What is the best price and the average cost?
Cost is an important factor, but not the most important. Implant procedures may range from $5000-10000, depending what is required for a successful procedure. Consider looking for a board certified plastic surgeon that specializes in breast surgery. If you a procedure at a "cheaper" place, but cannot function for a month; is this cheaper than a reasonably priced procedure at a specialist that can get you back to work and working out within 48 hours?
Plastic surgeons with their own accredited surgical facilities, hospitals, and outpatient surgical centers will all charge different amounts for breast implants. Likewise, all 3 USA breast implant manufacturers charge different prices for their products, even in the same city, based on volume purchased, other same-company products purchased, etc. Price gouging may occur if it is possible, but the bottom line is that implant cost is like grocery costs--the supplier charges one price, the distributor a bit more, and individual stores different prices at the cash register depending on whether the retailer is Costco, WalMart, Target, or Tiffanie's High-end Grocers!The same is true for implants, and some surgeons may have higher breast implant volumes and therefore have a lower cost, which they may or may not pass on to their patients. The same goes for hospitals, which almost always charge more because elective cosmetic surgery is a huge profit center, compared to Medicare, for example.In general, smooth, round cohesive silicone gel implants cost more than smooth, round saline implants from the same company. Textured implants typically cost a bit more in saline, and a lot more in silicone gel. The textured, teardrop-shaped, form-stable, high-strength cohesive silicone gel implants are the highest cost of all, so be sure you and your surgeon are convinced of the supposed superiority of a given implant type before you commit to the higher cost just because it "seems" better, or has the most marketing. We itemize the exact costs in our surgical quotes, so this information is always available to our patients. Best wishes! Dr. Tholen
