Breast lift surgery, sometimes known as a mastopexy, is a cosmetic procedure which helps to lift and reshape the breasts.
The procedure works by lifting the breasts through removing excess skin and fat, while tightening the surrounding breast tissue in order to create a younger-looking breast contour.
However, the cost of a breast lift can vary, depending on a range of factors. This will be discussed in the article below, as well as pros and cons to the surgery, and different payment methods.
Average Cost of a Breast Lift
In the United States, the average cost of a breast lift is just over $5,000. However, this figure is only inclusive of the actual surgery itself, and does not take into account other external factors like facility fees, anesthesia and other factors which will be discussed below.
With these additional factors accounted for, the fee can rise significantly, and put the average cost anywhere between $6,000 and $12,000.
Factors which affect the Cost of a Breast Lift
Some of the key factors that can influence the cost of this surgery are listed below.
- Geographic Location
The cost of a breast lift can vary depending on where you live. As a general rule, the higher the cost of living in a certain area, the higher the cost of the surgery is going to be.
For example, a breast lift will cost much more in areas like Manhattan, Honolulu and Beverly Hills than it will in small towns in states like Nebraska, Wyoming and Indiana.
Urban areas will often have higher surgery costs than rural areas, too. If you live in a city, it could be worth traveling to another area (or even another state) in order to have the surgery performed at a cheaper cost. Even factoring in the cost of the travel, you could still end up saving money by doing this, depending on how expensive the costs are where you live.
- The Surgeon’s Experience
The more experienced and qualified the surgeon is, the higher their costs are likely to be.
In saying this, it is important that you choose a highly skilled and experienced surgeon to undertake the procedure for you, as you only get what you pay for. A surgeon with a lot of experience and skill can ensure that you get the best possible results from your breast lift.
Surgeons with high-profile clients such as celebrities are undoubtedly going to cost more than other surgeons, and despite their obvious high level of skill and experience, it might be worth looking at other alternative surgeons, who, despite not having high-profile clients, may still be just as experienced and cost a fraction of the celebrity surgeon’s price.
- Anesthesia Fees
While you are under the surgical knife, you will need anesthesia, and with a breast lift, you will likely be under general anesthetic. General anesthetic refers to they type of anesthetic where you are asleep during the procedure, whereas local anesthetic is the type where you are awake.
General anesthetic costs more than local anesthetic, so this is a factor to take into account: the costs can range from $500 to $1,500, which will be added onto the total cost of the breast lift.
- Facility Fees
Typically, a breast lift will be performed in a hospital rather than a medical center or an outpatient surgery, and hospitals are more expensive than the latter two.
The reason behind this is due to the cost of medical equipment and the use of the operating theater, amongst other factors. Additionally, if you need to stay in hospital overnight, or for a few days following the procedure, this can incur further costs.
For an average figure, facility fees can range anywhere from $500 to over $2,000, which will be added onto the final cost of the surgery.
- The Complexity of the Procedure
The more extensive and lengthy the procedure is, the higher the cost is likely to be. For example, if you have exceptionally large breasts, this can complicate the procedure further. Other additional expenses may also be incurred during the procedure, such as breast reduction or even breast augmentation.
These can add huge amounts to the already high cost, and may even be medically required in very rare circumstances.
- Post-Operative Care
After you have undergone breast lift surgery, you will be required to follow a strict regimen of post-operative care. During your recovery, you may need certain medicines, as well as any dressings and follow-up visits with your surgeon.
On top of this, you may be required to take time off of work. You should be able to resume light activities after two-weeks post-surgery, and should be able to resume life as normal after six weeks.
However, these circumstances differ for everyone, so if you personally need extra time off of work, you may have to either use up your annual leave or vacation entitlement, or take unpaid leave. Obviously this is a difficult financial situation to be in, so it is worth discussing with your surgeon about the recovery time for you, and your work about alternative options to unpaid leave.
Advantages and Disadvantages of a Breast Lift
As with any type of cosmetic surgery, there are both pros and cons to a breast lift. We have listed a few of them below.
Advantages
- Long-lasting results
A breast lift can provide long-lasting results, meaning that you will not have to spend extra money on repeat treatments or maintenance.
- Improved self-confidence
Following a breast lift, many women describe feelings of having an improved self-esteem and feeling more body confident. It can therefore have a positive impact on the overall quality of your life.
- Reduced need for bras
Many women who have previously undergone a breast lift have found that they do not need to wear bras with as much support as they previously did, thus saving money in the long run.
Disadvantages
- Cost
Although this whole article focuses on the cost of a breast lift, for the majority of women across the US, the cost is enough to put them off of having a breast lift. Particularly in financially challenging times like the ones we’re currently living in, a price range of $5,000 upwards is simply too expensive for many people.
- Potential additional costs
As it was discussed above, there are potential extra costs associated with a breast lift: depending on your personal needs, you may require additional procedures or treatments before the breast lift is performed.
These can include liposuction, breast augmentation or breast reduction: all of which will add to the overall cost of the procedure.
- Insurance coverage
Depending on your insurance provider, a breast lift is highly unlikely to be covered by any medical or health insurance, because they are typically considered as a cosmetic procedure. Unfortunately, this means that you may have to foot the entire cost of the surgery yourself.
Financing Options
There are a number of financing options available if you would like a breast lift. Many plastic surgery practices do offer financing plans to help you pay for the surgery, directly through them – so you will not need to go to an alternative third party provider, if the cost is not covered by your insurance.
Personal loans and credit cards are also another method in which you can pay for a breast lift – although these often come with extremely high interest rates, and you run the risk of incurring a lot of personal debt if you cannot keep up with the repayments.
Saving up the amount before the surgery and paying for it in one go is also an option, but understandably, many people simply do not have the money or resources to do so.
Conclusions
The cost of a breast lift can vary, depending on a wide number of factors. These factors include the geographic location, the surgeon’s experience and the complexity of the procedure.
It is also important to be aware of any external factors that can affect the overall cost of the breast lift: these include things such as any follow-up appointments with your surgeon and any extra medication or dressings that you may require following the procedure.
Additionally, although there are disadvantages, such as the procedure not being covered by insurance, and the high cost of the procedure, there are a number of positives which outweigh this. These advantages include long-lasting results and increased levels of both self-esteem and body confidence.
And while the initial cost can seem high, there are a number of different payment options available for you to choose from: whether a personal loan, savings or a payment plan directly through the surgery works best for you, it is important to remember that there are payment options available to help you cover the overall cost of a breast lift.
Before committing to a breast lift, it is imperative that you talk to our doctor or surgeon beforehand – as well as doing your research – so that you can get an accurate estimate of the total cost of the procedure before making any decisions.
