The holidays can be a stressful time for most. Getting ready for the holidays can sometimes be a chore. Between cooking, cleaning, decorating, holiday partying, and shopping there can hardly be any time for “me time.” Right? No way! The holidays are a perfect time to take a little “me time” and finally move forward with that cosmetic or plastic surgery procedure you have been thinking of all year. Besides, you deserve it and you probably have some time off that is due to you, so take advantage and move forward. Continue reading to discover a few of the most popular plastic surgery procedures, what the average cost may be, and ways to fit it into your holiday budget. Breast augmentation and liposuction continue to lead the category of operative plastic surgery, whereas neuromodulators and soft tissue fillers reign supreme in the minimally invasive category.
Types of Popular Plastic Surgery Procedures
Breast augmentation is the number one sought after plastic surgery procedure. Driving factors of breast augmentation as women age include the beginning of elasticity loss in your skin, postpartum mothers, and those who want fuller breasts or a lift to help return the breasts to a higher position. Cost of breast augmentation varies based on the surgeon, geographic region, and the complexity of the procedure. Again, depending on factors that are addressed in your consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon, breast augmentation ranges from $5,000 to upwards of $8,000 with the average procedure cost totaling around $6,000. Recovery is dependent on the type of procedure performed but expect light to no activity for the first week and 3-4weeks until you can resume more normal activity.
Liposuction is the second most popular plastic surgery procedure that men and women are seeking. Factors such as abdominal skin stretching or drooping after having children and a slowing metabolism are major motivating factors to seek such procedures. Liposuction is a plastic surgery procedure that removes unwanted fat in target areas of your body such as the stomach, thighs, hips, and back. Cost of liposuction varies based on surgeon, geographic region, complexity of the procedure, and areas to be treated. Again, depending on factors that will be addressed in your consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon, liposuction ranges from $2,500 to upwards of $10,000 with the average procedure cost totaling around $4,000. Liposuction cost and the recovery depends on the areas treated; however, most patients can return to work in 3-5 days and resume normal activity in a couple of weeks.
Neuromodulators such as Botox and Dysport are agents that block muscular nerve signals, which in turn weakens the target muscle limiting or nullifying muscle contraction. The action of Botox, in turn, results in diminished unwanted wrinkles in the target area. Botox has multiple uses and can be used to treat crow’s feet, forehead furrows, frown lines, skin bands on the neck, etc. Depending on the type of neuromodulator and areas to be treated cost can range $300 – $900 with an average of $500 for an area such as your forehead. Recovery for neuromodulators is minimal as it is noninvasive, imagine a few tiny mosquito bites on the area to be treated that should subside within a few hours.
Soft tissue fillers help to reduce fine lines and wrinkles by adding volume and fullness to the face. Most fillers such as Juvéderm work by replenishing the hyaluronic acid levels in your skin and pulling in moisture from the body to add to its plumping and smoothing effect. Dermal fillers are helpful at reducing early signs of aging such as plumping thin lips and softening facial creases and wrinkles. The cost of soft tissue fillers varies based on areas to be treated and syringes required to achieve the desired result. The average cost for soft tissue fillers is roughly $600-$900 per syringe and to provide an example, plumping the lips usually requires 1-2 syringes. Recovery from soft tissue fillers depends on the number of syringes and the areas treated, you should suspect a few days of inflammation and minimal bruising, but no downtime is necessary.
Paying for Your Procedure
Most plastic surgeons accept cash, check, or credit cards and some accept different financing options such as Care Credit. Care Credit offers multiple financing offers including little to no interest if payments are made on time throughout the credit term agreement. Also, around the holidays most major credit card companies will offer 6-12 months no interest agreements to help you with your holiday shopping/ self-improvement. Regardless of how you choose to pay for your procedure, remember it is always good to take a little “me time” around the holidays.
When considering plastic surgery, regardless of the season, you need an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon who is an expert in the field that can show you proof of exceptional results. For your safety, we cannot stress the importance of discussing your goals with a board-certified plastic surgeon who understands what is required to give you, your desired results.
Dr. Rod J. Rohrich is an internationally known, highly respected and skilled plastic and cosmetic surgeon from Dallas, Texas. He is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and has led most of the key professional organizations in plastic surgery in the USA. He has received numerous honors and awards in plastic and cosmetic surgery, both nationally and internationally. In addition to his extensive surgical expertise and talent as a gifted surgeon, he is the Founding Chair and Distinguished Teaching Professor of Plastic Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He has authored hundreds of innovative academic publications in the field and he also serves as the Editor in Chief of the leading plastic and reconstructive surgery journal, the Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Rohrich has also performed philanthropic work as a civic leader of organizations such as the March of Dimes, American Cancer Society and Save the Children and has established the Rod J. Rohrich, M.D. Foundation, which supports medical students in his native North Dakota. He is also a founding member and President of AiRS, the Alliance in Reconstructive Surgery, which serves to support education and reconstructive surgery for breast cancer survivors, regardless of financial status. Dr. Rohrich has repeatedly been featured as one of the best plastic surgeons in the country by US News and World Report, Harper’s Bazaar, Good Housekeeping and Texas Monthly as well as being quoted in notable publications such as the New York Times and Boston Globe. He has appeared on many television shows including Oprah, the View, and Good Morning America and is currently working to provide a reliable source of public-centered information in the fields of plastic and cosmetic surgery as well as other areas of medicine.