4,000 and $7,000 at Dr. Smith’s NYC practice. The average cost of abdominal etching (selective fat removal to make abs look more sculpted) is over $9,000, according to RealSelf reviews, simply because this specialized procedure takes more time and skill.
• Neck liposuction costs $4,000 to $6,000 at plastic surgeon Dr. Sean Doherty’s Boston practice.
• Arm lipo costs $4,000, on average, at the Scottsdale, Arizona practice of plastic surgeon Dr. William Hall.

By the hour

Billing by the hour is less common 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 than small problem areas.

However, sometimes removing a modest amount of fat from a targeted 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, technique, and speed, price estimates for nearly identical treatment plans can vary significantly. Consult with more than one qualified plastic surgeon or dermatologic surgeon, so you can compare personalized treatment plans and all-in cost estimates. 

2) The type of lipo you get

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 fat-sucking cannulas that are motorized (a.k.a. power-assisted lipo) or deliver some form of energy (laser, radiofrequency, or ultrasound). 

These devices break up the excess fat, making removal easier and improving contours. Energy-based technologies are often required to achieve high-definition results.

They require more skill, which often translates to more money, but going with one of these options may offer you an easier recovery time, with less swelling and better results.

3) If you’ve had previous procedures

If you’ve had previous work done on the treatment areas, it’s important to let your surgeon know during consultation. This could affect the cost of your treatment and their technique.

Past liposuction or other surgical procedures, especially those that involved energy (i.e. Smart Lipo), 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 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 advanced liposuction techniques 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.  

4) Whether you get any add-on procedures

To achieve patients’ body contouring goals, surgeons commonly pair liposuction fat removal with other surgical procedures. This could include abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), breast augmentation, breast reduction, or fat transfer to the breasts, buttocks (a Brazilian butt lift), or elsewhere. (Lipo is commonly performed alongside facelifts, too, as facial fat transfer is a standard add-on to the surgery.)

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 operation. 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 your provider discounts these procedures when they’re combined with a liposuction procedure.

5) Your surgeon’s experience and credentials.

It’s important to find an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon or dermatologic surgeon to perform this surgical procedure—not a physician who advertises themselves as a “cosmetic surgeon,” without having 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, fat embolism, or a perforated organ) are potentially fatal. Doctors who aren’t properly licensed have higher mortality rates.

Having your liposuction performed by an experienced surgeon will probably be more expensive, they’re more likely to use gold-standard techniques and technologies to minimize common liposuction complications, like contour irregularities, and deliver better liposuction 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.

6) Your provider’s location.

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:

• Houston, Texas plastic surgeon Dr. Vasileios Vasilakis charges between $1,350 to $5,200 for liposuction, depending on the area. Prices include fees for the surgeon, anesthesia, operating room, and follow-up visits.
• In San Francisco, plastic surgeon Dr. Usha Rajagopal charges between $6,500 to $9,500 for abdominal liposuction, while circumferential liposuction around the thighs can range from $14,500 to as much as $20,500.

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. 

7) The kind of anesthesia you have and who administers it

Doctors on RealSelf have different opinions about whether it’s best to have liposuction under general anesthesia (so you’re fully unconscious) or local 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 anesthetic supplies. A board-certified anesthesiologist will charge more for their time and expertise, but some surgeons prefer them—especially for patients with underlying conditions—because they have more advanced training.

Can you finance a liposuction procedure?

Yes, most practices offer payment plans or accept financing options for cosmetic procedures (which aren’t covered by insurance). For example, CareCredit is widely accepted by providers across the U.S.

Where can I find a liposuction surgeon near me?

The best way to get a personalized lipo cost estimate is to book a consultation with at least one board-certified dermatologic or plastic surgeon. You can find qualified surgeons in your area on RealSelf.

Liposuction costs by state

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.)

Liposuction costs by major U.S. metro