Understanding the Costs of Liposuction

There are several factors that can determine the estimated cost of a liposuction procedure. Although liposuction has become a routine plastic surgery procedure that can be performed by most plastic surgeons, some of these different factors can be as simple as the sex of the patient. Knowing some of these factors can help potential patients understand why certain liposuction procedures are more expensive than others.

Liposuction is performed exclusively by a plastic surgeon. In the past, this was an emerging field of medicine, in which there were very few skilled professionals who could perform this procedure properly. This lack of experienced professionals made it possible for most plastic surgeons to assess higher surgeon's fees for the procedure. Luckily, these fees began to drop as more doctors came into the field. However, many patients have found that retaining a more skilled surgeon for the procedure is worth the higher cost. Consequently, the cost of the procedure will also vary by geographic region. Many patients have found that living in an area with a smaller availability of qualified surgeons means paying a higher price for the procedure. Therefore, a willingness to travel could mean deep discounts when it comes to surgeon's fees, especially if an equally qualified surgeon charges a lesser fee than a surgeon who is a little closer to home.

There are a few key differences in the physiology between men and women that factor into the price of liposuction. For instance, women tend to have a different fat texture that makes it much easier to remove fat during the surgery. Male fat cells are more fibrous and therefore, more difficult to remove. Furthermore, men are typically much larger than women, so there tends to be more fat removal during the surgery. Finally, men and women store fat in different places, and many surgeon's will assess their fees based on where the patient wants the fat removal.

With the surge in popularity of the liposuction procedure, more patients are willing to finance the cost of their surgery. Indeed, many doctor's offices are willing to offer payment plans, and will do so based on the patient's credit rating. This option is similar to any financing option, in which the patient makes an initial down payment based on their credit worthiness. Once the surgery is complete, the patient will then pay for the rest of the surgery with a monthly payment plan.