Cost of Plastic Surgery

Regarding self pays: How much did it cost and what exactly did you have done? I'm looking at a lower body lift, thigh lift, breast lift and arm lift. I'm curious the breakdown for each.

And if you were lucky enough to get insurance to pay, what records did you have to provide? 

Each surgeon will have his or her own price they can vary by quite a lot.  If you go to realself.com you can get a general price range of each procedure and how and what insurance covers...A lot has to do with what part of the country you live in and if you are having more than one procedure done at once, so you can get a multi surgery discount.  For me I went to a wonderful board certified surgeon that I actually found on the site, realself, who just happens to be located 5 miles south of the border from San Diego, where I flew into.  The prices were great as well as the outcome I received... You can check my profile to see some of the work I have had done. and find out more about my surgeon there also...

11/2012 I had an extended TT with lipo and fat injections into my butt.. that cost a little over $15000.

A week ago yesterday I had an arm lift, breast lift with augment.. I opened for the "gummy bear" implants (cohesive gel) as well as laser of my neck/chin area to tighten the skin (addressing the area under my chin, wasnt bad enough for surgery but bothers me) and cost a little over 16000$.

My insurance specifically excludes covering any reconstructive surgeries post WLS so everything is self pay.

I am hoping next year to have a thigh lift and that will be the last PS for me!

It really varies widely by what part of the country you're in.  Prices in Dallas (all inclusive except for pain meds):

LBL $13,500

Thigh $8,500

Breast lift with extended arm reduction $13,000

Stage 1 - tummy tuck, one night in care center, ambulance transport, hospital OR, general anesthesia, surgeon's fees $7k

Stage 2 - convert TT to an LBL, extended arm lift, breast lift, long incision medial thigh lift, 4 nights in a care center, ambulance transport, hospital OR, general anesthesia, surgeons fee, $18k

facial plastic surgery: face lift, neck lift, SMAS to tear troughs, chin implant, filler, upper eye lid lift, lip lift, in office OR, twilight sedation, surgeons fee $15k

I just had a Fleur De Lis abdominoplasty and pannilectomy, mons repair, rectus muscle repair. surgery was Tuesday went home Thursday. Insurance paid 100%.  I had documentation of nystatin powder being prescribed to me for rashes under my panni.  I am going for thighplasty next as I am noticing rashes and am taking pictures and documenting them as well as my breast for a breast reduction as I do have grooves in my shoulders and redness. I am also experiencing rashes on my arms as well.  I will discuss all this with my PS tomorrow during my follow up to see what he wants me to do.  He is also wanting to do my back region which I am not sure what that is called

I paid $7500 for my neck/face lift.  I was able to get insurance to pay for the extended thigh lift.  My PCP reported I had rashes and tissue breakdown.  My PS took photo's of my thighs and sent them off and I was approved and totally surprised.

I was self pay since Medicare would not pay for the 2 procedures. I have one more planned. I had to be hospitalized rather have these in the plastic surgery surgical center.

good luck with your decision.

Here's a link to Dr Sauceda price page.  As you combine procedures, the price goes down.  Dr Sauceda will provide you with a quote when you send him pics showing your front, side, back, side and close up of your face if you are looking for a facelift too.  Facelift is generally done 2-4 days after your body work.  I had a LBL, BL, arms and sm thigh lift on a Thur and a full facelift neck & upper and lower lids the following Monday.  2 years later went back for an upper body lift.  Most stay 12 days in Monterrey.  His price is all-inclusive - clinic, surgery, hotel.  You are responsible for your food after to go back to the hotel.  The hotel provides breakfast.  You can read about our journey's in Dr Sauceda's group here on OH.  Click on Dr Sauceda in my siggy line.

I do see that patients are looking to Mexico for their plastic surgery. Yes, it can be done there and successfully but not always and that is where problems can occur for patients both medically and financially as well as there is no recourse. Please read innumerable cases such occurring. It really makes very little sense to try and save an extra thousand or so dollars and potentially risk much more! Unfortunately, I have and continually see bad surgical results, ie misplaced scars, bad scars, unevenness, unhappiness from patients that have gone out of the country. I see them for revisional surgery which can involve more surgery than initial ones.

As President of the American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons, I am continually working to have these procedures covered by insurance which hopefully will avoid problems seen by unscrupulous and less than competent physicians with little training in plastic and reconstructive surgery. I might add that I nor other plastic surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery always get fantastic results but a patient has taken and gotten some assurance that they will have a successful and pleasing outcome for themselves!