Mr Omar Quaba
Consultant plastic surgeon
GMC 4586300
Liposuction in Edinburgh
Liposuction has been part of the surgical practice at Quaba Plastic Surgery for more than 25 years, addressing localised fat that does not respond to diet and exercise. Surgery is performed at Waterfront Private Hospital by consultant plastic surgeons on the GMC Specialist Register, including Mr Will Anderson. The consultant who assesses you at your first appointment is the consultant who plans your surgery, performs it, and reviews you afterwards.
- Anaesthetic
- Local or general anaesthesia, depending on the extent of the procedure
- Length
- 1 to 2 hours
- Hospital stay
- Day case at Waterfront Private Hospital, or overnight at our partner facility in Edinburgh for larger areas
- Recovery time
- 1 to 2 weeks off work; 6 weeks before strenuous exercise
- Guide price
- from £4,100
- Consultant plastic surgeons on the GMC Specialist Register
- Surgery at Waterfront Private Hospital, regulated by Healthcare Improvement Scotland
- Your consultation and your operation with the same consultant
Contents
Is it right for me?
The ideal candidate for liposuction has localised pockets of fat that persist despite a stable weight and regular exercise, with reasonably good skin quality.
- Localised fat in areas that respond well to liposuction — the hips and outer thighs respond particularly well; the inner thighs less so.
- Good skin elasticity, which allows the skin to tighten over the new contour. The clearest improvements are achieved when the skin is of good quality and has not been overly stretched.
- A stable weight, at or near your long-term norm.
- Realistic expectations of what the procedure can and cannot change.
Skin quality often determines whether liposuction alone will suffice. Where the skin is of poor quality or there is excess skin, abdominal liposuction often needs to be combined with a tummy tuck. Many patients are happy to accept some loose skin following liposuction if they have been counselled about it and want to avoid a more involved procedure.
Suitability is assessed at a face-to-face consultation, and your consultant will advise whether liposuction is worthwhile in your case.
Unsure? Try the free AI consultation, or ask at your appointment.
What liposuction involves
Liposuction removes localised deposits of fat through small incisions, reshaping the area being treated. It is performed at Waterfront Private Hospital under local or general anaesthesia, depending on the extent of the procedure, and usually takes one to two hours.
A narrow tube (cannula) is inserted through tiny incisions and passed through the fat layer that lies between the skin and the muscle, breaking up the fat cells and suctioning them with a vacuum machine. Liposuction can treat very localised areas, such as the hips or outer thighs, or broader areas of fat, such as the abdomen or back.
The technique is user dependent. The surgeon sculpts the treated area through multiple careful passes of the cannula; performed incorrectly, liposuction can leave the treated area feeling lumpy and looking uneven. At Quaba, liposuction is performed by consultant plastic surgeons on the GMC Specialist Register, and the consultant who assesses you at your first appointment is the consultant who performs your surgery.
What liposuction can and can't do
Liposuction works well on stubborn pockets of fat in the right person. It is not a way to lose weight, and knowing its limits now saves disappointment later.
It can
- Remove localised pockets of fat that have not shifted with diet and exercise at a stable weight.
- Improve the balance between areas, such as flanks or outer thighs that are out of keeping with the rest of your shape.
- Treat the hips, outer thighs, abdomen, flanks, back and arms through cuts of a few millimetres.
- Help clothes fit more evenly.
It can’t
- Help you lose weight. It removes fat from chosen areas only, and does not treat generalised excess weight or the fat around your internal organs.
- Tighten loose skin. Where skin has lost its spring it can be left looser, and a tummy tuck or arm lift may suit you better.
- Remove cellulite or stretch marks. Both are in the skin itself, and liposuction does not treat them.
- Stop fat building up again. The fat cells removed do not return, but the ones left behind can still grow if your weight goes up.
- Treat every area equally well. The inner thighs respond less predictably, and your consultant will tell you what each area can achieve.
Your consultant will tell you at your consultation which of these apply to you.
What is the cost of liposuction?
Liposuction at Quaba is priced according to the extent of the procedure and the type of anaesthetic:
The full price for your individual case can only be confirmed after a face-to-face consultation with the consultant who will perform your surgery.
Our consultation fee with a consultant plastic surgeon is £200. Where a further consultation would help you reach a decision, this is offered without additional charge.
Quick answers
Will the same surgeon plan, perform and review my liposuction?
Will the same surgeon plan, perform and review my liposuction?
Yes. The consultant who assesses you at your first appointment is the consultant who plans your surgery, performs it at Waterfront Private Hospital, and reviews you afterwards. There are no handovers between consultants.
Who will perform my liposuction?
Who will perform my liposuction?
Your liposuction is planned and performed by one of our consultant plastic surgeons, Mr Omar Quaba, Mr Ken Stewart, Mr Will Anderson and Ms Ewa Majdak-Paredes, all on the GMC Specialist Register. You choose your consultant, meet them at your first appointment, and the same consultant operates and sees you afterwards.
Can I see results from your surgeons?
Can I see results from your surgeons?
Yes. Our liposuction before and after gallery shows patients treated at Quaba Plastic Surgery, shared with their consent. Results vary between people, and your consultant will show you what is realistic for you at your consultation.
What happens if I have concerns after my surgery?
What happens if I have concerns after my surgery?
Your Quaba consultant stays responsible for your care after surgery. A nurse sees you a week after your operation, more often if you need it, and your consultant reviews you at around six months, when the result has settled. If anything worries you before then, contact us and your consultant will reply directly and see you as soon as needed.
How much does liposuction cost?
How much does liposuction cost?
Liposuction at Quaba starts from £4,100 for small areas under local anaesthetic and from £5,850 under general anaesthetic. Each price covers the surgeon’s fee, the anaesthetist’s fee where applicable, the hospital and theatre fee at Waterfront Private Hospital, and all post-operative reviews until you are fully discharged.
All our guide prices are on our pricing page.
Is liposuction a weight-loss treatment?
Is liposuction a weight-loss treatment?
No. Liposuction recontours specific areas of the body by removing localised fat; it is not a method of losing weight. The best results are achieved when weight is stable and the treated areas have not responded to diet and exercise.
Which areas of the body respond best to liposuction?
Which areas of the body respond best to liposuction?
The hips and outer thighs respond particularly well. The abdomen, back, and neck are also commonly treated. The inner thighs respond less predictably. How each area is likely to behave, and what can realistically be achieved, is discussed at consultation.
Will my skin be loose after liposuction?
Will my skin be loose after liposuction?
It depends on your skin quality. Where skin elasticity is good, the skin tightens over the new contour. Where the skin is of poor quality or has been overly stretched, some looseness can remain, and a combined procedure such as a tummy tuck may be recommended instead.
Is liposuction performed under local or general anaesthetic?
Is liposuction performed under local or general anaesthetic?
Both options are used. Small, localised areas can be treated under local anaesthetic as a day case; larger or multiple areas are usually treated under general anaesthesia. The right option for your case is agreed at consultation.
How long does it take to recover from liposuction?
How long does it take to recover from liposuction?
Most patients take one to two weeks off work, depending on the areas treated and the nature of their work. Bruising resolves over two to three weeks, and swelling can persist for several weeks. Strenuous exercise should be avoided for six weeks.
When will I see the final result of my liposuction?
When will I see the final result of my liposuction?
You should start to see and feel a difference after two to three months, once the early swelling has settled. The final contour may not be apparent for six months or more.
Are the results of liposuction permanent?
Are the results of liposuction permanent?
The fat cells removed do not return. The treated area remains in better proportion provided your weight stays stable; significant weight gain can enlarge the remaining fat cells in both treated and untreated areas.
What scars does liposuction leave?
What scars does liposuction leave?
The incisions are tiny — around 5mm — and the resulting scars are small. They can be red and thickened at first and usually settle well by 12 to 18 months.
Can liposuction be combined with other procedures?
Can liposuction be combined with other procedures?
Yes. Liposuction is often combined with abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) where excess skin is present, and it can be combined with other body contouring procedures. Whether a combination is appropriate for your case is decided at consultation.
The surgeons who do this
You meet your consultant at your first appointment. The same consultant plans your surgery, carries it out and sees you afterwards.
Tummy tuck and Lipo
I had wanted tummy tuck for a time, after 2 pregnancies, had left a large volume of excess skin.
Mr Omar Quaba was excellent from my initial consultation, he was approachable and I felt reassured, all the way to aftercare. I am delighted with the results. I would definitely recommend this surgeon.
Felix447
Risks, and how often they happen
Every operation carries risk. Here they are in three groups. The figures come from UK national guidance and published studies, averaged across many patients, so your own risk may be higher or lower. Your consultant will go through what applies to you, and every risk is in your written consent.
- Expected
- Uncommon
- Rare
- For the long term
Expected Almost everyone, and they settle
- Bruising that fades over two to three weeks.
- Swelling that settles over several weeks. You see a difference at two to three months, and the final shape takes six months or more.
- Numbness or tingling over the treated areas, usually temporary.
- Small scars of around 5mm where the cannula went in, red at first and settling by 12 to 18 months.
Uncommon Some patients, and some need further treatment
- An uneven contour or a difference between sides, such as dents or ripples. Small ones often settle as the swelling goes down; some need a touch-up.
About 1 in 30
- Fluid collecting under the skin (seroma), which may need draining with a needle.
Under 1 in 20
- Small friction burns at the cannula sites from the cannula rubbing the skin, which usually heal without problems.
- Not quite enough fat removed, leaving only a small change.
Rare but serious
- Bleeding or infection that needs hospital treatment or a return to theatre.
Under 1 in 200
- A blood clot in the leg or lung (DVT or PE). We assess your risk and you are up and walking from the first day.
Under 1 in 1,000
- Fat entering the bloodstream and reaching the lungs (fat embolism), which can be life-threatening.
Very rare
- Injury to a deeper structure such as the bowel, which has been reported and is more likely where there are deep scars in the area being treated.
- A serious reaction to the anaesthetic, if you have a general anaesthetic.
Very rare
For the long term
- Weight gain affects the result. A stable weight keeps the new shape, because the fat cells left behind can still enlarge.
- A touch-up is occasionally needed to refine an uneven area, once everything has settled at six months or more.
- Skin still ages. Liposuction does not stop skin loosening with age or with later weight change.
More from the NHS on liposuction. Loose skin as well as fat? See tummy tuck.
Where these figures come from
- Ahmed et al, Eur J Plast Surg 2025; Habbema, Dermatology 2011For: contour irregularity; seroma
- Kaoutzanis et al, Aesthet Surg J 2017For: bleeding or infection needing hospital care or reoperation; DVT or PE
- Nogueira et al, Liposuction and fat embolism: a literature review, Rev Bras Cir Plast 2015 (citing Grazer and de Jong 2000)For: fat embolism
- NHS, Liposuction; BAAPS, Liposuction (not a substitute for losing weight)For: not weight loss; cellulite; lumpy results; settling time
- Royal College of Anaesthetists, Anaesthesia risk: anaphylaxisFor: serious reaction to the anaesthetic
Aftercare and recovery after liposuction
Most patients return to work within one to two weeks, depending on the areas treated and the nature of their work. Bruising is expected and can take two to three weeks to resolve fully, and a variable degree of swelling can persist for several weeks. Strenuous exercise should be avoided for six weeks.
The treated area starts to show a visible difference at two to three months as the swelling settles, and the final contour can take six months or more to emerge.
A nurse reviews you at one week, and more often if needed in the early healing period. Your consultant sees you again at around six months once the result has settled. Between then, your consultant is always available — if anything concerns you, they will respond directly and arrange to see you as soon as needed.
Read more about liposuction aftercare.
Written by