Liposuction in Thailand

The Ultimate Guide to Liposuction in Thailand

Last fact-checked: 31 January 2023

Get slimmer and trimmer with liposuction in Thailand, one of the most affordable and trusted countries for international patients seeking plastic surgery abroad. 

"Lipo," which can be carried out using a number of different techniques, gets rid of stubborn fat you never thought you could lose–and when booking at one of Medical Departures' verified global clinics, the surgery is both safe and affordable.

Find out more with this guide, including our network of nearly 100 verified liposuction surgeons in Thailand, price comparisons, reviews, information about the procedure and travel tips.

Cost of Liposuction in Thailand vs Australia

The table below shows average price comparisons between the cost of liposuction in Thailand vs Australia:

No. of Areas Treated

Average Price in Australia

Average Price in Thailand

One area of the body

AUD $4,000 – $6,000

AUD $1,500 - $2,000

Two areas of the body

AUD $7,000 - $8,500

AUD $3,000 - $4,000

Three areas of the body

AUD $9,000 - $12,000

AUD $5,000 - $6,000

The above prices are approximate estimates. Please check our current prices for your selected clinic for up-to-date figures.

Note: The cost of liposuction can vary dramatically as a number of different factors affect the price. However, patients undergoing liposuction treatment in Thailand can expect to save between 50% and 60% compared to prices in Australia.

Similar savings can also be made by patients traveling from the United States (where prices are rising all the time), as well as the UK and the EU; this can often equate to net savings of several thousand (even when factoring in travel expenses).

For further pricing information, take a look at our recommended global listings further down this page and get in touch with our Customer Care Team for a free, personalized quote.

What Factors Determine Liposuction Prices in Thailand?

The cost of liposuction in Thailand will depend on various factors::

  • The volume of fat being removed

  • The technique used (eg. tumescent (suction-assisted), VASER, laser-assisted, power-assisted)

  • The particular area of the body being treated, such as the tummy, breasts, thighs, upper arms, etc.

  • Whether multiple areas are being treated concurrently

  • Whether liposuction is being combined with any other cosmetic procedures to remove excess skin, such as a breast lift, body lift or tummy tuck

Other factors to take into consideration are:

  • The patient's body shape and BMI

  • The reputation of the clinic and its location

  • The surgeon's experience and professional memberships

  • The length of the surgery

  • Whether an overnight stay in hospital is required (for minor procedures, patients are typically discharged on the same day)

Are There Any Hidden Costs?

There are no hidden costs when it comes to booking liposuction in Thailand through Medical Departures–or anywhere else in the world for that matter. 

It’s free to schedule your appointment or consultation, and our agents endeavor to provide transparent price quotes that include things like doctor’s fees, in-patient care, post-operative compression garments and medication. 

Plus, with our Best Price Guarantee, you can be sure that you won’t be paying more than you should; if you find a better price for the same treatment with the same surgeon on that same day, we will match it. 

Finally, there is no charge for canceling your appointment up to 24 hours before your scheduled meeting with your doctor in Thailand.

Getting a Price Quote From Medical Departures

A call to our Customer Care Team can help in this regard, with our team on standby to get you a free, personalized quote based on your cosmetic goals, age, current weight and preferred destination.

You can also submit your details directly via our site–just hit the “Book Appointment” button on any of our liposuction clinic listings; tell us how and when you’d prefer to be contacted, and we’ll be back in touch with a no-obligation quote, at no charge to you.

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Why Choose Thailand for Liposuction?

Over the last few decades, the number of international visitors traveling to Thailand for health-related purposes has increased exponentially–making this the world’s most well-established medical tourism destination (particularly for cosmetic surgical procedures and non-invasive treatments).

As well as lower prices, the rapid growth in this lucrative sector can be attributed to the country’s ever-improving standards of care, better safety regulations, and positive treatment outcomes–all leading to increased patient trust and constant reinvestment back into the industry by private companies and the Thai government.

Below, we’ve summarized the main reasons to choose Thailand for liposuction:

Cost Savings: Not surprisingly, the number one reason why people choose to get liposuction in Thailand is the substantial cost savings, with prospective patients booking through our site typically paying 50-70% less compared to prices back home. Plus, with the availability of affordable flights to Bangkok from all over Australia, New Zealand, Europe and North America (especially when booking well in advance), there is no reason to worry that travel expenses will eat away too much of those savings. 

Thailand’s famously affordable hotel rates, cheap food and bargain shopping are also big pluses for medical travelers!

World-Class Facilities: Thailand is home to some of Asia’s leading facilities for plastic surgery, as well as dental care, weight-loss surgery, orthopedic surgery, IVF treatment and state-of-the-art regenerative medicine. Many hospitals in big cities like Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Pattaya are accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI), a prestigious international organization that offers accreditation for high standards in healthcare and patient safety.

High Standards of Care: The lower cost of treatment in Thailand does not mean you need to take risks when it comes to your health–just as long as you know where to look. When booking at a verified clinic via Medical Departures, safety standards are on par with the top clinics in the West; doctors in Thailand–including plastic surgeons–undergo the same extensive training, taking specialized training on a regular basis and keeping abreast of the latest medical advancements in their respective fields. 

Many of these doctors have memberships or affiliations with US-based surgical boards, such as the International Society of Plastic Surgery (ISAPS).

Enjoy a Medical “Holiday": By traveling to Thailand for surgery, you also have the chance to enjoy a rewarding holiday before your procedure, with the country home to dozens of superb beach, mountain and city locations. From the rolling green hills of Chiang Mai to the beaches in the south and buzzing capital, Bangkok, Thailand has so much going for it as both a leisure and medical tourism destination.

Note: As with any medical holiday, make sure you get the more adventurous activities out of the way before surgery; following liposuction, you’ll need to take things easy–avoiding any vigorous activity such as swimming and hiking. Depending on the extent of your surgery, you may be advised to stay out of the sun and avoid drinking alcohol.

That said, most patients are encouraged to do some light walking to prevent blood clots and promote the healing process following liposuction. So, browsing the shops in an air-conditioned mall, getting pampered at a spa or catching a live cultural show are all things you can look forward to whilst in recovery mode!

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Finding the Best Clinic and Surgeon for Liposuction in Thailand

Before you book any medical procedure abroad, it’s important to do some due diligence. Find out what you can about the procedure, and more importantly, about the clinic and/or the physician who will be performing it––just as you would when finding a private clinic or hospital back home. It is your body and you shouldn’t take unnecessary risks. 

While Thailand offers high-quality medical facilities and the expertise to match, this obviously can’t be said about every venue; it is not as simple as landing in Bangkok and walking into the first option you see just because they have a good marketing team and attractive prices (which can sometimes be suspiciously low).

As with any private service providers, clinics can falsify testimonials, make claims about their staff that simply aren’t true, and–in extreme cases–operate under alternative names following legal disputes. 

Obviously, nobody wants to end up at such a place when undergoing any kind of medical procedure; thus, it is worth spending a little time making sure you have picked a well-established, reliable facility.

Why Book with Medical Departures?

Booking with Medical Departures helps ensure that you will be seen by a quality-checked doctor whose qualifications, professional memberships and experience have been fully verified. Furthermore, you can view real patient reviews, clinic photos and virtual clinic tours on our website, so you can look before you book and assess the facilities for yourself.

Other top reasons to book with us include:

  • Medical Departures offers a Best Price Guarantee, so you'll never pay more than you need to.

  • Over the last decade, we’ve helped more than 100,000 patients obtain top medical care at quality-checked clinics overseas.

  • Our listings include everything you need to make your own informed choice of the right clinic for you with maps, clinic photos and other information to make your decision easy.

  • Transparent price list estimates on each of our listing pages

  • Free access to exclusive Medical Departures promotions, available at select clinics

  • No additional costs for using our platform

Top Liposuction Clinics and Surgeons in Thailand, Recommended by MD

Get started now by checking out these top-rated clinics for liposuction in Thailand:

Thailand Liposuction Before & After Photos

To see the kind of results you can expect (and how much more toned you’ll be once recovered), click through to any of the clinics linked above and click on the “Photos” tab to see liposuction before & after images, as well as other impressive results achieved by patients getting breast implants, rhinoplasty, tummy tucks and more.

If you can’t find what you’re looking for, our Customer Care Team can also help reach out to any of the clinics listed on our site and request liposuction before and after photos.

Related Clinic Listings:

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About Liposuction Surgery (General Information)

Liposuction can be used on all those difficult areas in your body where it can be tough to shift stubborn pockets of fat. These include:

  • Abdominal area (often combined with a tummy tuck)

  • Flanks

  • Hips

  • Buttocks

  • Calves and ankles

  • Arms (often combined with arm lift surgery)

  • Breasts (often combined with breast lift surgery)

  • Back and chest

  • Thighs

Facial liposuction is also a popular procedure, which is used to remove a small amount of fat around the cheeks, jawline and/or under the chin.

> Read More: Facial Liposuction in Thailand

How Long Does Liposuction Take?

Most liposuction procedures take less than an hour, although it can take several hours if you are having multiple sites done on both sides of your body.

The time will depend on whether you want to target just one site or several sites, which can generally be done on the same day, to help sculpt your body into the shape you desire. 

Most clinics will have set price tiers according to how many areas of the body are being treated (usually up to five or six), as well as the amount of fat being removed.

How Is Liposuction Carried Out?

Your surgeon may deploy one of several different techniques:

  • Tumescent Liposuction: the surgeon injects a mixture of anesthetic and drugs with a saline solution into the targeted area to liquify fat cells; these are then removed using a specialized cannula (inserted through tiny incisions) that is s attached to a suction device outside of the body.

  • Power-Assisted Liposuction (PAL): a specialized tool is used to create subtle yet rapid vibrational pulses to break up fat cells, which are then removed through a cannula.

  • Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction (UAL): this involves the application of ultrasound to dissolve the fat, which is then removed using a fine cannula device. A similar procedure that may be offered at certain clinics is VASER®-assisted liposuction (or “Vaser lipo”).

  • Laser-Assisted Liposuction (LAL): a fine laser fiber emitting high-intensity light is used to break down fat cells, which are then removed from the targeted site via a thin cannula that is inserted through small incisions.

Note: In all cases, the fat is removed through a specialized suction device. Read more in detail about what liposuction surgery involves with Medical Departures’ main guide here

What Anesthesia Method Is Used for Liposuction?

Local anesthesia is used for minor-to-moderate liposuction procedures; this numbs the targeted area and can be combined with oral or intravenous sedation to help patients relax (without falling asleep). 

In some cases, general anesthesia, which puts the patient to sleep, may be used in cases with a larger volume of fat being removed–or when multiple sites are being treated. The choice of anesthesia will depend on your surgeon’s preference and recommendation of a specialist anesthesiologist who will take into consideration the patient's medical history and the amount of fat being removed.

Recovering from Liposuction Surgery

Following surgery:

  • Bandages covering any small wounds will need to remain in place for up to two weeks. 

  • If you have stitches, these will be removed after about five days. 

  • You will also have drains to remove the extra fluids. These will be removed by your doctor during a follow-up appointment after a few days for minor procedures, or after around one week for major liposuction. 

  • You will have to wear compression garments for several weeks till the bruising subsides.

  • You will be encouraged to do some light walking as soon as possible to prevent blood clots from forming. 

  • Your doctor will be the one who gives you the all-clear to fly back home; again, the time frame can be anywhere from a couple of days to more than a week–depending on the extent of your surgery.

  • While you will notice positive changes to your body as soon as the swelling has subsided, it may take up to six months for the final results to be fully noticeable.

What Are the Risks to Liposuction in Thailand?

When booking with an experienced surgeon at one of our background-checked clinics, the risks of getting liposuction are the same as back home, ie. very low.

Although lipo is generally a very safe procedure, the human body is unique and can react differently to any type of surgery; as a result, it is important to note the potential risks:

  • Anesthesia complications (read about the risks of general anesthesia here)

  • Excessive bleeding during or after surgery

  • Infection

  • Prolonged swelling and numbness

  • Alterations in skin sensitivity

  • Fluid imbalances

  • Scarring (particularly with more extensive lipo surgery)

We advise you to discuss the potential risks and benefits of liposuction in detail with your chosen surgeon in Thailand; this is something Medical Departures can help arrange before traveling (over an online video consultation).

Read more about the risks of liposuction here.

About Traveling to Thailand for Plastic Surgery

Note: For more detailed information about traveling to Thailand for medical treatment, visit our Ultimate Guide to Doctors in Thailand here.

Booking liposuction in Thailand gives you the chance to explore this fascinating Southeast Asian country–providing you have enough time on your hands before surgery. 

For instance, some of the top attractions in the capital of Bangkok include the must-see Grand Palace and Wat Pho temple, while Phuket in the south has endless miles of golden-sand coastline and dozens of tropical islands to visit on day-trip excursions. 

For nature-lovers, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in the north of the country are two recommended cities, each boasting some of Thailand’s best mountainous scenery. Here, you can hike, camp and explore vast national parks with countless waterfalls, hot springs and seldom-visited hill tribe villages.

And while the cost of a holiday of a lifetime to the Land of Smiles will obviously eat into those net savings, patients undergoing medical procedures in Thailand can expect to save thousands compared to prices back home (be that in dollars, euros or pounds)l—just as long as you aren’t planning to book one of these extravagant pool villas for two weeks!

Related Pages:

For more Thailand travel information, check out Medical Departures’ destination guides below:

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Liposuction FAQs

Q. How quickly can I see a doctor in Thailand for liposuction?
A. Patients booking through Medical Departures can expect short waiting times, with many able to see their chosen surgeon within a day or two.

Q. How long is liposuction surgery?
A. Liposuction surgery can range from 45 minutes to three hours, depending on the amount of fat to be removed and the number of sites treated.

Q. Why is liposuction more affordable in Thailand?
A. The lower cost of living in Thailand allows clinics and hospitals to offer lower prices–and this is reflected in the lower prices for all kinds of plastic surgery.

Q. How long do I need to rest after liposuction?
A. Generally, most patients are able to return to fly back home from Thailand within a few days and go back to work shortly after that. Strenuous activities, such as heavy lifting and vigorous exercise, should be avoided for several weeks. 

Q. How long does it take to see full results after liposuction?
A. Complete results of liposuction are usually visible after a few months, depending on the extent of the procedure. Different bodies take different times to heal–most patients can expect to see noticeable improvements once the initial swelling has subsided.

How to Schedule an Appointment for Liposuction in Thailand

Get started by looking through our full list of liposuction clinics and hospitals in Thailand here.

You can book your treatment directly through our site or ask our Customer Care Team for a free quote on your liposuction in Thailand. They can also help provide advice and assistance with other aspects of your trip, such as travel tips, insurance and finance.

Sources:

General anesthesia. Mayo Clinic. Website accessed: 31 January 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/anesthesia/about/pac-20384568

International Society of Plastic Surgery (ISAPS). Website accessed: 31 January 2023. https://www.isaps.org/

Liposuction. Medline Plus. Website accessed: 31 January 2023. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002985.htm

Top 10 most insanely beautiful luxury hotels in Thailand. The Luxury Travel Expert. 17 February 2020. https://theluxurytravelexpert.com/2020/02/17/top-10-best-luxury-hotels-thailand/

Liposuction. Mayo Clinic. Website accessed: 31 January 2023.  https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/liposuction/about/pac-20384586

Abraham, T. Manoj. Liposuction of the Face and Neck. Medscape. 13 April 2016. https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/842367-overview

Joint Commission International. Website accessed: 31 January 2023. https://www.jointcommissioninternational.org/

How much does liposuction cost? American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Website accessed: 27 November 2022. https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/liposuction/cost