There are millions of people, both women and men, who make the choice to change, enhance, or correct physical features on their faces and bodies. As a matter of fact, there were over 14.6 million cosmetic procedures performed in 2012, based on statistical figures according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
When you’re considering undergoing plastic or reconstructive surgery, one of your first considerations is cost. For most types of plastic surgery, insurance doesn’t always cover the costs of certain types of procedures. And for different types of procedures, some are considered to be elective versus medically necessary. As a result, most medical insurance policies only cover health necessitated cosmetic surgery procedures.
More recently, some plastic surgery procedures are becoming more affordable due to the fact that financing for plastic surgery procedures has become more common and available. The cost of full plastic surgery procedures are often too large to pay all at once, so many plastic surgeons offer payment plans or financing alternatives that provide patients with options to pay their bills in installments or even by bitcoin. But there are many things to consider when making a decision to have a plastic surgery procedure, and the considerations are not just based on cost alone.
What Determines Plastic Surgery Costs?
A number of factors go into determining the costs of plastic surgery. The cost of plastic surgery procedures can be dependent on geography or in what part of the country (and even world!) you’re having the work performed. Other determining factors include the actual procedure being performed, local or general anesthesia use, post-procedure medications administered during the healing process, medical and lab tests required before and after surgery, surgical wrappings, garments and bandages, plus other costs associated with the surgery. But in general, if you’re a qualified borrower, doctors can offer you special financing plans to make plastic surgery more financially manageable.
That said, cosmetic procedures can vary widely in cost. You’ll find that they will tend to be higher when using doctors that are board-certified plastic surgeons, as well as when you have procedures performed in hospitals or surgical facilities that are accredited. If procedures are performed under intravenous anesthesia or general anesthesia, costs can be affected by these two methods as well.
When is a Bargain not a Bargain?
Within all of the options out there that enable people of many different economic levels to get plastic and reconstructive surgery, whether medically necessitated or for purely cosmetic reasons, are some key things to be aware of as you search for the best cost to have the work you desire done. Here are some tips to help you:
- Get a good approximation of prices for your procedure. You can search out ballpark prices for cosmetic procedures in your area by using the Healthcare Blue Book. It works in the same way the famous Kelley Blue Book lists the prices of cars.
- See if you can negotiate the price. Since most plastic surgery procedures are elective surgeries, they’re usually not covered by most insurance plans unless they have been determined to be medically necessary for life saving or health specific needs. If the doctor performing the procedure doesn’t have to deal with insurance rates, the prices he or she might normally charge may be more negotiable, and if you choose to pay in cash, it can prove to be highly beneficial with discounts for immediate payment.
- Exercise caution with 0% interest credit card offers. There may be special healthcare credit cards offered by some surgeons that help finance expensive plastic surgery procedures, but you have to be careful to check them out closely and read the fine print of any agreement. While the cards may offer attractive initial interest rates of 0% that can easily appeal and draw in potential customers, there may be additional terms and conditions that apply.
- Avoid being tempted by impulse. Cosmetic surgery deals are popping up all over daily deal sites like Groupon, offering enticing discounts on all sorts of minimally invasive procedures like Botox and laser hair removal to more complex treatments such as liposuction, hair transplants, or brow lifts. Not only should you carefully explore any procedure – even those that are non-surgical – beforehand, you’ll also need to investigate the quality of services offered through these deal sites.
Now it might seem like an unbeatable bargain to jump on at an unbelievable price, but it might not be the best or safest way to go about signing up to undergo a plastic surgery procedure without ever sitting down with a professional plastic surgeon to have a thorough consultation. You should make it a priority to find out what procedure will work out best for you through consulting with the doctor. A common example of this is patients who may be set on having liposuction when it would make more sense to have a coolsculpting procedure which isn’t as expensive (or invasive).
- Don’t sacrifice quality for a cut-rate procedure. You may be looking for a quick fix for your cosmetic surgery problem, but don’t jeopardize your body for an assembly line solution. Always seek out the services of a top board-certified plastic surgeon with an established practice and credentials.
What About Getting Plastic Surgery at a University to Lower Costs?
It’s possible that you may have the ability to find plastic surgery procedures available to the public through a major university in your area that offers a program to help offset the cost of plastic surgery procedures by having them performed by resident surgeons under the guidance of more highly experienced plastic surgeons. But be careful about which kind of procedure you wish to have performed (if they offer it), because while you’re getting your work done by a training surgeon, you may not be as satisfied with the results as you might if a more experienced and seasoned surgeon performed the procedure.
For example, if you’re looking to have a rhinoplasty, keep in mind that it’s a complex procedure, and a plastic surgeon who has had years of experience has achieved the skills to more likely ensure a successful outcome. Because of its complexity, rhinoplasty carries the potential to have a lot of complications, and if anything doesn’t come out right, it’s hard to reverse any damage. That’s why it’s wiser to seek an expert and experienced surgeon for a nose job. The risk is not always worth the minor savings you might get.
So, just because you’ve committed yourself to getting nipped and tucked, you don’t want to cut the corner on quality for the sake of perceived savings. If you are committed to working with a younger surgeon, consider going with a respected practice that offers a fellowship program, where post-residency physicians work under the close guidance of an experienced surgeon.
Plastic Surgery Financing from Aristocrat Plastic Surgery & MedAesthetics
When you come to Aristocrat Plastic Surgery & MedAesthetics, you’ll find that we have many financing options that can help you manage your surgical costs so you can rest assured that you’re getting the exceptional care that only Dr. Tehrani and the staff at Aristocrat can provide.
Reconstructive Surgery Costs
Many cosmetic surgery procedures that are reconstructive in nature are normally covered by your health insurance plan. If Dr. Tehrani determines during your initial consultation that your reconstructive need is medically necessary, he will work closely with your insurance provider to give medical documentation and obtain authorization for surgical services. Once surgical authorization is obtained from the insurance company, your surgery can be scheduled.
Aristocrat’s Plastic Surgery Financing Options
At Aristocrat Plastic Surgery & MedAesthetics, we believe that nothing should hold you back from achieving the most beautiful you. We believe that plastic surgery should not be a luxury, as there are many plastic surgery financing options that can help you cover reconstructive and plastic surgery costs.
Plastic surgery financing has made plastic surgery procedures available for men and women of all income levels. With some of the major financing institutions marketing themselves primarily to plastic surgery seekers, even patients with average incomes are now able to make payments for their plastic surgery.
Aristocrat Plastic Surgery & MedAesthetics offers a variety of payment options for your convenience. We can accept cash, Visa, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Cashier’s Check. We also offer the following healthcare financing programs:
Alphaeon Credit: With the Alphaeon Credit card, you’ll find the widest array of monthly payment options to help you reach your individual wellness, beauty, and performance goals. With special financing options not available with other credit cards, you may find the Alphaeon Credit card is the better way to pay.
With the Alphaeon Credit card, you can receive the care your physician recommends with flexible payment options that fit your lifestyle.
Check out the Benefits of Alphaeon Credit:
- Widest array of monthly payment options to help you reach your wellness, beauty, and performance goals
- Special financing plans that are not always readily available with traditional credit cards
- Ability to use your card again for yourself or family members with no need to reapply and no annual fee*
(*Standard variable APR of 26.99%, based on the Prime Rate, Minimum Interest is $2.00 per credit plan.)
CareCredit is a card designed specifically for your health and cosmetic needs. CareCredit is one of the best plastic surgery financing options available and can help you move forward with getting the plastic surgery procedure you’ve always wanted. The credit card has monthly payment options, no up-front costs, and no prepayment penalties, so you can get your plastic surgery procedure done sooner. CareCredit is а credit card exclusively for healthcare services, and it is increasingly popular as a plastic surgery financing option. It has low monthly payment every time you use it, and you can use your card over and over for follow-up appointments or different plastic surgery procedures. For example, you can use CareCredit again and again for Botox®, injectables and laser treatments, or for plastic surgery procedures such as: face lift, breast augmentation, liposuction and many others.
Check out the benefits of CareCredit:
- Enjoy low minimum monthly payments
- Pay no up-front costs or prepayment penalties
Paying for Plastic Surgery with Cryptocurrency & Bitcoin
Aristocrat Plastic Surgery & MedAesthetics is unique as far as plastic surgery practices in that we accept Bitcoin & Ethereum as a form of payment for all surgical procedures. Aristocrat also has the distinct pleasure in being the only plastic and cosmetic surgery practice on Long Island to accept this form of payment.
Cryptocurrency is a digital form of online currency that can be traded and applied toward purchases from select merchants. Blockchain-related cryptocurrency has grown in popularity since its inception in 2008 as one of the leading forms of digital payment and serves as the public transaction of the cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Cryptocurrency is the perfect option to use for payment if you’re looking to have a procedure.
Here are some explanations of cryptocurrency and how they work:
Blockchain
Blockchain is a digital ledger in which cryptocurrency transactions are electronically and publicly recorded. A timestamp, transaction data and record chain is linked to all online cryptocurrency transactions and has all the technology in place to resist any modification to the data. Therefore, all cryptocurrency transactions are completely safe and trackable.
Bitcoin
Since its launch in 2009, Bitcoin has been the world’s leading form of online peer-to-peer digital fund transfer system. Bitcoin is a form of digital currency that uses encryption techniques to regulate units of currency and verify the transfer of electronic funds, operating independently from a central digital bank. Transactions using Bitcoin value as a form of payment, and funds are authorized and transferred digitally while included in the block chain. Bitcoin funds may also be transferred to US dollars privately, if you wish to make a cash payment.
Ethereum
Ethereum a younger form of digital currency in the block chain, having been released in 2015. Since its launch, Ethereum has become the second largest cryptocurrency provider in the world, just behind the leader, Bitcoin. Ethereum is an open-source, public, blockchain-based platform and operating system that includes the smart contract functionality feature. This allows for the transfer of funds through the trusted Ethereum software to ensure users spend their digital money safely online.
Never Sacrifice Quality When It Comes To Your Beauty
Whenever you are considering undergoing any type of plastic surgery, cosmetic surgery, reconstructive surgery, or even non-invasive surgery, you want to have the most thoroughly trained and qualified surgeons and nurses attending to your needs.
Age-appropriate surgery and effective beauty therapy can help you look younger, healthier and full of vitality, and make you feel more confident. And the quality of care you get from your first consultation with Dr. Tehrani to the last day of your recovery therapy period is the ultimate expression of commitment to each and every patient and their needs.
Don’t sacrifice your beauty and the goals you have for yourself for a cheap solution. Come in to Aristocrat Plastic Surgery & MedAesthetics in New York or Long Island for state-of-the-art treatments and long-term strategies designed specifically for you.
Top plastic surgeon Dr. Kevin Tehrani is the founder and director of Aristocrat Plastic Surgery & MedAesthetics. He values reaching the highest levels of achievement in reconstructive and plastic surgical training, continuing education and clinical experience. Your comprehensive consultation will be exceedingly informative, clear, balanced and there will be plenty of opportunity to discuss all your concerns. We consider ourselves to be the best option that New York plastic surgery can offer!