Liposuction FAQs

How much does liposuction cost in the UK?

The Private Clinic sees over 15,000 new patients every year and perform over 10,000 procedures, with one of the highest patients’ satisfaction in the sector, Trustpilot 5 star rating, 98% would recommend us to their friends and family.

The Private Clinic prides itself on its commitment to Medical Expertise, Patient Care and Satisfaction, Honest advice and most importantly Results. We are above all committed to Quality. Please feel free to contact us for any Liposuction advice or to book a consultation with one of our expert Liposuction surgeons.

Liposuction Cost can be part of your decision to undergo a procedure but it should never be the deciding factor. For more information about The Private Clinic, our experience and medical expertise click here

Surgical Liposuction & Vaser Liposuction cost

Liposuction costs start from £5,000

The cost will vary depending on the number of areas being treated.

Vaser liposuction can be performed under local anaesthetic with sedation and is a lot less invasive than Surgical liposuction resulting in a shorter recovery period and less bruising.

We offer consultations in Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and Northampton with our highly experienced Patient Coordinators which require a £25 refundable deposit to secure your place. All available consultations at or London Harley Street clinic are with a plastic surgeon or liposuction doctor.

Patient coordinators can offer you all the information you require before meeting a surgeon.

Consultations with our liposuction plastic surgeons are £100 at our clinics in London Harley Street, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and Northampton.

There are a wide range of different liposuction treatments including traditional liposuction, vaser liposuction, laser liposuction, MPX laser, body jet liposuction, power assisted liposuction and ultrasound assisted liposuction

There is no clinical evidence to suggest that any of these are better or even safer than the other. The best type of liposuction is liposuction which has been performed by expert surgeons or doctors on suitable patients. The best results come from the skill and experience of the surgeon and the aftercare provided too.

Book a consultation to find out more about our experienced surgeons/doctors.

You are likely to see results immediately after surgery however you will be required to wear a compression garment after surgery so you may not be able to see straight away. Bruising and swelling may occur which can alter the appearance of your results slightly. The majority of patients can see great results after 6 weeks but the final results of your procedure are best seen 6-12 months afterwards once all swelling has resolved.

The results after vaser liposuction are instant although patients will be required to wear a compression garment immediately following surgery. Standard vaser results are very subtle and natural. If you prefer a more athletic, defined or sculpted appearance, VASER Hi-Def or VASER Mid-Def may be better options for you.

To see vaser liposuction results click here to see our before and after photo gallery.

We offer a range of different liposuction procedures here at The Private Clinic.

Liposuction

This is known as traditional or surgical liposuction. It is usually recommended for patients who are having a larger amount of fat taken out or are having a number of different body areas being treated. It is usually performed under general anaesthetic for patient comfort but you will normally be able to go home the same day.

Vaser Liposuction

Vaser liposuction uses ultrasound energy to help liquefy the fat before it is removed. It is usually performed under local anaesthetic or sedation. Vaser liposuction is not as invasive as traditional liposuction and involves minimal downtime with less risk of bruising and swelling. Most patients are able to return to work and their daily routines a lot quicker post-procedure.

The Private Clinic is the UK’s leading provider of VASER Liposuction performing more vaser liposuction procedures than any other clinic in the UK.

Micro Lipo

Micro Lipo is similar to Vaser Liposuction however it uses a much smaller cannula making it ideal for treating small areas of stubborn fat such as the neck, chin, knees and arms.

Vaser Hi-Def

Vaser hi-def is a specialised technique of vaser liposuction which works to sculpt and define muscles for a more athletic result. The Private Clinic are one of very few groups in the UK to be certified to perform the revolutionary treatment as it requires extensive experience and well-practised skill in VASER treatments which our liposuction surgeons excel in.

Vaser Mid-Def

Vaser Mid-Def is The Private Clinic’s own, unique Vaser lipo technique that offers results in-between Vaser Lipo and Vaser Hi-Def. It is designed to offer a more defined and athletic appearance but not as extreme as the results of Vaser Hi-Def.

Vaser 4D

Vaser 4D is a specialised form of Vaser Lipo that is similar to Vaser Hi-Def which works to highlight your muscles. Vaser 4D instead is designed to sculpt your muscles following their natural movements and to create a 4D effect.

Vaser 360

Vaser 360 is a fat removal and body contouring vaser technique that specifically treats the upper leg circumferentially targeting the thighs, knees and buttock crease.

Your initial consultation with our expert surgeons will allow them to assess you and offer advice on which liposuction procedure is going to be right for you giving you the results that you desire to achieve.

Other types of Liposuction include

• Ultrasound Assisted Liposuction (UAL Lipo)
• Power Assisted Liposuction (PAL Lipo)
• Laser-assisted liposuction (LAL Lipo). 

Where to get liposuction in London?

Harley Street Liposuction in London

Our London clinic is located on 98 Harley Street, W1G 7HZ.

The Private Clinic has clinics nationwide so we are sure to have an expert liposuction surgeon located near you.

Where to get lipo in Manchester?

Manchester – 25 St John Street, M3 4DT

Where to get lipo in Birmingham?

Birmingham – 88 Hagley Road, B16 8LU – West Midlands

Where to get liposuction in Leeds?

Leeds – 45 Park Square North, LS1 2NP – Yorkshire

Where to get lipo in Northampton?

Northampton – 82 Billing Road, NN1 5DF – East Midlands

To find out more about booking a consultation at a clinic near you, contact us here.

Liposuction is suitable for body fat removal from many areas of the body including;

• Buttocks crease liposuction
• Hip liposuction
• Thigh liposuction
• Abdomen/ stomach liposuction
• Arm liposuction
• Knee liposuction

Usually surgical liposuction is advised for larger areas of fat removal but in most cases, Vaser Lipo is also a suitable method of fat removal for all of the locations listed above. Vaser lipo is a lot less invasive than traditional liposuction and is known for having a shorter recovery time with minimal bruising.

For smaller areas like bingo wings/ arm fat and double chin fat removal; CoolSculpting may be suggested as an alternative. Your surgeon will advise on the best liposuction method for you at your consultation.

Liposuction or traditional liposuction is a surgical procedure used to remove excess fat through the use of a device called a cannula which is then attached to a liposuction machine. The cannula is inserted into the fat layer the skin where it removes the unwanted fatty deposits creating a smoother, slimmer and more contoured appearance to the areas being treated.

We also offer a range of different liposuction techniques at The Private Clinic including:

Vaser Liposuction

Vaser lipo is a procedure performed under local anaesthetic with sedation. A small probe is used to transmit the ultrasound energy and liquefy fat cells prior to removal through a gentle suction process.

Vaser Hi-Def

Vaser Hi-Def liposuction is an advanced body sculpting technique that creates a more athletic and sculpted appearance. The procedure involves the removal of both superficial and deep fat that surrounds the muscle groups to enhance the visibility of underlying toning and musculature.

Vaser Mid-Def

Vaser Mid-Def liposuction is a specific technique that is halfway between Vaser Hi-Def and standard Vaser Lipo. The results are a slight increase in definition and shadowing but with a much softer appearance.

Vaser 4D

Vaser 4D liposuction is a more advanced form of vaser liposuction that works to improve the overall proportion of your body by removing fat and defining your underlying muscles.

Vaser 360

Vaser 360 liposuction is a specific technique used on paitents seeking fat reduction in the lower body. The treatment targets the buttock crease, thighs, upper legs and knees for a full circumferential toned and firmer appearance to the legs.

Find out more about our wide range of fat reduction treatments here.

Liposuction is usually carried out under general anaesthetic although other types of anaesthesia could be requested if appropriate. Your cosmetic surgeon will mark the areas on your body where fat is going to be removed and these areas are then injected with a solution containing anaesthetic and medication, to reduce blood loss, bruising and swelling. The fat cells are then broken up using high-frequency vibrations, a weak laser pulse or a high pressure water jet. Each surgeon has different liposuction techniques and preferences but this will be discussed with you at your consultation. Small incisions are then made in the areas being treated and a suction tube attached to a vacuum machine is inserted. The surgeon will move the suction tube back and forth to help loosen fat in the areas being treated and suck it out. The areas are then bandaged up and a drain may be inserted to help with excess fluid in the initial couple of days post-procedure. You will then be fitted into a support garment to help reduce swelling and returned to a recovery room to recover from the anaesthetic.

Vaser Liposuction is a great alternative for patients who are worried about the general anaesthetic involved in surgical liposuction. Vaser lipo procedures are performed under local anaesthetic with sedation. The procedure involves using a small probe to transmit ultrasound energy and liquefy fat cells prior to removal through a gentle suction process. The procedure is a lot less invasive meaning the downtime is minimal and the risk of bruising is reduced.

In most instances, surgical liposuction takes place under general anaesthetic. You will be gently put to sleep to ensure comfort throughout the procedure.

In some cases liposuction can be carried out under local anaesthetic but this is usually for smaller cases.

The type of anaesthesia used can be discussed with your surgeon at your consultation.

Patients who have stubborn areas of fat that cannot be reduced with diet or exercise are the best candidates for surgical liposuction.

Liposuction is not a method of weight loss and you should be as close to your ideal body weight as possible before the procedure. If you are unsure give us a call to discuss the areas you are interested in treating.

To find out if you are suitable for liposuction you will need to come in for a consultation with one of our liposuction surgeons who will be able to assess you and go through your medical history.

The time it takes to complete liposuction surgery will depend on the amount of fat being removed and the amount of areas being treated but usually surgeries tend to last between 1 – 3 hours.

To find out more information about liposuction surgery give us a call or use our online contact form to book a consultation.

Liposuction is a safe and effective way to permanently remove fat deposits from the body. As you begin to lose weight through diet and exercise, your fat cells shrink in size but they do not disappear.

When you have liposuction, the fat cells are removed from the body which means it is very unlikely that they will be able to develop and increase in size again.

Our surgeons will be able to explain how liposuction works in your consultation.

Liposuction may not be the best surgical procedure for every patient.

If you have loose or sagging skin then liposuction would not be suitable for you. You will be better suited to an abdominoplasty/ tummy tuck, thigh or arm lift depending on which area you are looking to target. Liposuction is designed to target areas of unwanted fat but it will not be able to improve the appearance of loose skin.

Surgical liposuction is usually reserved for multiple or slightly larger amounts of excess fat. If you are just looking to improve a small area such as neck or arm fat then micro lipo or vaser lipo may be a more suitable alternative to help you achieve the best results.

To find out which treatment is best for you, we recommend coming in for a consultation with one of our expert surgeons who can offer their advice to help you.

The Private Clinic are specialists in Micro, Traditional and Vaser liposuction procedures.

Liposuction is commonly performed alongside other cosmetic surgery procedures such as tummy tucks, male chest reductions and arm lifts for example. Your surgeon will let you know what they believe will give you the best results. Pairing the two procedures together allows patients to obtain the benefits of both, while reducing the pain and recovery time needed if both procedures were performed separately.

Your surgeon will be able to advise if a combined procedure would be suitable for you at a consultation.

Surgical liposuction is a safe procedure but, as with any surgical procedures there are always risks and potential complications that may arise such as; Bleeding, bruising, infection, damage to blood vessels, swelling, scarring, asymmetry, contour irregularities and seromas.

During your consultation, your cosmetic surgeon will go through the procedure and all of the risks and complications to ensure you fully understand them before going ahead with the procedure.

We offer a comprehensive and extensive post-operative care programme, which includes detailed post-operative instructions and follow-up appointments with nurses and surgeons at our clinics.

Patients are usually under general anaesthetic during liposuction but some may be suitable for local anaesthetic.

You should not be in pain during the surgical procedure but if you do only have local anaesthetic then you may feel a little uncomfortable at times. Your surgeon will be able to discuss what anaesthetic is going to be used at your consultation.

After the procedure you will have some local anaesthetic remaining in the areas so the pain will be minimal. You may begin to feel sore and this may become very tender 2-4 days after surgery but this should be easily managed with painkillers. Tenderness in the areas treated may continue for up to 4 weeks but should begin to subside after this.

Our 24-hour patient helpline is there to ensure you are always in the best of hands should you have any concerns post-surgery.

We usually recommend that you spend the first 10 days after your procedure taking it easy and relaxing. Bruising is common during this time so you may be feeling tender and uncomfortable. It is best to listen to your body and do not push yourself too soon as this will affect your recovery time. Exercise or any strenuous activities should be avoided for at least 4 weeks. Vigorous lifting and extreme sports should be avoided for 6 weeks after surgery. This is all to help reduce swelling and improve your healing rate. After 3 weeks, you can expect to be feeling like yourself again.

Vaser Liposuction Recovery time

The recovery time after Vaser Liposuction is shorter with many patients feeling able to return to their daily routines quite quickly following the procedure. We recommend 2-5 days off work depending on the areas being treated.

Our 24-hour patient helpline is there to ensure you are always in the best of hands should you have any concerns or questions post-surgery.

In the majority of cases we aim to get patients home to recover on the same day. In some circumstances it may be essential for the patient to stay overnight but this will be discussed at your consultation with your surgeon.

You will be required to stay after your surgical procedure for a couple of hours to ensure that you are medically well. You will then be released by your surgeon with an aftercare plan detailing your recovery.

Liposuction patients will be required to wear a surgical compression garment at all times apart from when showering for the initial 3-4 weeks after your procedure and then you may only need to wear it during the day for an additional 3 weeks but this will depend on how your own healing times and you will be advised on this at your post-op appointment.

The garment will only need to be worn in the areas that have been treated and you will be measured for these at your post-op examination so that they will fit you correctly and comfortably.

The purpose of post-surgical garments is too aid your healing process. The garment adds external pressure to the areas helping to reduce swelling and bruising from occurring and aids your body circulation.

You will be able to wash your garment and they would usually have washing instructions attached. We advise not removing your garment for at least 2-3 days post procedure. You may find it useful to purchase a second compression garment to wear whilst one is in the wash as we don’t advise that you go for too long without wearing a garment in the early stages of your recovery.

Liposuction incisions are very small and usually less than 5mm. The incisions are made close to areas where fat is being removed. Due to their small size, stitches are not usually required. They may initially appear red but should gradually fade over time.

Your skin type will also determine the appearance of your scar. If you have a darker skin type, then expect your scars to be darkly coloured for a longer period of time.

Your surgeon will be able to discuss where your scars are likely to be at your consultation and will offer scar care advice post-surgery.

Overall, exercise and sports should be avoided until 6 weeks post procedure and at this point you should receive advice from your surgeon as to whether they feel you are able to continue or not.

Some patients start to get back into gentle exercise at 4 weeks but listen to your body, it will tell you if you are not ready.

You can also phone into clinic for any additional aftercare advice if you are unsure or concerned.

The amount of time you stay off work after liposuction will depend on the job role that you are in. Usually we recommend for patients to take at least 1 week off for office based jobs. If you are involved in heavy lifting or other strenuous physical activity during your job role then you may need to take a little longer. Your surgeon will be able to discuss this in your aftercare plan with you.

Liposuction patients usually require drains to help aid recovery and reduce swelling. Surgical drains are used to remove blood, pus and other fluids from the incision sites. The drains are normally in place for up to 5 days before being removed by the surgeon or a nurse in clinic.

Drains after vaser lipo

Drains are also used after vaser lipo when a significant amount of fat has been removed.

Your surgeon will be able to discuss surgical drains in more detail at your consultation.

Our surgeons prefer patients to quit smoking before going ahead with any procedure at The Private Clinic. This is because smoking often causes the skin to heal poorly and cause unnecessary complications post-procedure and delayed recovery.

To allow your body to heal properly, we recommend that patients quit smoking as soon as you make the choice to undergo liposuction or we recommend that you at least stop 2 weeks before and do not smoke for at least 2 weeks after surgery.

Resuming smoking during recovery before your incision sites have healed puts you at risk of poor healing, infection, and other dangerous complications.

It is important to be honest in your medical questionnaire and make your surgeon aware if you smoke, take any medication or have any medical issues that may affect your recovery time.

You will not be able to drive yourself home after your procedure. We advise that you bring someone with you who can transport you home and stay with you for at least 24 hours post-procedure.

Once you are able to move about without any discomfort, have stopped taking any medications and are generally feeling fit and well you will be able to start driving again. Please ensure that you can move comfortably and confidently within the vehicle and perform an emergency stop with ease. This is usually between 7-10 days.

You should also check the details within your insurance to ensure that you are appropriately covered for driving post-procedure.

If you are unsure of anything during your liposuction recovery then don’t hesitate to use our 24-hour patient helpline to ask for advice.

We prefer our patients to wait until they are fully healed from surgery before taking long trips away and especially before flying.

As with any type of surgery, flying immediately after a procedure is not recommended due to an increased risk of blood clots in your leg known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Liposuction patients should typically wait until around 10-14 days after surgery to fly.

During a flight, you should take precautions such as wearing compression stockings and getting up to walk around regularly during the flight. If you are travelling by car then we recommend taking regular stops to get out and walk around.

Another reason we prefer patients to wait at least 6 weeks before travelling away is so that if any complication should arise during their recovery, they can return to the clinic to see the surgeon if required.

If you are planning a holiday or trip away you must let your surgeon know at your consultation so an appropriate aftercare plan can be put in place.

Unfortunately, bruising is a common side effect of liposuction surgery. This can make you feel tender in treated areas and uncomfortable. We recommend sticking to your aftercare plan as much as possible as this will help to reduce the amount of bruising. Bruising can take up to 3 weeks to completely subside.

Bruising after vaser lipo

As Vaser liposuction is a lot less invasive than surgical liposuction, this does reduce the risk of bruising. Downtime is minimal following vaser liposuction and most patients can return to their usual activities a lot sooner post-surgery than surgical liposuction patients.

Correctly performed liposuction should not leave you with loose skin. Your surgeon will take time to assess the quality of your skin before agreeing to perform the procedure as they will be able to predict how the skin will tighten or shrink during the years after healing.

If you have stretched skin before liposuction then it is unlikely that it will tighten and an alternative surgical procedure may be suggested to help remove and tighten the skin instead.

To find out if you are suitable for liposuction or not then come in for a consultation with one of our expert liposuction surgeons who will be able to recommend which procedure is going to give you the best results.

Swelling is a common side effect of liposuction surgery unfortunately, but our aftercare plans have been put in place to try and reduce the amount of swelling that occurs post-surgery. You may have a drain in place for a few days after surgery and be required to wear compression garments over the treated area at all times except when washing. These will both help to reduce swelling. Swelling can take several weeks to fully subside but the majority of it will be gone within 3 weeks.

Vaser liposuction is a lot less invasive than surgical liposuction meaning swelling post-procedure is reduced. Patients are still required to wear compression garments but many can get back to their daily routine quite quickly post-procedure.