Liposuction

Surgical liposuction for targeted fat removal from the abdomen, flanks, thighs, arms, back, and submental area, performed by FRACS surgeon Dr Geoffrey Barnett at Hawthorn East, Melbourne. Pricing from $3,000 AUD for a one-hour session (surgeon fee). Multiple areas can be addressed in a single procedure. Often combined with abdominoplasty or other body contouring procedures.

Coco Ruby Plastic Surgery offers liposuction performed by Dr Geoffrey Barnett MBBS FRACS — a specialist plastic and reconstructive surgeon with over 35 years of experience and more than 5,000 cosmetic procedures performed in Australia. Liposuction is a surgical procedure that removes localised subcutaneous adipose tissue (fat) from specific body areas that are resistant to reduction through diet and exercise, using a hollow cannula connected to a vacuum device. Common treatment areas at the Melbourne clinic include the abdomen (upper and lower), flanks (love handles), outer and inner thighs, knees, upper arms, back rolls, bra rolls, and the submental region (double chin). The procedure is performed under general anaesthesia at an accredited hospital, with the duration — and therefore the surgeon's fee — determined by the number of areas treated and the volume of fat to be removed: one-hour sessions (approximately $3,000 AUD surgeon fee), two-hour ($5,000), three-hour ($7,000), and four-or-more-hour sessions (from $10,000). These figures represent the surgeon's component of the total cost; hospital facility fees, theatre time, anaesthesia ($400–$800 per hour approximately), and surgical assistant fees apply separately. Liposuction does not remove visceral (deep abdominal) fat or address overlying skin laxity — patients with significant skin excess are typically counselled on whether liposuction alone or a combined procedure with abdominoplasty would best achieve their goals. Dr Barnett uses tumescent technique liposuction, in which a saline-adrenaline solution is infiltrated prior to fat removal to reduce blood loss, improve precision, and reduce post-operative discomfort. Recovery typically involves two to four weeks of compression garment wear, with most patients returning to sedentary work within one to two weeks. As a purely cosmetic procedure, liposuction is not covered by Medicare in Australia; patients are advised to confirm total costs at their initial $300 AUD consultation.