Breast Augmentation Cost

Breast augmentation is a popular procedure and is the best way to enlarge your breasts and get immediate, long-lasting results. Knowing about breast augmentation costs can help to make the right decisions as you plan for your surgery.

Breast Augmentation Costs

Breast surgery prices have remained fairly constant over the last few years, even with a growing demand for the procedure. Despite carrying a price tag of thousands of dollars, breast augmentation remains one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries in existence. According to information from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), breast augmentation was performed 296,000 times in America in 2010, making it the No. 1 most popular cosmetic surgery. This procedure has demonstrated a 39% increase in popularity since 2000, and it continues to grow.

Breast augmentation can be costly, and the fees will depend on your location, region and surgeon, among other factors.

The cost for breast augmentation surgery varies greatly. The price tag ranges from $4,000 to $10,000, and it can cost as much as $15,000 or more.

A wide array of factors affects the ultimate price of a breast augmentation. The final cost of a breast augmentation is made up of a number of smaller price tags:

Surgeon's Fees

The largest part of the price tag for breast surgery will be the surgeon's fees. If your surgeon is a board certified plastic surgeon or if he or she is well known, then his or her price might be higher. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the average physician's fee for breast augmentations performed with saline implants was $3,541 in 2009. By contrast, the average physician's fee for silicone implants was $3,860. These are just averages; in reality, your breast augmentation surgeon's fees could cost less or much more. You are paying for expertise-cosmetic surgery is not a time to bargain shop.

Breast Implants

Breast implant type will dictate costs. Certain silicone, gel and newer implant designs can cost more than saline. (NOTE: Consider deleting this section as it's

Facility

Whether your surgery takes place in a surgical suite, your surgeon's clinic or a hospital, you pay for use of the space and facilities. Hospitals tend to cost more than facilities that are affiliated with a surgeon's office. Facility price can vary greatly, and $800 to $1,200 is a fairly common range.

Anesthesiologist

A number of anesthesia options are available for breast augmentation, ranging from general to regional anesthetic, and $600 to $800 is relatively common for an anesthesiologist. Additionally, patients might need to pay for pre-operative lab work and tests. They might need to pay for post-surgical bandages and medications.

Breast Augmentation and Multiple Procedures

Just as a number of smaller price tags go into the total cost for the procedure, a wide variety of factors can affect how much you'll have to pay. One factor to consider is whether you are having other procedures performed at the same time. For example breast lift, tummy tuck, liposuction, body sculpting or mommy makeover will increase costs with each additional procedure.

Breast Augmentation Cost and Geographical Location

In general, the East and the West coasts tend to have much higher demand for cosmetic surgery than areas like the Midwest and the South. Breast augmentation surgeons operating in these areas typically charge more because patients will pay more. Also, urban, populous areas typically have a higher demand for surgeries like breast augmentation, so the price of a breast augmentation in a large city like Manhattan or Los Angeles will probably be higher than a similar surgery performed in a more rural location.

Breast Augmentation Costs: Why Cheaper Is Not Better

There is a definite danger in searching for bargain breast augmentation.

Breast augmentation is an invasive procedure that requires high quality instruments and high levels of skill in its practitioners. Trying to cut corners can lead to serious problems. When prices are too low, it can be a sign. In some cases, this could mean that the breast surgeon is inexperienced or unskilled.

One unsettling trend that has developed recently is cosmetic surgery tourism, where foreign countries offer exceptionally low cosmetic surgery costs to lure tourists from countries where similar procedures are more expensive. Procedures like breast augmentation can be much cheaper in these countries, even when travel costs are factored in. Unfortunately, there's a definite downside.

While cosmetic surgery in certain foreign countries may be cheap, it is not always safe, and the governing rules and medical terms are different. In some cases, these surgeries are performed in sub-standard facilities, using outdated technology by surgeons who would not be allowed to practice in the United States.

In addition to these issues, traveling out of the country can be a mistake for other reasons. Cosmetic surgery such as a breast augmentation involves a certain amount of trauma. Flying before and after a surgery can sometimes lead to additional body stress, and it can increase a patient's likelihood of experiencing dangerous complications.

Plus, post-operational checkups with the surgeon are extremely important. During these visits, the surgeon can ensure that your procedure went as planned and that you're healing properly. If there are problems or complications, these visits are vital. Post-surgical treatment isn't always necessary, but when it is, it can be very helpful to be able to visit the same doctor.

With a surgeon from a foreign country, you have no way of getting adequate post-surgical care. If anything goes wrong, you will have no recourse, and you might spend quite a bit trying to repair the damage here in the United States.

Breast Augmentation Consultation Costs

Often, cosmetic surgeons will offer this consultation for free and sometimes there is a fee. Your consultation might involve blood work and additional testing. Also, surgeons have found that charging for consultations helps them to distinguish truly interested patients from ones who aren't entirely serious.

Breast augmentation surgeons charge $50 to $500 for a consultation. Most surgeons who charge for a consultation apply the price of the consultation toward the surgery.

However, if you pay for a consultation with a surgeon and then find that you are uncomfortable with him or her, you are not obligated to go through with the surgery. While it's no fun to lose a couple hundred dollars, it's much better to give up your consultation deposit than go through surgery with a surgeon who makes you uncomfortable.

Breast Augmentation Costs: Payments and Financing

Patients who elect to have the surgery usually pay with cash, credit, savings, borrowed money (from a relative or friend) or by financing it.

Many surgeons offer financing and payment plans. Financing a breast augmentation is very similar to other forms of financing. You will apply to a financial institution. The financial institution will review your credit rating, income and other factors to determine whether to approve you. If you are accepted, it will pay the full cost of the surgery, and then you will pay the money back with interest in a series of monthly installments.

Keep in mind that interest rates and other elements of the plan can vary from institution to institution. So, if money's tight, it might be a good idea to check out a couple of options and compare them. After shopping around and investigating, you should be able to find a plan that fits you and your needs.

Breast Augmentation Costs: Speak to a Surgeon

While a website like this can offer generalized advice and statistics, it is difficult to accurately predict the price for every breast surgery. The costs vary so widely from patient to patient that it is possible to give only vague estimates.

If you would like an estimate, schedule a consultation with a breast augmentation surgeon. Your surgeon should be able to give you an estimate of how much your surgery will cost. He or she will also be able to tell you more about financing options.

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