Updated
With Dr. Fulvio Correa in Cartagena, the published estimate for HD liposculpture (listed as Liposurg) is USD 6,300–7,700, or COP 19.890.000–24.310.000. Arms or legs added to a liposuction are USD 675–825 per area. Liposuction that is not HD liposculpture has no published range: it is quoted per case after a consultation, which costs USD 150 (COP 400,000), virtual or in person. These are from–to estimates based on previous cases, not a quote. The rest of this guide explains which of those numbers applies to the plan you have in mind, and why a price "per area" you saw online only compares if it describes the same surgery.
Four names, four different prices
"Lipo" is used for several different plans. Before comparing any number, find the row that matches what you actually want done.
| What you are looking for | What it is usually called | Published estimate in Cartagena |
|---|---|---|
| Less fat in one or a few areas, without detailed definition | Liposuction | Quoted per case |
| Shaping and definition of the contour | HD liposculpture (Liposurg) | USD 6,300–7,700 (COP 19.890.000–24.310.000) |
| Arms or legs added to a liposuction | Arm or leg liposuction, as an add-on | USD 675–825 per area (COP 2.140.000–2.610.000) |
| Retraction technology, when the plan uses it | Retraction technology, per area | USD 450–550 (COP 1.430.000–1.740.000) |
| Abdomen, waist and back in one session | Lipo 360 | See lipo 360 cost in Colombia |
| Fat moved to the buttocks and hips | BBL (Brazilian butt lift) | Quoted per case, see BBL cost in Colombia |
| Fat plus loose skin on the lower abdomen | Lipoabdominoplasty | USD 9,900–12,100 (COP 31.250.000–38.200.000) |
| Consultation, virtual or in person | — | USD 150 / COP 400,000 |
All figures come from the plastic surgery cost guide for Cartagena. The ranges are authorized in U.S. dollars; the peso figures use Colombia's official exchange rate (TRM) of 20 October 2026, COP 3,156.32 per dollar, rounded up to the nearest 10,000 pesos. Adding rows together is not the price of a combined plan, which is quoted as a whole.
This is an approximate estimate based on previous cases; sometimes the fee has been lower and sometimes higher, depending on the case. The real quote always comes after the virtual or in-person consultation. It does not commit the doctor to charge that amount or to operate.
Why a price "per area" online rarely matches
Search for how much lipo costs in Colombia and you will find tables by number of areas, by city and by technique, in pesos and in dollars, some much lower than the range above and some higher. A number only compares with another if it describes the same plan. Three questions settle that:
- Which areas, exactly? "One area" can mean the lower abdomen alone or the whole abdomen with the flanks. Ask for the list of areas in writing.
- Volume or definition? Liposuction to reduce volume and HD liposculpture to define the contour are different operations with different planning. The published HD range is not the price of a simple liposuction, and a low "lipo" price is usually not the price of an HD plan.
- What is inside the number? Anesthesia, the operating room, tests before surgery, the compression garment and visits after surgery are in some prices and missing from others.
Mayo Clinic adds a fact that explains part of the spread: if only a small amount of fat is removed, liposuction may be done in a clinic or medical office, while a large amount of fat, or other procedures at the same time, may move the surgery to a hospital. Where you are operated on, and with which anesthesia, is part of what you pay.
Can one small area cost less?
It can, and that is exactly why it has no fixed published price: a single area is quoted per case. The figures that do exist for single areas are the arm and leg rows, and they apply as add-ons to a liposuction, not as standalone surgeries. The same applies to smaller areas such as the chin and neck, which Mayo Clinic lists among the areas liposuction can treat; the plan and the price come out of the consultation.
What a smaller plan does not change is the fixed part of the budget: the consultation, tests before surgery and the nights you stay in Cartagena before you can fly.
What liposuction does not fix, and why that changes the budget
Some quotes go up or down because the plan changes once the surgeon examines you. According to Mayo Clinic:
- Liposuction is not a weight-loss method. It works best for someone with fat in specific areas and an otherwise stable weight. Results usually last if your weight stays the same.
- It does not tighten loose skin. If your skin is thin and not elastic, the treated area may look loose. When there is excess skin on the lower abdomen, the conversation moves to tummy tuck or liposuction and to a lipoabdominoplasty, which has its own range.
- It does not remove cellulite or stretch marks. A quote that promises it should be questioned.
- The risk rises with larger areas and combined procedures. Mayo Clinic notes that complications are more likely when the surgeon works on larger body surfaces or does several procedures in the same operation. That is a medical reason, not only a price reason, to plan the areas carefully.
The nights in Cartagena belong in the same budget
The price of the surgery is one part. The other is how long you stay, and for liposuction the sources give clear floors:
- The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) suggests waiting 5 to 7 days before flying after body procedures such as liposuction.
- Avianca, Colombia's flag carrier, lists 14 days after liposuction and 15 if two or more body procedures are combined, and asks for a medical certificate issued no more than 10 days before the flight.
Mayo Clinic also notes that most people wear compression garments for a few weeks, may need a few days before going back to work, and a few weeks before exercise. Lodging for those nights, meals, local transport and a companion go in the same spreadsheet as the quote. The week-by-week plan is in liposuction recovery, the airline details in flying after plastic surgery, and the options for where to stay in recovery house in Cartagena.
How to ask for a quote you can compare
- Send front, side and back photos and say which areas bother you; the international patients program starts this way.
- Ask whether your plan is liposuction or HD liposculpture, and which areas are included.
- Ask which items are inside the number: surgeon, anesthesia, facility, tests, garment and visits.
- Ask for the currency and, in pesos, the exchange-rate date.
- Check who operates: the ReTHUS registry and, if membership is claimed, the SCCP surgeon search.
What to bring and ask at the consultation is in planning liposuction in Cartagena, and the full surgeon checklist in how to choose a plastic surgeon in Colombia.
Where Dr. Fulvio Correa fits
Dr. Fulvio Correa is a plastic surgeon in Cartagena and a Miembro de Número of the Colombian Society of Plastic Surgery (SCCP); his background is on the about page. His consultation office is in Manzanillo del Mar, CC Ramblas local 23, and surgery takes place at CAPRI Clinic, a different address. He performs liposuction in Cartagena, including HD liposculpture, and at the consultation decides which areas make sense in your case, whether the plan is liposuction or HD liposculpture, and whether anything else should be combined. If you live abroad, the plan starts with a virtual consultation and is confirmed in person before surgery.
To get a written liposuction quote, message Sofía. She coordinates the virtual consultation, the quote and the logistics of your stay; medical decisions stay with the surgeon.
Frequently asked questions
How much does lipo cost in Colombia with Dr. Fulvio Correa? HD liposculpture has a published estimate of USD 6,300–7,700 (COP 19.890.000–24.310.000). Liposuction that is not HD liposculpture is quoted per case after the consultation.
How much does it cost to add arms or legs? USD 675–825 per area (COP 2.140.000–2.610.000), as an add-on to a liposuction.
Is there a price for liposuction of just one area? Not a fixed one. A single area is quoted per case, because the amount of fat, the technique and where the surgery is done change from one patient to another.
Why are some lipo prices in Colombia much lower? Usually because they describe a different plan: fewer areas, volume reduction instead of HD definition, or a number without anesthesia, facility, tests or follow-up. Compare item by item.
How much is the consultation? USD 150 / COP 400,000, virtual or in person. It is not a surgery price.
How many days should I budget in Cartagena? At least 14 days after liposuction if you fly Avianca, or 15 if body procedures are combined, plus your days before surgery. Your surgeon confirms the date after examining you.
Prefer Spanish? Read the twin guide: ¿Cuánto cuesta una lipo en Colombia? Precios de liposucción.
Sources / Medical references
- Dr. Fulvio Correa — Plastic surgery in Colombia: cost and prices (HD liposculpture, add-on, retraction and lipoabdominoplasty ranges, consultation fee, TRM of 20 October 2026, items quoted per case)
- Mayo Clinic — Liposuction (treatable areas, not a weight-loss method, loose skin, cellulite and stretch marks, risks with larger areas, office vs hospital setting, anesthesia, compression garments)
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons — Liposuction
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons — Briefing paper: Cosmetic surgery tourism (5 to 7 days before flying after body procedures)
- CDC Yellow Book — Medical tourism
- Avianca help center — Travel restrictions for passengers with special medical conditions (14 and 15 days; medical certificate)
- Sociedad Colombiana de Cirugía Plástica (SCCP) — Lipoescultura and surgeon search (in Spanish)
- Ministerio de Salud de Colombia — ReTHUS registry (in Spanish)
Medical Information Disclaimer
This article is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, prescription, an individual treatment recommendation, or a substitute for an evaluation by a qualified healthcare professional. The suitability, potential benefits, risks, alternatives, recovery, and expected outcomes of any procedure depend on each patient's individual circumstances and must be assessed on a case-by-case basis by a qualified healthcare professional. Nothing in this article constitutes an offer, quotation, or commitment by Dr. Fulvio Correa or his team.
If you are deciding where to have surgery, the guide to plastic surgery in Colombia explains how to check a surgeon and a clinic, and how a trip to Cartagena is organized. It also introduces Dr. Fulvio Correa. You can compare procedures, prepare your consultation or contact the office. Estimated ranges are on the plastic surgery cost page. The recovery house — 24/7 nursing, transfers, and supplies — is arranged at the valuation, with no package price.