Money things to remember when planning your plastic surgery

Have you been thinking about undergoing cosmetic surgery to improve your inner wellness or even your health? If you are, then, you are probably curious about the costs. Cosmetic procedures can add up quickly and become costly. Most, however, are more than happy to pay the cost. So where to start? Can you afford or finance your procedures?

How to get started

An easy go-to to start is a simple internet search. Your findings will be to your region set to your search engine, but you can go to your settings to change the region and country if you want to look up costs in other places around the world. I recommend you do! Prices for different procedures in reputable countries with excellent surgeons can vary greatly! Places like Turkey, South Korea, and the USA will have competitive prices in different categories and are all top contenders for cosmetic surgeries. South Korea has the most cosmetic surgeries performed per capita in the world. It could save you money to travel; it also gives you a convenient event if you’re trying to keep your procedure private.

Location Location Location

Now, standard internet search will give you some baseline or average costs. Once you get an idea for cost per region/country, I suggest getting in touch with a few clinics personally to see their individual rates. For foreign countries, enlist the help of concierge services (like Shin Medical). The consultations are generally FREE! This will give you an even better idea of the prices of clinics you'd be willing to have work on you.

Health Insurance?

Okay, so now you have an idea of prices in your desired locations. Next, I would take a look at your health insurance. Generally speaking, cosmetic surgeries are not covered, but there are some instances in which you may be able to classify it under a health procedure for coverage like reconstructive surgery or breast reduction. So it is worth it to check.  

Support and Advice Groups

Once you have an idea of how much you will need to pay out of pocket. Dig in, join support groups on social media. There are a ton of FB support groups. You can post your desired doctors, cost, etc. and people are more than happy to provide you with firsthand experiences about price, bedside manner and advice on how they funded their procedures. They are also great for before and afters and dealing with post-op pain and trusting the process!

Start Saving Eary On

Many will tell you (and I agree), the best way to fund a surgery is to start saving early and pay upfront if you are responsible for the full cost with a check or card. If you do not have everything upfront, you can inquire about payment plans with your clinic. Many have them for a set time leading up to your procedure date with having the last payment before your procedure. 

Credit Card?

Of course, you can pay with your credit card or take out a loan. These are the riskiest options and you should proceed with caution. CareCredit is a popular option among many that go this route. Be sure to read all the fine details and be sure to be realistic with yourself as interest rates and late fees may apply.

So remember, start your research early and do not limit where! Once you have some options in mind, look into their payment options and pick the best for you. Invest in yourself; you deserve it!