Breast augmentation is one of the commonly performed procedures in plastic surgery done for cosmetic reasons. Basically it serves to improve the profile and appearance of breasts that exhibit signs of aging or undesirable changes after child bearing. But one of the initial questions you might naturally have is, how much does breast augmentation cost?
A breast augmentation procedure is a surgical one, and while there are intricate variations depending on the type of implant used and other factors, typically the entire process progresses in 3 distinct stages:
- Consultations – it is safe to say that this is the most important phase of the entire process because this is where you will sit with your doctor and make all the important decisions regarding the surgery. These involve to what extent you want the surgery to enhance the profile of your breasts, what kind of anesthesia you would want to have administered and so forth. In this phase the doctor may also ask you to undergo some basic routine tests such as a mammogram and CBC; make sure you find out whether or not the cost for these is included in the final total for the entire procedure.
- Post-op care – after the surgery you are likely to be kept under facility care for about 2 hours that is until the anesthesia wears off. During this period you will be monitored for signs of complications and briefed about the basics of caring for breasts implants.
- Surgery – this phase begins with cleaning of the area to be incised, administration of anesthesia and making incision marks. The type of incision that the doctor will make depends on your specific anatomy.
The common four types of incision are:
- Periareolar – around the nipple
- Inframammary – under the breast tissue in the inframammary crease
- Transaxillary – under the armpit
- Transumbilical – through the bellybutton
After this the surgeon will create a pocket in to which your choice of implant type will be inserted. Three positions where implants are commonly inserted are:
- Subglandular – above the pectoral muscles
- Partial submuscular – partially deep to the muscles
- Complete submuscular – completely deep to the muscles
Types Of Breast Implants And Their Costs
One of the most important things that influences the total cost of breast augmentation procedures is the type of implant you chose to have inserted, and one method you can use to research what types of implants might be appropriate for you is by looking at some before and after breast augmentation photos. Types of implants include the following:
- Low, moderate or high profile implants
- Textured or smooth implants
- Round or teardrop shaped implants
- Manufacturing company; Allergan or Mentor
- Implant fill; saline or silicone
From the above list, the implant fill is what will affect the cost the most; saline filled implants typically cost about $1000 while silicone implants are generally priced at around $1300.
Break Down Of A Breast Augmentation Cost
The total breast augmentation cost is a combination of the surgeon’s fee, fee for facility care, anesthetic’s fee and other hidden costs. While the average cost for this procedure with saline implants amounts to $3,583 and $4,005 with silicone implants, the cost varies dramatically from $5,000 to $15,000 depending on the extent of your surgery, the expertise level of the surgeon and the facility you wish to have the surgery done at. The break done of this average cost of breast augmentation is as follows:
- Surgeon ‘s fee — $3,700
- Facility fee — $900
- Anesthesia — $700
- Post op care and medications — $150
- Pre-op tests during consultation phase – mammogram from $35 (with insurance) and $120 (without insurance), CBC which costs about $20.
Financing Options
Most insurance companies will cover breast augmentation done for reconstructive purposes but the cost of cosmetic breast augmentation must usually be borne entirely by the patient. There are some health care facilities that offer patients a model release form that permits them to post before and after pictures of them in exchange for a good discount.