How much does a belt lipectomy/lower body lift cost in the Bay Area? How much if I add an inner or medial thigh lift?

Thank you for your question regarding the cost of a lower body lift (belt lipectomy) and medial thigh lift in the Bay Area. First, congratulations on your incredible weight loss and maintaining your results for over a decade—that’s a major achievement and the foundation for a great surgical outcome.

The cost of a belt lipectomy (lower body lift) in the Bay Area typically ranges between $20,000 to $35,000, depending on the plastic surgeon’s experience, facility fees, anesthesia, length of surgery, and whether you're treated at a private surgery center or hospital. If you are considering adding a medial (inner) thigh lift, you can expect the total cost to increase by an additional $10,000 to $15,000. These estimates are for self-pay, all-inclusive pricing and can vary by several factors, including whether overnight care or extended surgical time is required due to complexity or anatomy.

Given that you're planning surgery in April, now is an ideal time to begin scheduling consultations. Most experienced board-certified plastic surgeons have several weeks to months of lead time. I recommend booking consultations at least 3 to 4 months in advance, especially if you’re coordinating your time off work and want to secure your desired surgery date. When consulting with surgeons, ask whether they specialize in post-weight loss body contouring and request to see before-and-after photos of patients with similar starting points to yours.

Good luck, and I hope you find the right surgical partner to help you complete your transformation. Be sure to choose a board-certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience in body lifts and thigh lifts. Look through plenty of before-and-after photos, check reviews on RealSelf, and verify your surgeon’s credentials.

Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen
(President of the American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons, Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Fellow of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American College of Surgery, International College of Surgery, and American Board of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, and member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, and RealSelf Hall of Fame.)

I try to limit all surgery to a time less than 6 hours. I can usually
do a body lift in 4 hrs and a medial thigh lift in 2 to 3 hrs in
an average size person, so you would be right at the limit.   This is probably too much surgery at one time.  The cost for the body lift usually varies between $15,000 and $20,000.Kenneth Hughes, MDLos Angeles, CA

From my experience of performing body lifts for many years I have found that each person who loses significant amounts of weight ( over 100lbs) has excess skin in slightly different places and the procedures that are best indicated also vary. This affects cost, primarily because of the timing involved as the operating time and anesthesia is based on time, while the surgeons fee is based on procedure. It is also important to understand exactly what procedures are being done so that you can compare prices accurately. Having said that, it is crucial that you have the surgery done by someone with a lot of experience. Hope that helps.