Understanding the Cost of Plastic Surgery

The idea of paying for plastic surgery can be really overwhelming when you look at how much surgeons charge for a procedure. Even something as small as a Botox injection can run upwards of several hundred dollars. It all seems less overwhelming, however, when you look at how the total cost of your procedure is broken down.

Every surgeon has a different type of system for charging clients and every surgeon has different fees associated with their procedures. There are a few, however, that nearly every surgeon has included in the overall price.

• Consultation fee – To actually have a sit down with the surgeon, most practices charge some sort of consultation fee. The good news is that if you decide to let this surgeon do your procedure, they will usually let you put the fee towards the total cost of the surgery. This is also good incentive to research potential surgeons before you make an appointment, so you don’t end up paying lots of consultation fees before even deciding who you want to do the procedure.
• Facility fee – For surgeons who have their own practice, a facility fee is needed to help keep their business open for potential clients. This fee helps cover the cost of what it takes to operate the practice.
• Anesthesia fee – Most procedures require the use of anesthesia, which means that a special technician is needed to make sure that it’s administered correctly. The anesthesia fee covers the cost of the drugs used to put you to sleep and pay the person who makes sure they’re administered safely.
• Medications and post-operative care – Most procedures have advanced to the point that they can be performed on an outpatient basis, so you won’t have to stay the night after everything is done. However, a few procedures will require you to stay for a few hours immediately after surgery so you can recover and your surgeon can make sure that you’re alright. Even if you don’t have to stay, you will likely need to have some medications to help with any pain or swelling. This will add to the overall cost of your surgery
• Surgeon’s fee – Every surgeon has to be paid for his/her work. Their knowledge, skills, training, and experience are the biggest factors in determining how much to charge for a procedure. A surgeon who specializes in a particular procedure will probably charge more than a surgeon who doesn’t. A surgeon who has been practicing for ten years will be more expensive than one who has been practicing for five years.
• Procedural cost – This is one of the key parts of your bill; after all, your procedure is the reason why you’re going through this whole process, right? This fee is dependent on two factors; first, the type of procedure. A surgical procedure will cost more than a nonsurgical procedure. A surgery that is more invasive will usually cost more. The other factor is the extent of the work being done. For example, if you are getting liposuction, but only on your neck, that will cost less than if you are getting liposuction on your entire abdomen. Getting more than one procedure at a time will also add to the total cost of the surgery.

Looking at all of these individually, it doesn’t seem so bad; however, when you see it all together, it can feel like you’ll never be able to afford your surgery. The good news is that there are several ways to finance your procedure. Your surgeon will be able to explain your options during your patient consultation, or you can find out by emailing or calling a practice to ask about their billing options.

Something important to keep in mind while you’re running through the figures in your head – in plastic surgery, you get what you pay for. It can be very tempting to choose a cheaper surgeon or opt for overseas travel to avoid paying thousands of dollars on a procedure. However, your health and safety have to be the most important thing to you and your surgeon. You’re also risking the chance that you will get less than optimal results, which could eventually require you to get additional surgery to fix the mistakes made in the first one. It is possible to afford your surgery, and careful research and communication with your surgeon will be the key to getting the best results without going broke in the process.

If you are interested in scheduling a patient consultation with Frederick G. Weniger, M.D., F.A.C.S. or learning about any of our available procedures, call (843) 757-0123 to make an appointment.