In 2021 alone, Americans spent over $14.6 billion on aesthetic plastic surgery. These include surgical procedures, such as breast augmentation and tummy tucks. Others were non-surgical, including laser treatments for hair and skin.
With such high spending, you may wonder if you can afford the cost of plastic surgery. How much does it cost on average, anyway? Will insurance help pay for it?
Below, we’ll discuss the most crucial facts you need to know about plastic surgery costs, so read on.
Average Cost of Plastic Surgery Procedures
The average cost of plastic surgery ranges from slightly less than $200 to over $8,000. That’s according to the latest (2020) American Society of Plastic Surgeons report.
The lowest-cost procedures, such as microdermabrasion and laser treatments, are minimally invasive. For example, the average cost of microdermabrasion in 2020 was $167. During the same year, laser treatment for leg veins cost $312, while it was $389 for laser hair removal.
The most expensive are invasive procedures, such as facelifts and tummy tucks. For instance, in 2020, a facelift, also known as a rhytidectomy, had an average price of $8,005. On the other hand, a tummy tuck, also called abdominoplasty, had an average cost of $6,154.
Factors Influencing the Cost of Plastic Surgery
The cost of getting plastic surgery depends on whether it’s invasive or non-invasive.
However, your insurance coverage also influences your treatment’s total cost. If your insurance policy doesn’t cover the procedure, then it’ll cost more since you must foot the bill.
Type of Procedure
Non-invasive or minimally-invasive plastic surgery options cost the least because they’re less complex. As a result, qualified practitioners other than plastic surgeons can perform them. They also have little to no downtime, so you don’t have to worry about high recovery costs.
By contrast, invasive plastic surgery requires the expertise of a licensed surgeon. Surgeons, in turn, have among the highest wages out of all occupations in the U.S.
Invasive reconstructive and cosmetic plastic surgery procedures also often require anesthesia. Unfortunately, like all other medications in the U.S., anesthesia costs a lot. Thus, their use makes surgical procedures even more expensive.
A surgical procedure that requires hospitalization costs more than one that doesn’t. For example, breast reduction, also called mammoplasty, often requires hospital admission. On the other hand, most patients who get a rhinoplasty nose job procedure can go home the same day of the surgery.
Insurance Coverage
Insurance policies may cover the cost of reconstructive plastic surgery. An example is breast reduction after mastectomy for breast cancer. In this case, the law requires insurers to help pay for either or both.
Insurance may also cover procedures aimed at correcting flaws that affect body functions.
For instance, some insurance policies may help pay for blepharoplasty. This procedure removes excess eyelid skin. It may be necessary if the excess skin obscures a patient’s vision.
By contrast, insurance doesn’t cover procedures purely cosmetic in nature.
Schedule a Consultation for Accurate Pricing
As you’ve learned in this guide, the cost of plastic surgery can be as cheap as under $200 or as high as over $8,000. It depends on whether it’s non-invasive or surgical and if your insurance can help pay for it.
All in all, how much you’d pay depends on your plastic surgery needs and goals. Thus, the best way to get accurate pricing is to consult a qualified provider.
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