Your Questions

Q: Hi, I’m interested in getting a buttocks lift with the fat injection procedure. I am currently a student and therefore do not have a lot of money, I’ d like to know if you offer payment plan options and, if so, what would be an approximate monthly payment. Thank you.

A: Fat injections are one of the two options for buttock augmentation. Often referred to as a buttock lift or the Brazilian buttock lift, it ‘lifts’ the buttocks by adding volume and expanding the buttock skin. Probably calling it a lift is a bit of an exaggeration. It is really a buttock augmentation, any lifting is purely coincidental.

As for financing of any cosmetic procedure, there are few if any plastic surgeon’s and their practices that would directly do the financing. Many patient’s ask about whether we finance and it is an understandable question. But plastic surgeon’s are not experts in banking or lending and therefore do not do it directly. It is also not prudent to provide a non-returnable service upfront and then hope to be paid until completion later. For this reason, plastic surgeons use outside financing companies to which they refer their cosmetic patients. There are numerous ones and each plastic surgery practice has one or two that they have had good experience using. In my Indianapolis plastic surgery practice, we have used many over the years and currently use Care Credit. Once patients have the quote for surgery, they can go online and see if they qualify. They have many different financing options which allows patients to choose the length of the loan and their monthly payment.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana

Q:  Hello, I recently had a consultation with a plastic surgeon in Indianapolis for rhinoplasty and breast augmentation. The doctor told me that I could have both procedures for a low price as long as I did not finance it. I felt the Doctor was not personable. I have looked at your before & after photos and wanted to know if you would discount the procedures if I paid without financing.

A: Financing of elective cosmetic surgery procedures today is extremely common. While once accounting for about 5% of cosmetic surgeries in the United States in 2000, that number is approximating near 40% in 2010 based on my practice experience. While financing has been a boon to plastic surgeons in general, there is a surcharge from the financing company to do it and some of that comes out of the plastic surgeon’s fee. A similar issue applies to credit cards which extracts about a 3% surcharge.

For these reasons, there is always a financial benefit in most plastic surgeon’s offices if a patient can handle paying for their cosmetic surgery without financing. That would be true for just about any other business as well so this not unique to plastic surgery.

When combined cosmetic procedures are done, it is also common practice to provide some discount over what those procedures would be if they were done separately. For this reason, it is always best to combine as many procedures as you desire in a single surgery. This is not only more efficient from a  recovery standpoint but financially as well.   

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis Indiana

Q: I’ve had a consultation and qouted prices for surgeries. However I wanted to know if Dr. Eppley particiapates in the Doctors Say Yes finance program. I am willing to do this however only if I’m able to use a good reputable plastic surgeon like Dr. Eppley. Please let me know if he is apart of this type of finance. Thank you for your time.

A: The use of financing for cosmetic surgery, whether it is done through separate financing companies or using one’s own credit cards, is common practice. I would estimate that up to 30% to 40% of cosmetic surgeries across the United States are now financed in some fashion. That is a far cry from what it was a mere decade ago where estimated numbers were around 5%. This obviously reflects the national trend toward financed luxury purchases in general as well as the greater demand for cosmetic surgery. Over the years, my practice has used a variety of financing programs which now number into the dozens. We have had both good and bad experiences with them in terms of ease of use, financing terms, and the ability to get patients actually financed. Currently we use Care Credit as our primary referral for cosmetic surgery financing. They have worked out to be the best in terms of approvals, finance terms, and ease of use for both our office and the patients to work with. I am not saying they are absolutely the best as we have not worked with every single financing agency out there. Just that in our financing experience, they have worked out the best for both the patient and ourselves.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana

Q: I would like some information about facelifts.  Do you do lower face/neck lifts.? How much is the average facelift?  Do you have financing for facelift procedures?

A: Very detailed information on facelift surgery can be found on my blog, www.exploreplasticsurgery.com. Just search under facelift and more than 50 articles on various aspects of facelift surgery will come up on the topic. From what a facelift is and its different types, to how it affects the facial aging process and how long they last, and to recovery and postoperative instructions after a facelift are covered in detail in these articles.

The cost of a facelift can range from $5500 to $9500 depending on the type of facelift done. More limited facelifts, like Lifestyle Lifts cost less while more complex full facelifts cost more.

All facelifts are really neck-jowl lifts and affect only the lower third of the face. It is a common misconception that it is a procedure that treats the entire face, from the forehead down to the neck. Many facelifts are done at the samed time as other facial procedures such as blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), browlift, rhinoplasty and chin augmentation.

The financing of cosmetic surgery is common and many companies offer this service. Plastic surgeons essentually act as referral sources to these companies as both a service and convenience to their patients. One of the most popular is Care Credit although there are many others. Plastic surgeons do not offer the financing directly but provide needed financial information so that you can apply.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana

Q: I am wanting to get liposuction and a tummy tuck and I have learned that it is quite expensive. Do people generally pay cash, out right? What financing options are available?

A:  Elective cosmetic plastic surgery is not inexpensive and many people considering it do require some financial assistance. While the concept of financing plastic surgery was once rare, it is not quite common. I have read estimates that in 2000 the number of patients that financed surgery was 5%. Today that number is closer to 40% and growing. For these patients, financing could be the only means to afford their desired plastic surgery procedures.

Most, if not all, plastic surgeons are very familiar with a patient’s request to finance their surgery. This is an everyday event in any busy plastic surgeon’s practice. While the plastic surgeon’s office can assist and guide you through the financing process, plastic surgeons do not directly loan money for surgery. Nor  do they work out a payment plan so that one can have surgery and then pay out off the plastic surgeon over time.  That requires a financing company or back (not usually the best) to work with you to develop the loan amount, interest, and a repayment schedule. Most plastic surgeons are signed up with financing programs that allow you to directly apply to and get very quick responses.  Like a car or appliance purchase, you need to think about making monthly payments over a given period of time 

There are a large number of companies offering plastic surgery financing. In my Indianapolis plastic surgery practice, we use Care Credit and My Surgery Loans, for example. But there are many other options out there that offer medical loans. Simply google the term ‘plastic surgery finiancing’ and a plethora of them will appear. These medical loans are not necessarily based on the procedure you are considering but on a dollar amount. You can then select the procedure you want to have, and depending on your credit ratings, you could be granted different interest terms.

When considering financing plastic surgery, there are three (and potentially four) costs that you need to be aware of. These include the surgeon’s fee, operating room charges, the anesthesiologist’s fee (if general anesthesia is used), and implant charges. (if some form of an implant is being used) Make sure you know all of the fees that will be required of your procedure so you don’t inadvertently get a loan that is not adequate. Your plastic surgeon should give you an estimate (quote) for all the costs of your procedure. Get a consultation and written quote before you ever finance. Do not take the estimated costs off of a website or some verbal exchange.

 Lastly, like all financial and legal documents,  double check the agreement terms, interest rates and re-payment time before signing at the dotted line.

Dr. Barry Eppley