Cosmetic surgery involves many variables, and our role as a buyer is complex because even though we get quotes for the same procedure from different surgeons, we are not necessarily buying the same thing. If we are buying a certain model of car, we can wisely decide to buy from dealers: price is the only variable. With cosmetic surgery, there are ways to cut costs, but as the saying goes, if lower fees mean lower safety standards, then our best interests are really not being considered. Have our motto “buyer beware”.

Make sure our fee quote describes what procedures you will have, ideally in plain language so we can knowledgeably compare one quote to another.

Cosmetic surgery costs break down as follows:

Surgeon professional fees: Unlike internists and general practitioners, surgeons do not charge for individual visits. Most surgeons charge us a fee for the surgery itself and include all fees before or after surgery. You are likely in an apples vs. oranges situation: a surgeon’s fee is lower because the technique he recommends reduces surgical time and attendant costs, but provides a different result. For example, a skin-only facelift is less expensive and takes less time to perform, but it doesn’t last as long as a standard facelift.

Operating room fees: Whether we have surgery in the hospital, in the surgery center, or in a surgery room based on a face lift, we pay a fee to use that space. Surgery in an accredited hospital or freestanding ambulatory surgery center typically costs more than surgery in a certified office operating room.

In general, non-certified office-based operating suites are the least expensive, but for good reason. The non-certified operating room has a wide range of expensive monitoring and safety equipment. They must meet costly staffing requirements and keep expensive emergency medications on hand. If we are in a crisis situation, having a highly trained surgical team with everything necessary to handle our problem can make a difference. I don’t think saving money here can be interpreted as a smart purchase.

Anesthesia: Our anesthesia provider is generally determined by where we perform our surgery: our surgeon if the surgery is in his office or the hospital or surgery center. Costs for physician anesthesiologists or certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) are about the same and their safety records are comparable. Given the similarity in cost, anesthesiologists because they have more extensive education and training under their belts and because there is scientific evidence that anesthesiologists are more effective in the event of a medical crisis during surgery.

Certainly, we can save money if our surgeon or his nurse sedates us (instead of administering anesthesia), but depending on our procedure, eliminating the cost of an outside anesthesia provider can also compromise our safety.