Reducing the buttock means removing volume, removing skin, or both, and those are different operations at different prices. Liposuction alone removes fat and leaves the skin to retract. A buttock lift removes skin and lifts what remains, which is what is needed when weight loss has left laxity. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons publishes an average cost of liposuction of $4,711 and an average cost of a buttock lift of $7,062, both surgeon fees excluding anesthesia, operating room facilities and other related expenses.
Ask providers for a written price
Fat or skin, and how to tell which you have
Skin that snaps back when pinched and released is likely to retract after liposuction. Skin that stays creased, which is common after significant weight loss, will not, and taking fat out from underneath it makes the sag worse rather than better. That single examination finding is what separates a $4,711 reference from a $7,062 one, and it is the surgeon's judgement on examination, not a decision made from a price list.
The scar that comes with the lift
A buttock lift trades volume for a scar, usually placed in the upper buttock crease or along the waistline so that underwear covers it. Liposuction leaves only small access incisions. Patients who want reduction with no visible scar are effectively asking for liposuction, and if their skin will not retract they are asking for a result the operation cannot give. Ask to see the surgeon's own photographs at twelve months, not at six weeks.
What sits outside the surgeon fee
Both published averages are surgeon fees. Anesthesia, the operating room facility, compression garments, prescriptions and follow-up visits sit outside them, and a buttock lift generally means a longer operation and therefore a longer anesthetic and facility booking than liposuction. When comparing two quotes, check whether each one is a surgeon fee, a package, or a package with the facility excluded, because those three numbers are not comparable.
Questions people ask about butt reduction surgery
How much does butt reduction surgery cost?
It depends which operation. The ASPS average for liposuction is $4,711 and for a buttock lift $7,062, both surgeon fees only.
Can liposuction alone reduce my buttocks?
If your skin still retracts, yes. If weight loss has left loose skin, liposuction alone tends to worsen the sag.
Will there be a scar?
Liposuction leaves small access incisions. A buttock lift leaves a longer scar, usually placed in the crease or at the waistline.
Is it covered by insurance?
Not as a cosmetic reduction. Some skin-removal surgery after major weight loss is considered separately by insurers, so ask yours in advance.