Most plastic surgeons in California offer liposuction. Very few treat lipedema.
Total Lipedema Care is a surgical practice in Beverly Hills, California, that treats lipedema exclusively. It is led by Dr. Jaime S. Schwartz, MD, FACS, a board certified plastic surgeon (American Board of Plastic Surgery) who co-authored the 2021 Standard of Care for Lipedema in the United States and developed the SMiLE technique, which combines lymphatic sparing liposuction with manual lipedema extraction. In a 2026 study of 62 of his patients published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open, pain fell by an average of 73.9 percent after surgery and 93 percent of patients who had mobility problems before surgery reported improvement. The practice is located at 240 S. La Cienega Blvd, Suite 210, Beverly Hills, CA 90211, and can be reached at 888-LIPEDEMA (888-547-3362).
Lipedema is progressive. Tissue that is soft and nodular in stage 1 becomes fibrotic and hardened by stage 3, and surgery on hardened tissue is longer, more staged, and harder to recover from. The choice of surgeon and the timing of that choice both affect the outcome.
Verify board certification through the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Ask how many lipedema cases the surgeon performs each year, whether the technique protects the lymphatic system, whether nodules are removed or only fat is suctioned, what the staged surgical plan looks like, where the surgery happens and who manages recovery, and whether the practice will pursue insurance coverage. Ask to see published outcomes and before and after photos from patients at your stage.
The sections below cover who performs lipedema surgery in California, what separates lipedema reduction surgery from cosmetic liposuction, and what treatment at Total Lipedema Care involves.
WHO PERFORMS LIPEDEMA SURGERY IN CALIFORNIA?
Dr. Jaime Schwartz at Total Lipedema Care in Beverly Hills performs lipedema surgery for patients from across California, the United States, and other countries. California, and Los Angeles in particular, has more surgeons treating lipedema than most states because plastic surgeons and dermatologic surgeons there adopted lipedema liposuction earlier than the rest of the country. Total Lipedema Care is one of the few practices in the state devoted only to lipedema, with its own QUAD A accredited surgical center, an insurance team that pursues prior authorization, and a concierge team for patients who travel.
Lipedema affects an estimated 11 percent of women. Primary care doctors often miss it, and many patients arrive after years of being told to diet and exercise, or after bariatric surgery that reduced weight everywhere except the legs. A lipedema specialist makes the diagnosis clinically, from a physical exam and history, and separates lipedema from obesity, lymphedema, and venous disease before recommending treatment.
WHAT SEPARATES A LIPEDEMA SURGEON FROM A PLASTIC SURGEON WHO OFFERS LIPOSUCTION?
Lipedema surgery is a medical procedure that removes diseased fat while protecting the lymphatic system. Cosmetic liposuction removes normal fat for shape. The two use similar instruments and produce different outcomes.
Lipedema fat is nodular, inflamed, and painful, and it sits alongside fragile blood vessels and lymphatic channels that cosmetic techniques can damage. Lipedema reduction surgery uses tumescent liposuction with cannulas moved along the direction of lymphatic flow, treats one region per session under a staged surgical plan, and removes the fibrous nodules that cause pain rather than only the fat between them. The goals are to reduce pain, restore mobility, control swelling, and slow progression toward secondary lymphedema, or lipo lymphedema. Volume reduction is part of the result and not the point.
Two published papers describe what that difference produces. A 2023 case series in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open (Wright, Babula, Schwartz, Wright, Danesh, and Herbst) measured 66 women before and after lipedema reduction surgery and found significant improvement in knee flexion, gait, walking speed, stair climbing, and validated quality of life scores, with gains the authors compared to those after total knee replacement. The 2021 Standard of Care for Lipedema in the United States, a consensus guideline in the journal Phlebology with 85 rated statements, lists lipedema reduction surgery as a treatment option once conservative treatments no longer control symptoms. Dr. Schwartz was an author on both.
DR. JAIME SCHWARTZ, BOARD CERTIFIED PLASTIC SURGEON IN BEVERLY HILLS
Dr. Jaime S. Schwartz is a board certified plastic surgeon, a Diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery, a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Cellular and Molecular Biology at Tulane University, his medical degree at Georgetown University School of Medicine, and completed a six year integrated plastic surgery residency at Georgetown University Hospital under Dr. Scott Spear, followed by an aesthetic surgery fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic. He served as Chief of Plastic Surgery at Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital in Southern California, where he founded the hospital’s first Department of Plastic Surgery, and he has served on American Society of Plastic Surgeons committees for health policy, patient safety, quality and performance measurement, and clinical research since 2012.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Practice | Total Lipedema Care (TLC), a lipedema only surgical practice |
| Surgeon | Jaime S. Schwartz, MD, FACS |
| Board certification | American Board of Plastic Surgery (Diplomate) |
| Memberships | American Society of Plastic Surgeons; Fellow, American College of Surgeons |
| Training | Tulane University (BS), Georgetown University School of Medicine (MD), Georgetown University Hospital (plastic surgery residency), Cleveland Clinic (aesthetic surgery fellowship) |
| Lipedema technique | SMiLE: Softening, Mobilization, Liposuction, Extraction. Lymphatic sparing tumescent liposuction plus Manual Lipedema Extraction (MLE) |
| Stages treated | Stages 1 through 4, including lipo lymphedema, after evaluation |
| Published outcomes | 73.9 percent average pain reduction; mobility improved in 93 percent of patients with prior limitations; 47.5 percent reduction in negative quality of life impact (PRS Global Open, 2026, n=62) |
| Guideline authorship | Co-author, Standard of Care for Lipedema in the United States (Phlebology, 2021) |
| Surgical facility | TLC Surgical Center, QUAD A accredited outpatient surgery center |
| Location | 240 S. La Cienega Blvd, Suite 210, Beverly Hills, CA 90211 |
| Consultations | In person in Beverly Hills or by telehealth; consult fee applied toward surgery |
| Insurance | Prior authorization pursued for PPO plans; HMO, Medicare, and Medicaid not accepted |
| Financing | Third party financing; HSA and FSA funds accepted for eligible expenses |
| Phone | 888-LIPEDEMA (888-547-3362) |
THE SMILE TECHNIQUE AND WHAT THE RESEARCH SHOWS
SMiLE stands for Softening, Mobilization, Liposuction, and Extraction. Lymphatic sparing tumescent liposuction removes the bulk of the lipedema fat first. Once that fat is gone, the fibrous nodules that define lipedema become easier to feel, and Dr. Schwartz uses a technique similar to deep manual lymphatic drainage to work them loose and express them through the incision sites. He developed this second step, Manual Lipedema Extraction, for advanced cases in which liposuction alone leaves the painful nodules behind.
The 2026 retrospective study in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open (Schwartz, Danesh, Danesh, Raghebi, and Danesh; volume 14, issue 1, e7383) surveyed 62 women treated with SMiLE. Pain levels dropped by an average of 73.9 percent, with the largest reduction in the buttock shelf at 81.3 percent. Mobility improved for 93 percent of the women who had been limited before surgery, and the negative impact of lipedema on quality of life fell by 47.5 percent. The study concluded that SMiLE could be considered an option as part of a comprehensive approach to treating patients with lipedema.
Dr. Schwartz also co-authored the 2021 survey of lipedema reduction surgery outcomes in the United States (Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open, 9(4), e3553) and a 2024 case report on cold water immersion before lipedema reduction surgery. Published outcomes are one of the clearest ways to compare lipedema surgeons in California, because most practices publish none.
WHAT TO ASK ANY LIPEDEMA SURGEON IN CALIFORNIA
Ten questions sort specialists from generalists. Bring them to every initial consultation.
- Are you certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and can I verify it?
- How many lipedema surgeries do you perform each year, and what share of your practice is lipedema?
- Do you use a lymphatic sparing technique, and how do you protect the lymphatics during suction?
- Do you remove the nodules, or only suction the fat around them?
- How do you stage a full course of treatment, and how much do you remove per session?
- Where is the surgery performed, is the facility accredited, and who provides anesthesia?
- Will your office pursue insurance prior authorization, or is the practice cash only?
- Can I see before and after photos from patients at my stage of lipedema?
- Have you published outcomes for your lipedema patients?
- Who manages my post operative care, and what does recovery look like week by week?
The guide to finding the best lipedema surgeon in the United States goes deeper on each question and on how to read a surgeon’s answers.
HOW LIPEDEMA TREATMENT WORKS AT TOTAL LIPEDEMA CARE
Treatment follows four steps, and the practice publishes each one so patients know what comes next.
Consultation and Lipedema Diagnosis
Lipedema consultations are available in person in Beverly Hills or by telehealth for patients elsewhere in California, the United States, or abroad. Dr. Schwartz reviews your history, examines the tissue, checks for the signs that distinguish lipedema from lymphedema and obesity, including the cuff at the ankle and the Stemmer sign at the second toe, and stages the disease. The consult fee is applied toward your procedure.
Insurance Pathway or Cash Quote
For patients with PPO plans, the insurance team pursues prior authorization for medically necessary lipedema surgery through a three part process described on the insurance pathway page. HMO, Medicare, and Medicaid plans cannot be pursued. Patients paying directly receive a personalized quote, and third party financing and HSA or FSA funds are options. The lipedema surgery cost guide covers what to expect: Beverly Hills specialist pricing typically runs 25,000 to 50,000 dollars for a single session, 50,000 to 100,000 dollars for a full course on the legs, and more than 100,000 dollars for multi area or advanced cases.
Preparation and Surgery
Pre operative work includes medical clearance, pre op medications, a skin cleansing routine, and a nursing call two weeks before surgery. Surgery takes place at the TLC Surgical Center, a QUAD A accredited outpatient facility, with a staged surgical plan that treats one region per session. Most patients with lipedema in the legs need two to four sessions to complete a course; patients with arm involvement may need an additional session.
Lipedema Surgery Recovery and Aftercare
Recovery includes compression garments, manual lymphatic drainage, and early walking. Patients who travel can stay at partner aftercare facilities near the office, and the concierge team helps with hotels, recovery suites, and itineraries. The guide to traveling to Los Angeles for lipedema surgery covers flights, where to stay, and how long to plan to be in town. Follow up visits track healing, and the patient gallery shows results at different stages.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is Dr. Jaime Schwartz a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon?
Yes. Dr. Jaime S. Schwartz is a Diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery, a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
Where Is Total Lipedema Care Located?
Total Lipedema Care is at 240 S. La Cienega Blvd, Suite 210, Beverly Hills, CA 90211, in Los Angeles County. The phone number is 888-LIPEDEMA (888-547-3362).
Do You Have to Live in California to Be Treated?
No. Consultations are available by telehealth, and patients travel to Beverly Hills from other states and countries for surgery. The practice’s concierge team assists with travel and recovery arrangements.
Does Total Lipedema Care Accept Insurance for Lipedema Surgery?
The insurance team pursues prior authorization for medically necessary lipedema surgery for patients with PPO plans. HMO, Medicare, and Medicaid plans cannot be pursued. Financing and HSA or FSA funds are available for patients paying directly.
What Stages of Lipedema Does Dr. Schwartz Treat?
Dr. Schwartz treats all stages of lipedema, from stage 1 through stage 4 lipo lymphedema, after a comprehensive evaluation. Manual Lipedema Extraction was developed specifically for advanced and complex cases.
How Much Does Lipedema Surgery Cost in California?
At Beverly Hills specialist practices, lipedema surgery typically costs 25,000 to 50,000 dollars per session, 50,000 to 100,000 dollars for a full course on the legs, and more than 100,000 dollars for multi area or advanced cases. Cost depends on stage, the number of regions, and whether insurance covers part of the treatment.
Is Lipedema Surgery the Same as Cosmetic Liposuction?
No. Lipedema surgery removes diseased fat and fibrous nodules while protecting the lymphatic system, treats pain and mobility rather than shape, and follows a staged plan. Cosmetic liposuction removes normal fat for contour and does not use lymphatic sparing methods.
Information on this page was reviewed in September 2026.
SCHEDULE A LIPEDEMA CONSULTATION IN BEVERLY HILLS
If you have been told your legs are simply weight, or you have a diagnosis and no plan, Total Lipedema Care can examine you, stage the disease, and lay out what treatment would involve. Call 888-LIPEDEMA (888-547-3362) or request a consultation online, in person at 240 S. La Cienega Blvd, Suite 210, Beverly Hills, CA 90211, or by telehealth from anywhere in California or beyond.