If you are considering plastic surgery in Denver, CO, you may wonder if higher prices for plastic surgery really give better results. Is this just a social perception? Furthermore, why is cosmetic surgery so expensive in the first place? Why are there large cost disparities between plastic surgery practices even within the same city?
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What drives your plastic surgery cost?
According to our very own Dr. Paul Steinwald, many different aspects determine your plastic surgery cost in Denver and throughout the United States, including:
- Overhead: In areas where commercial real estate costs are higher, you will see higher prices for cosmetic procedures. (We can all believe that the cost of a facelift will be more expensive in New York City compared to Salt Lake City, right?)
- Salaries: A well-trained, experienced medical and administrative staff will cost more than an inexperienced team.
- Technology: The cost of technology, such as liposuction machines and lasers, will affect your overall price tag.
- Equipment maintenance: The cost of maintaining all operating room equipment, such as anesthesia machines, operating tables, lights, and so on will affect your cost.
- Surgeon’s experience: The amount of time a surgeon has been practicing, their training, and experience factor into overall costs.
The complexity of your surgery matters too. The more complicated the surgery, the more time you’ll be in the operating room and the higher the facility fees.
Which factor affects the price the most?
Generally, the factor that causes the most variation in procedure pricing is the surgeon’s age or the amount of time the surgeon has been practicing.
Dr. Steinwald explains, “I tend to look at how difficult the surgery is and price according to that. Others look at how much they think they’re worth per hour. Surgeons who are at a point in their careers where they have built a name for themselves, which in their minds demands more money for each surgery, may be able to work less.”
But, how much more money does the surgeon charge before we call them “greedy”? Most competitively priced surgeons argue that inflated egos can get in the way of determining fair pricing to patients.
Does a higher price mean better results?
The Aesthetic Society and RealSelf track national averages of plastic surgery procedures as well as the average cost of surgery procedures in your area.
However, on RealSelf I found the cost disparity of $5,000 to $32,000 for a full facelift. This radical finding circles us back to the first question: Do higher-priced procedures really give better results, or is this just a social perception? We looked to our own Dr. Steven Vath for answers to these questions.
Dr. Vath states that you can have both good and not-so-good results with a higher-priced surgery. He argues, however, that double or triple the national average is exorbitant. So, how do surgeons with outrageous prices stay busy? Dr. Vath theorizes that oftentimes patients get caught up in a “placebo effect,” thinking that more money equals better results.
What about free consultations?
Recently, we had a patient in for a consultation who was quite surprised that we do not charge a consultation fee. She was almost put off by it, asking, “Isn’t the surgeon’s time worth something?” While yes, it is true that a potential patient is taking a surgeon’s time in this process, the patient is also using his or her own valuable time to meet with the surgeon.
At CCS, we don’t charge for consultations because Dr. Wolfe, Dr. Vath, Dr. Steinwald, Dr. Freeman, and Dr. Cunningham urge patients not to go price shopping but rather surgeon shopping. We understand that a patient will meet with an average of 3 surgeons before deciding who will ultimately perform the procedure. By charging for a consultation, we feel that it is just putting up a roadblock for a potential patient to find the surgeon who is the best fit.
Is a cosmetic surgeon the same as a board-certified plastic surgeon?
No! There is a HUGE difference between a “cosmetic surgeon” and a board-certified plastic surgeon. And when comparing surgeons, you want to make sure you are comparing apples to apples.
A board-certified plastic surgeon must complete medical school from an accredited program and at least 6 years of additional training as a resident surgeon (at least 3 of which are focused entirely on plastic surgery). They then must pass the stringent oral and written examinations administered by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, the only aesthetic surgery board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties.
We explain more about the differences between a board-certified plastic surgeon and a cosmetic surgeon on our dedicated page, Choosing a Surgeon.
What are important considerations when choosing a surgeon?
No matter what income level you are at, plastic surgery is a big investment. Go into this process knowing that spending more money doesn’t necessarily mean getting a better result. If you are considering plastic surgery, do not allow price, whether it be low, middle range, or high, to be your No. 1 determining issue. Make sure you consider the following factors:
- Surgeon’s training
- Average cost of plastic surgery procedures within your zip code
- Surgeon’s before-and-after pictures online
- Surgeon’s unsolicited patient reviews
- How you feel about the surgeon and their staff during your consultation
Do not be afraid to ask questions related to price. At The Center for Cosmetic Surgery, we believe that fairness and transparency always lead to a happier patient-surgeon relationship. To get started, use our online form to request a consultation or call us at (303) 278-2600 to book an appointment.
Kari Roland, Patient Counselor
Very nicely written and well explained. Must say that it will teach masses about plastic surgery.
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