Lipedema Surgery Cost and Procedure Guide

Lipedema is a challenging and often misunderstood condition marked by disproportionate and painful fat buildup that can change your appearance and limit movement. Beyond the physical effects, it can deeply affect self-esteem and may lead to social isolation and depression. Unfortunately, it’s frequently mistaken for simple weight gain, which may cause a delay in diagnosis and treatment.¹

Lipedema surgery can offer relief by removing the diseased fat — since it does not respond to diet and exercise the way regular fat does — easing symptoms and improving physical function and psychological well-being.¹

What Is Lipedema?

Lipedema is a chronic condition that involves the buildup of large deposits of fat in the limbs on both sides of the body, but not the feet. It can affect the upper and lower limbs, but most often affects the lower body. It can cause a lumpy, nodular texture under the skin, often resulting in a dimpled appearance. Pain and heaviness in the affected areas are common symptoms of lipedema.¹

This condition mostly affects women and is often misdiagnosed as obesity or lymphedema. The cause of lipedema is still unknown, but it typically starts or worsens with hormonal changes at puberty, pregnancy or menopause.¹

Lipedema is categorized in stages and types.¹

Lipedema stages

Lipedema stages describe the appearance of the lower body:²

• Stage 1. The skin still appears smooth and excess fat beneath the skin feels soft, but small pebble-like nodules may be felt under the skin.
• Stage 2. The skin appears uneven with a dimpled or wavy appearance and larger fat nodules — the size of walnuts or apples — may be felt under the skin.
• Stage 3. Multiple large fat deposits are clearly visible with a disfiguring distribution of fat and overhanging tissue, especially around the thighs and knees.
• Lipolymphedema. A condition in which both lipedema and lymphedema are present. It can occur at any stage of lipedema and is no longer classified as a separate stage.

Lipedema types

Lipedema types describe the areas of fat accumulation:¹

• Type 1. Buttocks, pelvis and hips
• Type 2. Buttocks to the knees, with folds of fat around the inside of the knee
• Type 3. Buttocks to the ankles
• Type 4. Upper, lower or whole arms.
• Type 5. Knees to the ankles

Surgical Treatments for Lipedema

Lipedema surgery is usually considered when conservative treatments aren’t successful. While treatments such as diet and exercise, compression therapy and lymphatic drainage massage can help some people manage symptoms, surgery is the only treatment that removes lipedema fat.¹

You may be a candidate for lipedema surgery if:²

• Conservative treatments haven’t provided sufficient relief from your symptoms.
• Lipedema is causing pain, swelling and heaviness.
• The condition is impacting your mobility and interfering with daily activities.
• You have realistic expectations about the procedure outcomes.
• You’re in otherwise good health, and other medical conditions, if any, are being managed.

Liposuction

Tumescent liposuction is a commonly used type of lipedema surgery. It involves injecting tumescent fluid — a solution of epinephrine, local anesthetic and saline — into the treatment areas. This reduces bleeding and pain and causes the fat cells to swell and pull away from the connective tissue. A thin device called a cannula is inserted through a small incision, and the fat is then suctioned out.¹

Some surgeons also use water-assisted liposuction. This specialized technique injects smaller amounts of tumescent fluid into the fat, which is then followed by large amounts of water through a water jet attached to the cannula. The stream of water helps separate the fat cells from the tissues for removal.¹

Reductive surgery

Reductive surgery, which is also called excision and resection, isn’t used often and is mostly reserved for very advanced lipedema where large fat deposits around the knees interfere with a person’s ability to walk. This invasive procedure involves surgically removing large, localized fat deposits through an incision, and sometimes surrounding skin, to restore mobility and improve the quality of life.¹

Benefits

Lipedema surgery may offer several transformative benefits:⁴

• Decreased pain and heaviness in the affected limbs
• Improved mobility
• Increased self-esteem and quality of life
• Reduced stress on the knees
• More proportionate body contour

Limitations

While lipedema surgery offers many benefits, it’s important to be aware of the limitations as well:⁴

• Lipedema surgery is an effective treatment for lipedema, but it’s not a cure, and ongoing management may be needed to address disease progression.
• Liposuction for lipedema is usually done in stages and requires multiple procedures.
• Many people who have lipedema surgery are left with excess skin and require subsequent treatments to tighten or remove it.
• To maintain results after surgery, compression therapy and lifestyle changes are often needed.
• While the surgery can improve symptoms, mobility and appearance, it may not provide complete or “perfect” results.

How Much Does Lipedema Surgery Cost?

The national average cost of liposuction lipedema surgery ranges from $20,720 to $65,200.⁵

The reason for this significant range comes down to several factors, including:⁵

• Amount of fatty tissue being removed
• Anesthesiologist fee
• Area being treated
• Facility fees
• Procedure type
• Surgeon’s expertise and location
• Type of anesthesia

Other costs that may not be included in the cost of lipedema surgery, include:⁵

• Consultation fee
• Preoperative tests
• Follow-up visits
• Postoperative expenses, such as compression garments and medication

Does Insurance Cover Lipedema Surgery?

Insurance coverage for lipedema surgery can be challenging. While lipedema is a medical condition that impacts your physical and emotional health as well as your appearance, not all insurance providers may recognize lipedema surgery as medically necessary.³

Check with your health insurance provider to see if lipedema treatments are covered.

How Lipedema Surgery Works

Lipedema is a complex condition that requires a surgeon who understands it and has experience treating it. Choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon with specific experience in lipedema surgery can be an important first step when you’re considering treatment.⁴

Once you’re ready to proceed, here’s a general idea of what you might expect along the way, from consultation to recovery.

Consultation

During your consultation, the surgeon will ask you about your symptoms and your goals and expectations for the surgery. They will thoroughly review your medical history and perform a physical examination to determine the type and stage of your lipedema. All of this will be taken into consideration to help determine the best surgical plan for your needs.³

You’ll also want to use the consultation to ask questions about the surgery and the surgeon’s credentials and experience.⁴

Preparation

Following your provider’s preparation instructions is crucial for safety and minimizing complications. Your surgeon will give you specific instructions, which can commonly include:⁶

• Arranging time off work and other commitments
• Finding someone to drive you home after surgery
• Quitting smoking for six weeks before your surgery
• Stopping blood-thinning medications for one to two weeks beforehand

Procedure

Liposuction for lipedema typically takes one to three hours, depending on the amount of fat and fluid being removed.⁶

The following is a general overview of the procedure:⁶

• You receive local anesthesia to numb the area and a sedative to help you relax.
• Your skin is marked for the procedure.
• The surgeon makes a small incision at the treatment area.
• A thin cannula and tumescent fluid are inserted into the incision.
• The fat cells are suctioned out.
• The incision is closed with sutures, and a compression garment is applied.

Recovery

Here are some important things to know about your recovery from lipedema surgery:⁶

• Your surgeon will give you aftercare instructions, and following them can be crucial for your recovery.
• Moving around may be challenging, so you may need someone to help you for the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery.
• Prescription pain medication may be prescribed to take when needed, and mild pain can be treated with over-the-counter pain relievers.
• Some bruising and swelling may be present for a few weeks, which resolves gradually.
• Your surgeon may advise you to wear a compression garment for the first few weeks to help with healing.
• Taking light walks as soon as you’re able may help with swelling and prevent blood clots.
• Be aware of signs of potential complications, such as fever, worsening pain, swelling or redness.

Results

As your swelling from surgery improves, you may begin to see and feel the results of your procedure. While the full results of lipedema surgery can take up to six months to see, you may notice an improvement in your symptoms and mobility within a few weeks as your swelling goes down.⁶

Your doctor may advise you on lifestyle changes and additional treatments to help you maintain your results long-term.⁶

Potential Side Effects and Complications

Lipedema surgery is generally safe, but surgical procedures do have the potential to cause side effects and complications. These can be mitigated by choosing a board-certified surgeon with experience treating lipedema and by following your doctor’s preoperative and postoperative instructions.⁴

You typically may have some swelling, pain and discomfort after lipedema surgery, and these can often be managed with medication and compression therapy, as part of your recovery plan.⁴

Measures are taken to try to prevent complications from surgery, but it’s still important to be aware of these. They include:⁴

• Bleeding
• Complications from anesthesia
• Damage to the lymph nodes and lymphatic system
• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
• Fluid accumulation
• Infection
• Scarring

Improving Your Wellbeing with Lipedema Surgery

Lipedema isn’t just about appearance — it can also lead to physical symptoms that may become severe enough to impact your mobility and make everyday tasks difficult. While non-surgical treatments can help you manage some of these effects, liposuction — and in certain advanced cases, reductive lipedema surgery — are currently the only options that address the fatty tissue.¹

If you’re still struggling with the physical challenges of lipedema despite trying conservative therapies or if your symptoms and appearance are affecting your well-being, consider reaching out to a board-certified surgeon who specializes in lipedema treatment. They can help you explore whether surgery might be a good option for your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions About Lipedema Surgery

Do you still have questions about lipedema surgery? Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about the procedure.

Financing Lipedema Surgery With the CareCredit Credit Card

Ready to revitalize your appearance and boost your confidence? The CareCredit credit card makes it easy to pay for lipedema surgery and related expenses not covered by health insurance.* Use our Acceptance Locator to find a doctor or cosmetic surgeon near you that accepts CareCredit so you can stop dreaming and start living your best life. Continue your wellness journey by downloading the CareCredit Mobile App to manage your CareCredit account, find a provider on the go and easily access the Well U blog for more great articles, podcasts and videos.

In addition to cosmetic procedures, you can also use your CareCredit credit card for dentistry, pet care, vision, hearing, health systems, dermatology, pharmacy purchases, spa treatments and so much more within the CareCredit network. How will you invest in your health and wellness next?

Author Bio

Adrienne Santos-Longhurst is a writer who has been covering health and lifestyle for almost two decades. Her work has appeared in Healthline, Insider, Medical News Today and more.