What is is included in our fees?

• Specialist Plastic Surgeon
• Specialist Anaesthetist
• Specialist Hospital
• Comprehensive care from our expert team before and after surgery

LEGS/THIGHS: Dr Somia recommends 4 hours to ensure safety. Your primary areas of concern will be addressed during this time.  Investment guide at this time is approximately $25,000.

Additional costs to consider are custom compression garments, mld therapy, extra hospital accommodation if there is a complication, medications etc (as a guide allow $2500-3000)

ARMS:  2.5 hours - 4 hours depending on complexity.   Investment guide at this time is approximately $18,000-25,000. Surgical garments are provided and included for arms.

Additional costs to consider are mld therapy, additional accomodation, medications etc (as a guide allow $2000)

What can be done in 4 hours of surgery?

Each patient has a different volume of lipoedema fat to be removed and areas to be treated. You can help make the most of the 4 hours by actively engaging in conservative treatments to pre-soften the fat. The softer the fat, the more fat can be removed. The quality of fat at the time of surgery greatly determines what can be achieved. Dr Somia will ask you to pre-mark the areas that concern you most (ie most painful) to focus on.

Will I need additional surgery?

This depends on the degree of treatment required and the areas that you would like treated. There is a limit to the amount of fat that can be removed in one surgery safely. Dr Somia will advise at your initial consultation how many surgeries he believes you will need.

Please note: there is no pressure to undergo more than one surgery. Some patients are happy with the results they achieve from one surgery. Sometimes, following surgery skin doesn't spring back and this may require an additional procedure.

Can I claim from medicare and fund or access my superannuation?

Unfortunately, at this time Liposuction treatment for lipoedema is considered by medicare and health funds a cosmetic procedure and cannot be claimed. Please note our area of specialist is lipoedema not lymphoedema and we do not perform skin excision at the same time.

Some patients have had success in accessing their superannuation fund (pain must be symptomatic to apply). Withdrawal of super is considered to be income and taxed accordingly. Consider this option carefully before applying. Only one surgery can be applied for at a time and our practice policy is to complete superannuation applications in the 4 months before your surgery (you must have a surgery date to apply).

What are the risks of liposuction surgery? All surgery carries risks. When travelling overseas on a plane whilst the expectation is a safe journey and arrival, it is understood things could go wrong. The choice of the airline based on safety record and flight path are important elements in determining risk. Similarly, for your surgery, the experience and expertise of your Surgeon, the skill of your anaesthetist and the standard of the hospital will determine the risk. Risks, both general and specific, will be discussed during your consultations and written information will be provided for you to take home. A brief overview of risks is below.

General risks include pneumonia, deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, stroke, heart attack, allergies, awareness, death, Bleeding, Infection, sensation change, haematoma and seroma, skin contour irregularities, Damage to deeper structures, Firmness, Delayed healing and tissue death, exposed sutures, dog ears or additional skin golds, dressing issues, asymmetry, scars, lymphoedema and unsatisfactory results.

Risks specific to Lipoedema surgery include public distortion, ultrasound assisted liposuction, liposuction wetting solutions.

Lipoedema Podcasts

• THE LIPOEDEMA PODCAST - EP 33 - DR NAVEEN SOMIA
• DR NAVEEN SOMIA PATIENT FIRST CONVERSATIONS EPISODE 3
• DERMHEALTH - DR NAVEEN SOMIA - RAISING AWARENESS FOR LIPOEDEMA
• Q AND A WITH DR NAVEEN SOMIA - LIPOSUCTION FOR LIPOEDEMA
• TENDERNESS FOR NURSES -Q AND A