Breast Augmentation Cost: Factors That Affect Your Surgery Price and How to Budget
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Among all the plastic surgeries that are performed on many women to rejuvenate their bodies and gain self-confidence, breast augmentation is one of them. Women might undergo breast augmentation for one of several reasons, including preference, changes caused by aging, pregnancy, or weight loss.
Breast augmentation (by increasing the size of the breast) is possible in women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer or other conditions to restore the breast shape and size. It’s a highly personal choice, and every woman’s decision-making is subjective to her personal preference and life circumstances.
Below, we’ll discuss the breast augmentation cost and how you can properly budget for your surgery.
Breast Augmentation Cost: 5 Key Factors to Consider
1. Type of Implants
This will affect the overall price of your breast augmentation procedure, depending on the material, production, and surgical degree of the implants you will be implanting. There are two main categories of breast implants: saline and silicone, each at a different price.
Silicone implants cost a little more than saline implants. This is because silicone implants are more expensive to make. They are filled with a firm gel that looks and feels exactly like natural breast tissue.
The gel is thinner and requires higher machinery to make and encapsulate, and is therefore more expensive. Also, silicone implants require additional attention during the surgery, and can require a more delicate surgery, thus raising the cost.
Saline implants, by contrast, are injected with sterile salt water and easier to produce. They are thinner and easier to form, and therefore cheaper than silicone implants. But, because saline implants are less expensive, they don’t appear and behave the same as silicone implants, so there are some patients who will prefer silicone at a higher cost.
2. Surgical Facility and Anesthesia Fees
The costs of surgery and anesthesia contribute significantly to the total cost of breast augmentation as they directly correlate to the resources, tools, and expertise that are involved in performing the procedure. The surgical center where the surgery is performed will affect the cost in terms of location, qualification, and the scope of services provided. The more quality, safe surgical hospitals, or surgical centers accredited by the FDA tend to charge higher prices because of their equipment, clean rooms, and trained personnel.
These hospitals ensure that the procedure is performed in a secure, clean, well-equipped environment, thus making them expensive to use. Anesthesia costs are another important part of the surgical costs. For most breast augmentations, the surgery is done under general anaesthesia, which causes the patient to remain unconscious during the procedure.
The drugs are costly, but so is the anaesthesia provided by a qualified nurse anaesthetist who gives the anaesthetic and watches the patient. It is also related to how much surgery and how long the procedure takes. Longer or more complex surgeries are also more expensive to anaesthetise because the surgeon is required to stay awake and alert for longer.
The hospital and the anaesthesia fees count as a cost since they measure the standard, safety, and competence needed for the operation. This could include the surgeon’s fees which would account for a large portion of the cost, but you will also have to pay for the facility and anaesthesia costs in order to do it safely and effectively, which can influence the cost of breast augmentation.
3. Pre-Operative and Post-Operative Care
Pre-operative and post-operative care are both key parts of the breast augmentation experience and contribute greatly to the overall cost of the procedure. These phases make sure the procedure is safe, that patients recover, and that the outcomes are optimal, which is why they are part of the price.
Pre-operative treatment consists of the examination, tests, imaging, and any tests that must be done to make sure the patient is healthy and appropriate for surgery. These might include blood tests, mammograms, or other diagnostic imaging to check the state of the breasts and ensure that the patient’s body is healthy for surgery.
Depending on the type of surgery you’re having, the surgeon will also tell you how to prepare for it, what to take, how long to fast, any lifestyle changes that might affect healing. These tests and preparations usually amount to a percentage of the surgical price.
Similarly, after-care is critical because it deals with healing, preventing complications, and tracking the outcomes after the surgery. It involves follow-up visits to detect any infection, monitor healing, and verify the placement of the implants. Patients can also receive pain relief and antibiotics to stop infection, as well as compression clothes or bras to support healing.
Occasionally, complications, like implant displacement or capsular contracture, might require additional surgeries or treatments that add to the price.
4. Type of Procedure
Depending on which method you use for breast augmentation, the complexity, technique, and time of different surgeries is a big factor in deciding the cost. There are different costs depending on the type of implant, incision, and additional surgeries.
For instance, the most common types of breast augmentation are those that implant over or under the muscle of the chest (sub-glandular vs. sub-muscular). The submuscular placement, where the implant is placed beneath the muscle, is generally more involved and time consuming, and can increase the cost of the surgery.
This method typically gives you a more natural appearance, although it may involve more dissection and more recovery time, and can result in an additional surgical cost. Another element influencing cost is the incision itself.
There are several ways to make an incision, for example under the breast (inframammary), around the areola (periareolar), or under the armpit (trans-axillary). Less simple incision techniques like the periareolar or trans-axillary procedure might demand more skill and care, and hence be more expensive because of the complexity of the surgery.
The inframammary incision is less invasive and sometimes cheaper, but the cost remains variable based on the surgeon’s expertise and other associated factors. In some instances, additional surgeries accompany breast augmentation, including a breast lift (mastopexy) or fat transfer for volume or correction of asymmetry.
These two-step procedures take longer in the operating room, involve more surgical expertise, and may use more costly supplies, raising the overall price of the operation.
5. Additional Costs
Add-ons also play a key role in the total cost of breast augmentation, since they reflect many costs that are necessary and may not be included in the base surgical cost. These fees, although critical for making sure the procedure is successful and the patient recovers, can pile up quickly and influence the final price of the procedure.
Patient fees might, for example, cover pre-surgery consultations, medical tests, and mammograms to ensure the patient is healthy and that there are no hidden complications. These evaluations, while required for safety, are typically billed separately and included in the fee.
Even post-operative treatment incurs a surcharge. When patients are back from surgery, they need re-visits to check their wounds and address any issues. As the body heals, patients may require pain medications, antibiotics to keep infections at bay, and dressings such as compression bras or surgical slings to speed up recovery.
These items are a secondary cost, but essential for a successful recovery.
Breast Augmentation Cost: How to Budget
Your breast augmentation is something you need to prepare to budget for. The breast augmentation cost is contingent on the surgeon’s fees, implant option, site, anaesthesia, and hospital fees.
Request a few surgeon’s quotes and study them as prices differ from surgeon to surgeon based on experience, location, and reputation. If you are asking for estimates, break down all the expenses like surgeon’s fees, anaesthesia, hospital fees, implants, post-op care, etc. This way you will know what you are getting and not end up paying extra.
Second, think about any additional expenses, including pre-op consultation, medication, and after-treatment wear such as compression bras, follow-up appointments, and revision surgeries if complications arise. Make sure you account for any financing options too, as a lot of surgeons offer payment plans or third-party financing.
Last but not least, consider any travel or lodging costs if you’re going to have surgery outside your community. Breast augmentation may be expensive, but budgeting early will reduce the stress and make sure you have enough money for all of the procedures.
Breast Augmentation Cost: FAQ
1. How much does breast augmentation cost?
Depending on many factors, breast augmentation cost varies based on the surgeon’s qualifications, location, implants, and hospital. Depending on the area, a breast augmentation surgery costs £7,500 or more on average. That amount generally covers the surgeon’s fee, anesthesia, facility charges, and any basic post-operative care.
2. Why is breast augmentation so expensive?
The cost varies depending on factors such as the surgeon’s experience and reputation, the extent of the surgery, the type of implant, and the geographic area of the surgery. Doctors in larger cities or more expensive living environments charge more. In addition, advanced surgeries, such as fat grafting or a breast lift with augmentation will cost more.
3. Is breast augmentation covered by health insurance?
For the most part, breast augmentation is not covered by health insurance as it is an elective cosmetic procedure. But, if the procedure is medically necessary, like when the breast is rebuilt after a mastectomy, the insurance can cover some or all of the expense.
4. Do you have financing for breast augmentation?
There are many surgical facilities that provide financing to help patients afford breast augmentation surgery. Medical loans or payment plans can be offered that let you pay for the surgery over time. Make sure you ask your surgeon about financing when you visit.