Every woman wants perkier and fuller breast to look more attractive. To achieve it many methods are applied, one such quick method is breast augmentation surgery.
“Breast augmentation is the process of fat transfer to increase the breast size and achieve a firmer look.”
This procedure is helpful for achieving more proper shape, improving the breast size symmetry and restoring the original volume of the breast that is sometimes lost during pregnancy or after weight loss. Various implant methods have different breast augmentation cost depending on several factors.
How Much does Breast Augmentation Cost Normally?
The usual cost of breast augmentation surgery is about $4000-$5000 on average. The overall breast implant cost can vary depending on the various factors. It is like more sugar you add in tea, sweeter it will taste. According to the 2014 statistics conducted by American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the breast augmentation price was $3708. It doesn’t include another cost that is related to surgery. If we include other factors, the cost of breast implant can vary from $5000 to $10,000.
Why Breast Augmentation Cost Varies?
When a person undergoes some surgery or operation, multiple things are decided before operation like what will be the surgeon’s fees? What will be the additional cost, including all kind of specialized equipment and medicines, etc.? Same is the case with breast augmentation. The cost of breast implants varies due to following multiple factors that are involved during the surgery.
1. Place of Residence
The location of stay is one of the factors that cause a difference in the cost of operation. The society in which we are living is brand and standard conscious. The same thing that we can get from the local market is much cheaper than the one we get from some branded shop. Same is the case with the hospitals nowadays. More reputed and big the hospital is more will be the fees.
2. Choice of Implants
Every implant has different augmentation price. Mainly, there are three kinds of breast implants materials, Saline, Silicone and cohesive silicone implants.
- Both Saline and Silicone implants have a silicone shell. The only difference is in the filling.
- Saline has a filling of sterile saltwater, whereas Silicone contains silicone plastic.
- Both may sound similar, but the silicone implants are very risky because of plastic filling.
Firstly, FDA completely banned the use of Silicon implants but later on in 2006 surgeons started using it again.
- Saline implants are considered to be cost-effective, approximately $800/pair in price.
- On the other hand, Silicone implants costs around $1800/pair.
- The third type of implants, cohesive silicone implants, is also known as “gummy bear” implants because of its soft and chewy nature. Since they are anatomically shaped and are prone to leakage that’s why they are expensive than the other implants.
3. Selection of Surgeon
Another factor that affects the total breast augmentation cost is the Surgeon we choose. More qualified the doctor is, higher the fees will be. Sometimes, people call head specialists from other cities or countries that increase the surgery cost and physician fees as well.
4. Recovery Cost
The recovery cost is not included in the implant cost, it is calculated separately. By recovery cost we mean cost of medications used during the surgery or after the surgery and pre and post-surgery care costs (e.g. room cost, special equipment cost, anesthesia cost, patient’s food cost etc.). Also, the surgeon fees, medical tests and routine checkups held before or after the implant are not included in the breast implant cost. Every hospital has different policies and different prices for this stuff.
5. Combining Two Procedures
The total cost of surgery is also dependent on the procedures you follow for surgery either a single or combining two procedures. The regular surgeon fees for just breast lifting is about $4000-$4500 on average whereas if breast implant is coupled with the breast augmentation, breast lifting price increase up to 12% approximately.
Keep this thing in mind that this is not the total cost. It is exclusive all other expenses like pre and post-surgery care, hospital fees, medicines, medical tests, anesthesia and some other expenditures.
How to Estimate Breast Augmentation Cost?
Many cases can be found in the hospital who complains that the hospital has demanded more money than the decided one and all such stuff. That is because they do not ultimately estimate the cost for the whole process. When you go to a doctor, and he tells you the cost of the implant surgery, keep this thing in mind that it is not the total cost.
The fees that surgeon says includes surgery and surgeon’s fees only. You have to calculate rest of the expenses yourself. The factors described above are the one that demands separate money, and you have to estimate the total surgery cost after adding up the price of all processes individually. It includes:
- Cost of breast implants
The total cost of breast implants also includes the cost of different type of implants. As mentioned before, there are three different kinds of breast augmentation each varying in price.
- Surgery cost
When we say that the cost of surgery, we have to calculate other surgery costs as well not just the operation cost. It includes anesthesia, surgical location and equipment. The cost of these things depends on the hospital as every center has different policies.
- Surgeon Fee
The surgeon fee is always calculated separately. It is not included in the implant cost. The fees of every doctor differ from others. The specialist surgeon may charge thrice the fees as of doctor of some local hospital.
- Medicine Cost
The medications used during the surgery and after surgery are not included in the implant cost. You have to pay for it separately to the administration of the hospital.
- Pre and post-surgery care and medical tests cost
Different expenses like pre and post surgery, post-surgery care, medical test costs, room cost and some equipment cost are needed to be paid separately. Every hospital has different policies and different prices for this stuff.
Cost of Repetition of Surgical procedure for Breast Augmentation
After appointing the best surgeon for breast transplant that has experience of many years you get the proper satisfaction that nothing can go wrong. However, there are certain situations which are not in the hands of doctors. One of them is the age factor. The structure of the body changes with age. But the breast implants remain same; they are not indestructible that can adapt change according to your body. So at some point of life, the people who have gone through breast augmentation, they have to repeat the surgical procedure due to any reason.
Capsular Contracture
Multiple breast implant manufacturing companies present in the market are providing the limited warranties. These warranties include the replacement of an implant in case of breaking or cracking. Therefore, it covers the real part of the re-surgery cost. However, there are certain conditions in which the company does not take the responsibility of surgery cost. One case is of capsular contracture.
In this condition, the scar tissues around the breast implant, start compressing hence affecting the shape of the implant. Though the cause of this capsular condition is still unknown, it is suggested that using the sterile surgical venue and equipment can lower the risk of this condition.
With Ageing
There is another condition in which there is need of a revision of breast augmentation. As the age factor grows, the skin loses its elasticity. Hence, breasts start to lose its firmness and become sagging. This problem is same of every person whether she has undergone breast augmentation or not. The only solution is to go through the breast lifting process either separately or combined with breast augmentation.
When someone chooses to combine a breast lift with a breast implant, then there will be additional fees for new breast augmentation which is quite a huge amount. So, if you decide to go through breast augmentations, then be prepared for another surgery at some time of your life.
How do Breast Implant Warranties Add Value?
Breast implant warranties increase the value to the surgical process in a way that it reduces much of your expenses for the future. Some companies manufacture breast implants with lifetime replacement policies and too free of cost. As discussed above, you might need to revise breast implant due to any reason. So, in that case, it will be profitable for you by protecting you from additional costs down the road.
What are Your Breast Augmentation Financing Options?
When the total breast implant cost is calculated, it often lies between $5000-$10,000 or even more. Spending such a huge amount is not possible for every woman out there. Due to a low budget, some even discard the idea of breast implants. But you don’t need to do that if you think that now is the time to undergo the breast augmentation, then don’t back off. There are multiple financing options that you can consider.
- Though some practices accept credit card, you should find other things associated with it like calculating the interest rates before finalizing.
- Some third-party companies are ready to deal with those people who are not covered by any other insurance companies.
- The other option that has been in a trend nowadays is that the practices are themselves offering financing options that are much reasonable and affordable for a person. If that plan suits your budget, you can go for it.
Before going for financing options, firstly you should be prepared yourself. It will aid in choosing the most suitable plan. Sometimes, the patients decide in a hurry about the financial support even before calculating the total cost of the breast implant. Also, you must be satisfied with the whole process after all you are spending a lot. Nothing is more disappointing than not getting the desired results.
Conclusion
From all the discussion above, it won’t be an understatement to say that breast augmentation is indeed an expensive process. The mistake that most patients make is that they don’t estimate the total breast augmentation cost. Later on, when other expenses are added to the implant surgery price, it reaches to bit higher amount that is not affordable for everyone. As a result, one has to go for the financing option to carry out the expenses of breast augmentation surgery.