If you are thinking about having breast implants, you will need to focus on two vital concerns: the cost of a breast implant procedure, and the skill and experience of your plastic surgeon.
A number of factors must be considered when you seek a breast augmentation surgeon, and a number of other considerations must go into determining the cost of breast implant surgery.
Keep reading, and you’ll learn more about those factors and considerations.
How much do breast implant procedures cost? Because we are all different, there is no way that a cosmetic surgeon can give you a cost estimate before examining you and consulting with you.
Still, we can start by looking at some basic, average figures. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the average cost of breast implant surgery in 2016 was $3,719 for the surgeon’s fee alone, not including any of the associated expenses.
WHAT DETERMINES THE COST OF A BREAST IMPLANT PROCEDURE?
For the individual patient, the cost of breast implants can vary widely.
A plastic surgeon’s fee for breast implant surgery will be based on the surgeon’s professional training and his or her surgical experience, the type and cost of breast implants used and a number of other considerations.
Those other considerations may include:
- the patient’s age and overall medical condition
- the ease or difficulty of the procedure
- anesthesiologist’s fees
- hospital or surgical facility costs
- lab fees and medical tests
- post-surgery garments
- post-surgery prescription medicines
When you are determining the cost of your breast implant procedure, be sure that you consider all of these expenses.
Obtain a written proposal for the full cost of the breast implant procedure, and if a plastic surgeon is not entirely straightforward with you about every detail of the fees and expenses, find another one.
HOW DOES BREAST IMPLANT SURGERY (BREAST AUGMENTATION) WORK?
After you are sedated or anesthetized, incisions are made in a way that will minimize visible scarring.
After the incisions are made, a breast implant is inserted into a pocket either under the pectoral muscle or behind the breast tissue.
The incisions are closed with layered sutures, and in time, the incision lines will fade. The results of the surgery will be visible immediately.
A breast implant is filled with saline solution or silicone gel. The saline solution is introduced into the implant by the surgeon, whereas the silicone fill implants come pre-filled from the manufacturer.
Saline-filled breast implants are less costly, but they are firmer to the touch.
Silicone gel breast implants are somewhat costlier, but they are filled with a gel that provides a natural “give” that greatly resembles your own breast tissue.
HOW CAN YOU FIND THE RIGHT PLASTIC SURGEON IN BOSTON?
What is the best way to find an experienced Boston plastic surgeon?
Get recommendations from your other healthcare providers, from friends and acquaintances who have had breast implant surgery and from the internet.
When you have located a couple of good cosmetic surgeons in Boston, meet them face-to-face to find one you like, trust and feel comfortable with.
Do not rush your decision.
It is also imperative to make certain that your plastic surgeon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
Additionally, a breast implant procedure should be conducted only in a surgical facility that is accredited by the Joint Commission or another national accreditation agency.
When you have found a Boston plastic surgeon who will do the job right, have that surgeon address all of your questions and concerns regarding breast implant procedures.
When you obtain a surgical proposal, ask the surgeon directly if it includes all of the costs of breast implant surgery.
You should also review your health insurance coverage before you seek a breast implant procedure.
WHAT ARE YOUR PAYMENT OPTIONS FOR BREAST IMPLANT SURGERY?
Most health insurance plans will not cover cosmetic breast implant surgery, but several financing options are available for the procedure.
Some programs offer low-interest rates so that a patient can pay off the total quickly, and most plastic surgeons in the Boston area are willing to work with their patients and offer them several ways to pay.
Most plastic surgeons will also accept payments by credit card.
The most common long term risk with breast implant placement is the need for revisional surgery.
A small number of patients who receive breast implants will need or request a revision surgery within a decade.
The most common revisionary surgeries are performed to change the breast implant size, to replace a ruptured implant, or to re-position a breast implant.
Sometimes a “scar shell” develops around an implant, warping the shape and requiring a correction.
A breast implant patient should understand that you might lose feeling in your nipples after the breast implant procedure.
A loss of sensation in the nipples can occur whenever any surgery is performed on the breasts.
The degree of that loss of sensation will hinge on a variety of factors, but in an overwhelming number of patients the sensation will return on its own.
AFTER BREAST IMPLANT SURGERY, WHAT MUST A PATIENT DO?
You must not use aspirin or any anti-inflammatory drugs while you recover from breast implant surgery. Discuss with your plastic surgeon which over-the-counter medicines you must avoid.
Be sure that you completely understand all of your doctor’s recommendations, whether it’s about your medications, post-surgical hygiene, or any other aspect of your recuperation.
Take the time to ask your surgeon any questions that you have and to get the answers that you need.
Most patients will have to miss only five to seven days from work for a breast implant procedure. Plan your recuperation period and make your expectations realistic.
Most breast implant patients heal quickly and naturally, so the most important thing you can do after breast implant surgery is to relax.
You may not feel your best after seven days, but you will be able to return to work unless your job requires manual labor.
In the New England region, to learn more about breast implants and breast implant procedures, and to find out if breast implants are right for you, arrange for a consultation with a top Boston plastic surgeon who can discuss your surgical needs and your breast implant options.
Now that you know the basics about breast implants and their cost, have an accomplished cosmetic surgeon explain how these basics will apply to your own breast implant procedure.