Liposuction Surgery

It is important that your cosmetic surgeon is fully qualified and experienced. To make sure your cosmetic surgeon is reputable, ensure the clinic is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) or The Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW). You should also look for cosmetic surgeons who are registered with The General Medical Council (GMC) and ask if they are carrying out cosmetic surgery procedures on a daily basis. Because the procedure is different for every patient, there is no set price. An accurate cost can be given following consultations with your cosmetic surgeon and this will include an overnight stay and all aftercare appointments.

At The Harley Medical Group we know it’s natural for one of the first questions asked to be ‘how much does liposuction cost’? The cost of the your liposuction procedure depends on several factors:

• The number of areas treated
• Whether you are a day case or have an overnight stay - your surgeon will discuss this with you
• The type of liposculpture undertaken i.e. traditional, vaser of laser

Traditional liposuction prices start from £3,090 (day case, one area), and the price quoted at your surgical consultation is complete, with no hidden costs, and include your compression garment.

We understand finance availability can sometimes be a barrier to undergoing lipo, which is why  we provide bespoke liposuction finance packages, with manageable payments, to suits your needs. Please ask for more information at your free, no obligation consultation.

Liposuction surgery is a cosmetic procedure to remove small areas of unwanted body fat. Lipo is performed on areas of the body that are prone to fat deposit build-up such as the stomach, thighs, hips and arms.

‘How is liposuction done’? Is a common, and understandable, question. Liposuction is performed either under general anaesthetic or under local anaesthetic with sedation. A small incision in the area being treated will be made by your surgeon, a thin plastic tube called a cannula is then inserted. The cannula is attached to a powerful vacuum device which removes the fat quickly and efficiently.

Your surgeon will take you through the process step-by-step during your consultation.

Liposuction is generally performed on any part of the body that is prone to fatty deposits. The post popular body areas for liposuction are:

Thighs (inner and outer) - the most common area of the thigh to have liposuction is on the inner thigh to address the complaint of the inner thighs rubbing together. We often recommend considering having liposuction to the inner knee for symmetrical reasons. Liposuction to the outer thigh is often performed along with liposuction to the hips and flanks. 

Calves - liposuction to the calves is generally performed on the inner calves around the knee area. Calves are a notoriously difficult area to treat as much of the bulk is caused by muscle rather than fat. in addition liposuction around the calves can change the profile of the entire lower leg. However, subtle liposculpting can create a curve from the calf to the ankle creating a tapering effect.

Flanks (also known as ‘love handles’) - this is the area found on the lower back above the buttocks. Liposuction for love handles are a very common problem area for both men and women as there are very few exercises that work this area thereby burning the excess fat deposits. Hips and flanks are often treated together.

Hips - the hips are a difficult place to target with exercise alone. Liposuction to the hips has become increasingly popular following the growing  trend for figure hugging clothes. For many liposuction removes small pockets of stubborn fat creating a more streamlined silhouette.

Face, neck and chin - liposuction to the face and neck removes excess fat deposits to create a more youthful and rejuvenated appearance, providing a more subtle amd natural than a full face lift with fewer scars. We often recommend pairing liposuction to the face and neck with facial skin tightening and skin peels to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.   

Arms (also known as bingo wings) - arms are one of the most visible parts of the body, which is why liposuction on the arms is a popular procedure with women. As we age arms can be prone to excess fat and loose skin, when liposuction to the upper arm area is combined with skin tightening the results can be an overall thinner more youthful appearance. 

Stomach - even with exercising it can be difficult to get a flat stomach, particularly following pregnancy, which is why liposuction to the stomach and waist is our most popular areas for liposuction surgery. Depending on the type of lipo undertaken the stomach results can vary from a flattened stomach to an intricately sculpted and defined look. 

Some areas of the body are only treated with vaser liposuction or promax laser liposuction due to the size of the area or level of definition required.

During liposuction surgery fat cells are permanently removed  from the treated area to create a new body shape, fat cells that are removed by liposuction do not grow back. This means that the results are more or less permanent if a healthy lifestyle, including a good diet and exercise. is maintained.  

If a moderate amount of weight is gained following liposuction then the figure will simply be a larger version of the new body shape. However, there is evidence that if there is a more significant increase in weight after fat removal the body will redistribute any excess fats between the remaining cells. For example if lipo surgery was performed on the stomach and there was considerable subsequent weight gain, the stomach would remain relatively flat but fat cells in the thighs and flanks may increase to compensate.  

So the answer to 'how long does lipouction last'? is for the treated area it is essentially permanent, but if significant weight is gained after the procedure other fat cells in teh body will increase to compensate.

We are often asked is liposuction surgery good for weight loss and how much weight is lost with liposuction? At The Harley Medical Group we think it is very important to understand that lipo surgery is not a weight loss tool. Liposuction should only be used to treat resistant areas of fat that healthy eating and exercise alone cannot remove.

The follow-up question is often how much fat can be removed? This depends entirely which part of the body is being treated and how much fat there is to be removed. Please be assured that your surgeon will remove enough fat to get the ideal results. 

Significant fat loss will be noticeable immediately following a liposuction procedure, and these results will continue to improve as the swelling goes down.

There will be considerable swelling, which is managed with a specially designed compression garment, for the first week or two following the procedure, as the swelling subsides more dramatic results will be discernable. 

There is then gradual improvement until final results are evident, approximately three or four months after surgery.

All surgical procedures carry some degree of risk and liposuction is no exception.

However, if performed by a specialist cosmetic surgeon trained in liposuction and liposculpture procedures, and is performed within a fully equipped hospital, fat removal surgery it is widely regarded as safe. 

If the surgeon is not specialist trained there is an increased risk that an internal organ is punctured by the cannula causing post-operative complications. 

Long-term risks are related to weight gain. Following the removal of fat cells an increase in weight can cause your body to store the new fat in a different location, this new fat can grow deep inside your body and around your organs, such as your heart or liver.