Posted by Dr. Hardesty

Average cost of popular Plastic Surgery Procedures

Blog Contents:

I. “COMPARING APPLES TO APPLES”

II. TOTAL COSTS

III. SOURCES OF PUBLISHED COSTS
As in life, decisions are made on multitude of data points and an obvious one is total costs and fees. If you are buying an auto, you can easily compare similar models and accessories, warranties and then finally prices. In the “service industry” it is much more difficult to make comparisons and then put a value on it. This is especially true when it comes to your own body and health. Let’s look at some of these factors that should be considered in “total costs and fees” when trying to choose the Best/Top Plastic Surgeon for you.

WATCH PROCEDURE

Video

I. “COMPARING APPLES TO APPLES”

• Is your Plastic Surgeon really a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon or just a self-proclaimed cosmetic surgeon? Please read our detailed E-Book by downloading here
• How much experience does your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon have in the procedure you are interested in? Does he\she specialize in Cosmetic Plastic Surgery only? Do not accept the term “Board Certified” as evidence this is a ‘true’ plastic surgeon. Usually those Board Certified Plastic Surgeons who focus on Cosmetic Plastic Surgery have met the criteria and are members of both the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, (The Aesthetic Society).  Note: Pay particular attention to the latter: The Aesthetic Society. Visit their website: www.surgery.org – because here is where you will find the most advanced plastic surgeons in the world who specialize in cosmetic procedures. Since 2008, Dr. Hardesty has been a prominent member of this highly prestigious medical society and served on several of its committees.
• How many years or types of procedures per year does your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon perform?
• Does your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon perform his procedures in an accredited operating room? In a hospital? His/her office?
• Who will be providing the anesthesia? A Board Certified Anesthesiologist, a nurse, a nurse anesthetist?
• Does your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon have admitting privileges to a local hospital if there is complication requiring hospitalization?
• Does your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon have any sanctions or disciplinary actions against them?
• Reputation: Rating sites such as RealSelf, Google and Yelp, while not perfect, do provide a general overall feeling of what the experiences of some other patients have been. Referrals from a friend or relative, your personal doctor or nurse, can also prove helpful. etc. We also invite you to read our patient reviews
• Is the place\surgeon you choose just a national or regional branded “mill” with rotating surgeons or a well established credible and experienced Board Certified Plastic Surgeon?
• What is the Board Certified Plastic Surgeon revision policy if a ‘touch up” is needed?

 HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE

A common hope is that “will insurance cover the costs to reconstruct my body?”

I have copied directly from the American Medical Association:

1. Our AMA supports the following definiions of “cosmetic” and “reconstructive” surgery: Cosmetic surgery is performed to reshape normal structures of the body in order to improve the patient’s appearance and self-esteem.
2. Reconstructive surgery is performed on abnormal structures of the body, caused by congenital defects, developmental abnormalities, trauma, infection, tumors or disease. It is generally performed to improve function, but may also be done to approximate a normal appearance.
   Our AMA encourages third party payers to use these definitions in determining services eligible for coverage under the plans they offer or administer.(CMS Rep. F, A-89; Reaffirmed: Sunset Report, A-00; Reaffirmed, A-03; Reaffirmed: CMS Rep. 4, A-13).
3. In my experience, unfortunately most insurance companies will not cover what you desire without a physically limiting deformity. However it is always worth a try.

II. TOTAL COSTS

Total costs based on several components:

• Location: What part of the country you have your surgery. As an example, communities such as Beverly Hills and Newport Beach are generally more expensive due to affluent aesthetic consumers.
• Plastic Surgeons fees: Board Certified Plastic Surgeons and those who are more experienced surgeons are higher fees than less experienced) Please read our detailed E-Book by downloading here.
• Anesthesia fees: Board Certified Physician Anesthesiologist compared to nurses or Nurse Anesthetist are generally more expensive.
• Facility fees: Surgical procedures performed in a hospital setting are often significantly higher in total cost than a physicians’ operating room or an accredited Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASC)
• Equipment needed: lasers, endoscopes, specialized instruments, etc.)

III. PLASTIC SURGEON FEES

For purposes of education, one of our plastic surgery societies has gathered national averages for major cosmetic surgery procedures. Please note: These costs are averaged nationally and will vary based upon location. Furthermore, these are surgeon fees, and as mentioned in Section II above, there are various components which determine the ultimate price of an aesthetic procedure.

Breast augmentation  National average surgeon fee: $3,824
Breast reduction  National average surgeon fee: $5,680
Liposuction  National average surgeon fee: $3,518
Tummy tuck National average surgeon fee: $6,253
Facelift  National average surgeon fee: $7,655
Eyelid surgery  National average surgeon fee: $3,156
Nose reshaping  National average surgeon fee: $5,350