If you’re unhappy with any part of your appearance, it can be a difficult thing to deal with. With so much social media pressure you may be feeling like there’s something that you want to change. Nowadays, there are so many options to alter something you dislike and the procedures can range in price.
If you’re looking for price information then look no further! We’ve put together this handy guide so you can have everything in one place.
Covered in this Article:
Getting Lipo in the UK -is It the Right Thing for Me?
Before we head in-depth into the guide, there are a few things to consider. No procedure comes without its risks, so make sure to ask yourself these questions.
- What is it that I want to change?
- Why do I want to have this procedure?
- How long have I been thinking about this decision?
- Am I expecting the procedure to improve my mental health?
- Am I making this decision for me?
It’s important to ensure that you are making this decision for the right reasons and not expecting it to change your life in a major way. You need to ensure that the liposuction you are wanting will be the right decision for you and you only.
We recommend talking to a GP or a health professional before making your final decision, the NHS offers free talking therapies if you are unhappy with more than just this part of your appearance.
How much does liposuction cost?
Liposuction is a cosmetic procedure that removes unwanted body fat, giving you a slimmer and more toned appearance. It’s an “elective” procedure, which means this will have to be done privately in most cases, and that means paying for a private clinic.
According to the NHS, the cost of liposuction in the UK can range from £2000 – £6000. However, this is based on the procedure itself and may not cover any extra costs that incur (source: NHS)
Can I Get Liposuction on the NHS?
If you need liposuction for medical reasons, the NHS may cover it for conditions such as:
- Lymphoedema – a condition that causes swelling in the body’s tissues.
- Lipoedema – an abnormal buildup of fat in your legs, and sometimes arms.
In most other cases, though, you’ll probably have to pay to go private.
Factors that Affect UK Liposuction Costs
There are several factors that might mean paying more or less for liposuction throughout the UK. These are:
Number of treatment areas
Liposuction is often priced based on the number of areas that need treating. The price for one liposuction treatment area usually starts between £3000 – £4000 and costs will go up another £500 – £1000 per additional area.
Surgeon Expertise
The cost of liposuction is likely to be higher when you opt to go with a more experienced surgeon. Despite the extra cost, it’s always best to go with the most experienced surgeon that you can afford.
The more credentials and experience they have doing liposuction, the better your results will be. Going with a cheaper surgeon to save money may cost you more in the long run. This is because they may not have done this procedure before and it is more likely to go wrong, leaving you unhappy with the results.
London vs Rest of Country
After taking all of the above into consideration, we estimate that the average cost of liposuction can cost £2000 – £10,000+. The price will differ depending on where you go in the country and the factors mentioned above.
London is the most expensive place to get a cosmetic procedure done. This is because there are many prestigious clinics operating in London, and they offer the very best care throughout the whole of your experience.
If London is not an option for you, most major cities have high-quality clinics that may be slightly cheaper. When you’ve selected a clinic, check that they are part of the Care Quality Commission. All independent clinics and hospitals that offer cosmetic surgery must register.
Ensure that the liposuction surgeon you choose is registered with the General Medical Council, on the specialist register and that they have a licence to practice.
We would recommend opting for cosmetic procedures within the UK, rather than heading abroad. Although it may be cheaper, clinics abroad are not upheld to the same standards and may not provide a good service.
This may lead to you having to pay for another liposuction treatment to fix the results once you’ve returned home, thus increasing the costs.
What’s Included in Liposuction Costs?
With most UK liposuction providers, they include everything in one price. However, it is always worth checking at your initial consultation whether there are any additional costs to consider.
The overall price tends to include:
- Local or general anaesthesia
- Surgeon fees
- Pain relief for afterwards
- Any aftercare appointments that may be required
Costs of Different Types of Liposuction
Prices of lipo can also vary depending on the type of treatment, too. Here are some examples:
Traditional liposuction
This type of liposuction offers results almost immediately. Providing that you remain healthy and active, it is unlikely that the fat cells will return, leaving you with long-lasting results. The average cost of traditional liposuction in the UK is between £2500 – £7500.
The price typically includes local anaesthetic, doctor’s fees and compression garments to aid recovery.
Vaser liposuction
Vaser liposuction offers similar results to traditional liposuction, but tends to be a less invasive treatment. This is because vaser liposuction uses energy to liquify the fat cells before they are removed. Due to the specificity of this treatment, patients will often achieve smoother results with less tissue trauma, aiding recovery.
Due to the extra step in this procedure, Vaser liposuction tends to be slightly more expensive. The average cost vaser liposuction treatment in the UK is £2500 – £9500, which again will increase depending on the factors mentioned previously.
Alternative Options: Non Surgical Fat Reduction
This type of treatment is far less invasive than liposuction as it does not involve any surgery. This type of treatment can involve lasers, heat, cooling or sound waves in order to destroy fat cells which are then removed from the body by the natural metabolic process.
This type of treatment will usually require more than one session for complete efficacy, but is not suitable for large areas of fat. It should be limited to smaller, stubborn areas.
The exact cost for this will depend on how many areas need treating, but can range from £50 – £300.
No matter how healthily you eat or how much you exercise, there are some areas of the body where extra fat cells just won’t shift. No matter your sex, these areas can cause great insecurity. However, there are many liposuction options on the market that can ease this insecurity.
Additional Costs Due to Recovery
Many people miss this cost estimate when they’re thinking about getting lipo treatment. Because common areas for liposuction include:
- Chest
- Arms
- Stomach
- Thighs
- Hips
- Back
This means that depending on where your treatment is, you might need a short recovery time, and certainly time off work for the treatment – and perhaps a few days after, too. If you’re self-employed, you’ll need to consider the lost income, or if you’re an employee, then factor it into your leave, too.
The procedure itself can take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours, depending on the amount of fat that needs removing. You may need to stay in hospital overnight to recover too.
Liposuction tends to have a relatively quick recovery period, with most people needing a few days to 2 weeks off of work. Then, a further 3-6 weeks before returning to any strenuous exercise. Of course, this will depend on the areas of the body that have undergone liposuction.
Your surgeon will give you a detailed recovery plan, but this is something to consider when adding up costs as you may have to take extra time off of work.
Face Liposuction in the UK
Something that not many people are aware of is that you can get liposuction on your face. Facial liposuction, or micro liposuction, is used to redefine the facial structure. It can be especially beneficial to those who may be self-conscious of a double chin or larger neck.
It can significantly reduce the appearance of these, and even make the jawline look more defined. However, in older people this may leave loose skin underneath the chin that has to be removed with further surgery once healed.
Facial liposculpture
As well as removing the fat from the chin and neck, many clinics offer liposculpture. This includes redepositing the removed fat into other areas of the face where volume has been lost. This can include the cheekbone area, giving a more youthful appearance.
Liposuction for Men – Considerations
Although we believe you should do what makes you happy and comfortable no matter your sex, we understand that there are certain societal attitudes that may make men feel unsure about cosmetic procedures.
Men can definitely get liposuction! However, liposuction areas for men are often different to those of women. Liposuction for men is more often focused on sculpting rather than just slimming down the appearance. Common treatment sites for men often include the stomach, chest and arms.
The procedure and liposuction costs are the same for both men and women.
As you can see, there are plenty of options on the market to alter your appearance and make you more confident, both surgical and non-surgical. We hope that after reading this guide, you have found all the information that you’re looking for! Remember to do your research and be certain of your decision!