Fees and costs involved in your cosmetic procedure
To gain a general understanding of the range of prices, follow the specific links here:
Why Do Cosmetic Surgery Prices Differ?
Cosmetic surgery prices can vary for several reasons. While price is a consideration, it is important to prioritise the surgeon’s qualifications and reputation to ensure a desired outcome. Some factors that contribute to the differences in cosmetic surgery prices include:
- Surgeon’s Experience
- Surgeons with extensive experience and specialised expertise in a particular procedure may charge higher fees.
- Their skills, qualifications, and reputation can affect the price.
- Procedure Complexity
- The complexity of the procedure plays a significant role in determining the price.
- More complex surgeries that require advanced techniques or longer operating times may be priced higher.
- Geographic Location
- The cost of living and the overall healthcare market in a specific geographic area can impact cosmetic surgery prices.
- Major cities and regions with higher living costs tend to have higher prices.
- Facility and Operating Costs
- The costs associated with running a surgical facility, including rent, staff salaries, equipment, and supplies, can influence the overall price of cosmetic surgery.
- Anesthesia and Sedation
- The type of anesthesia or sedation used during the surgery can affect the price.
- General anesthesia, which requires an anesthesiologist, is typically more expensive than local anesthesia or IV sedation.
- Pre- and Post-Operative Care
- The cost of pre-operative consultations, laboratory tests, imaging, medications, and post-operative care, including follow-up appointments, may be included in the overall price.
- Additional Fees
- There may be additional fees for specific services, such as surgical garments, compression garments, or specialised post-operative care.
- Surgical Facility Accreditation
- Surgeons operating in accredited surgical facilities that meet certain safety standards may charge higher fees to cover the costs associated with maintaining accreditation.
Key differences in pricing
While significant price differences may be confusing to cosmetic surgery patients at first, these differences typically indicate the surgery is either:
- NOT inclusive of everything needed
- The person doing this procedure will not be a specialist plastic surgeon
- Or, it’s being done using local anaesthetic methods in a backroom clinic – NOT a general anaesthetic in an accredited hospital
It is important to be sure you’ve chosen a genuinely qualified surgeon. Look for someone who is AHPRA-recognised as a Specialist Plastic Surgeon. There is often a huge difference in training and ongoing education for Plastic Surgeons vs other types of doctors who enter the cosmetic surgery field. If they’re not Specialist Plastic Surgeons, they will tend to not have hospital operating and admitting rights.
It’s essential to note that while price is a factor to consider, it should not be the sole determining factor when choosing a cosmetic surgeon. The surgeon’s qualifications, experience, patient reviews, and overall reputation should also be carefully evaluated to ensure a desired outcome.
Low-Cost Cosmetic Surgery Price Ranges
Cosmetic Surgery Costs. Low-Range Average Costs for Plastic Surgery in Victoria, Australia
What Low-Range Plastic Surgery May Cost
Typically offered as discounts or specials, surgery deals or packages in advertisements may indicate the following:
- Usually it does not involve a genuine, fully accredited Australian private hospital theatre.
- Non-hospital operating conditions. For instance a clinic back room.
- Not the best for an emergency situation (as shown in ABC’s Four Corners story).
- Usually not a Specialist Plastic Surgeon. Potentially a General Practitioner or skin doctor who may have taken a year-long course but who never gained accreditation and training as a Specialist Plastic Surgeon.
- May also use less expensive low-quality breast prostheses rather than reputable brands and highly rated breast implant types or brands, supplied by well-respected manufacturers in Australia.
- Awake anaesthetic (twilight) vs general anaesthetic.
- Hidden costs for all follow-up care.
- Limited post-op care or being charged for all post-operative care reviews.
- No supply of recommended post-op garments.
- Recovery pack or healing and recovery aids not provided.
- No scar management.
Location of low-range plastic surgery
- Most hospitals do not allow a GP or other non-FRACS cosmetic surgeon to operate in their theatre facilities.
- This is due to the fact that they are not actual specialists and because they do not meet the operating qualifications criteria in Australian hospitals.
- Maybe overseas or a junior doctor rather than one holding Specialist medical and surgical qualifications monitored in Australia.
Remember, a cosmetic surgeon is not equal to a Specialist Plastic Surgeon in terms of accreditation, formal training, Medical Board and AHPRA recognition and surgical examinations.
Suggestion: Search our article Plastic Surgeon vs Cosmetic Surgeon and learn the prices of low-cost breast implants, mid-range breast augmentation and premium implant options.
Mid-Range Cosmetic Surgery Prices
Cosmetic Surgery Costs. Mid-Range Average Costs for Plastic Surgery in Victoria.
What You Should Receive from Mid-Range Plastic Surgery
- May or may not involve operating in a fully accredited Australia Private Hospital.
- If not in a hospital, may use a high-tech surgical facility that meets accreditation.
- Might be a clinic back room that lacks specialized equipment or sanitation monitoring.
- Might or might not involve a highly experienced Specialist Plastic Surgeon.
- Check education and AHPRA registration, RACS accreditation and memberships.
- Review how long that surgeon has been in practice in Australia.
- Read their Plastic Surgery Google Reviews
- Possibility of a less expensive breast implant being used (breast prosthesis)
- Motiva breast implants are currently the most costly breast augmentation implant options in Australia, yet Motiva has been reported to offer certain outcomes.
- Motiva brand implants are ONLY available from certified Plastic Surgeons. This is due to the fact that manufacturers do not allow Cosmetic Doctors to purchase them because they are not FRACS (Plas.)
- Mentor is also a reputable and reliable brand of breast implants in Australia.
A mid-range priced cosmetic surgery MAY potentially involve:
- A quality operating facility (private theatre) OR a genuine accredited Private Hospital in Australia.
- Twilight Anesthetic OR General Anaesthetic from a qualified Hospital Anaesthetist (facility dependent, may vary for mid-range priced cosmetic surgery offers).
- May or may not include follow-up care and reviews – review your cosmetic surgery price quote.
- Likely to supply post-op garments (review your cosmetic surgery price quote for details).
- May or may not provide extras such as bandages.
- Recovery packages and other recovery aids may not be included.
- High-tech scar management may or may not be included.
- Often lacks extras that premium cosmetic surgery prices and costs include in their quotes.
Premium Price Ranges
Cosmetic Surgery Costs. Premium-Range Average Costs for Plastic Surgery in Victoria, Australia.
What should you pay for premium plastic surgery?
- Typically involves surgery performed in a fully-accredited Australia Private Hospital (see list below).
- A highly-experienced Specialist Plastic Surgeon
- That has a long-standing reputation in Australia and a local clinic that has positive online reviews
- A surgeon that typically has AHPRA accreditation and recognition as a genuine FRACS (Plas) – e.g., Specialist Plastic, Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgeon
- Current membership in ASAPS, ASPS, ISAPS and more.
- The surgeon will have performed an extensive number of procedures over many decades (verifiable expertise)
- Scars and recovery are properly managed by the Plastic Surgeon and his or her skilled Surgical Nurses rather than Junior Surgeons or practice managers/receptionists
- TIP: Review your Plastic Surgeon’s Google Reviews and other social media reviews – hear what patients say AND ask friends for a recommendation
- Recognise Cosmetic doctors are NOT equal to Plastic Surgeons in terms of training/accreditation/medical board recognition.
- May involve a higher cost, premium quality breast implant (e.g., a Motiva breast prosthesis or Mentor implants)
- Motiva breast implants are the most expensive breast augmentation implant in Australia, however, Motiva has been reported to offer certain outcomes
- Mentor is another highly reputable and reliable brand of breast implants in Australia and is slightly lower in cost than Motiva – both are popular with Plastic Surgeons and cosmetic surgery patients in Australia
Premium Cosmetic Surgery will likely involve:
- A genuine accredited Private Hospital in Australia.
- General anaesthetic from a skilled and fully qualified hospital anesthetist.
- May include a revision surgery clause or additional correctional surgery (such as inverted nipple correction or asymmetry correction for very uneven breasts).
- Follow-up often includes follow-up care and post-op surgery review for a longer period of time.
- Initially recommended post-op garments for surgery are often provided (but check your quote for details).
- Should include a Recovery package or other recovery aids.
- May also include high-tech scar management, especially if the surgery is a breast lift with augmentation (mastopexy) or a breast reduction.
What Does Your Surgery Cost Quote Include?
- It’s best to review in detail, and ask what is actually covered in your cosmetic surgery quote
- Beware of low-cost pricing advertisements for cosmetic surgery. You may end up with extra out-of-pocket costs you weren’t expecting.
- Hidden expenses of non-inclusive quotes or price estimates mean you’ll pay extra for:
- Recovery aids (if any are available) and/or longer recovery times without Rapid Recovery support
- Compression garments or special bras that are required for post-op care
- Follow-up care visits
- Hospital charges or operating facility fees (these should be included). However, advertised prices often leave this part of the cost out of the surgery price advertisement
- Anesthetist
It’s important to remember that ALL surgery is invasive and carries risks.
Find out what happened to patients who thought they had a reputable surgeon when they fell for discounted breast augmentation in Sydney – as patients discuss in the Four Corner’s Report on Outcomes from Low-cost Cosmetic Surgery (discounted specials).
About Dr Craig Rubinstein
MED0001124843
Dr Craig Rubinstein FRACS (Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons) is an experienced Melbourne Specialist Plastic Surgeon for breast and abdominoplasty surgery.
Dr Rubinstein offers women personalised abdominoplasty surgery and all forms of cosmetic breast surgery.
BOOK A CONSULTATION (03) 8849 1400
Next Steps in Your Surgical Journey
Want more information about your Procedure?
- Download a Free Procedure Guide on your chosen surgery.
- Visit the FAQs and read patient reviews to learn more about your intended procedure.
- For more information about pricing visit our cost page.
- You can also talk to our Patient Care Team from 9 to 5 pm Monday to Friday on (03) 8849 1400
About Your First Consultation
- Dr Rubinstein’s Consultation fee is $300.
- A referral from your GP or specialist is essential.
- A referral helps when claiming Medicare or Private Health Insurance coverage.
- Please contact the Patient Care Team at Coco Ruby Plastic Surgery to book your consultation.
What to Bring to Your Consultation
- You are more than welcome to bring a friend or relative to help discuss the information and your choices.
- Ensure you also take a lot of notes and thoroughly examine the documents provided.
- Please be aware you may need to undress for a physical exam so wear simple clothes.
About Dr Craig Rubinstein
MED0001124843
Dr Craig Rubinstein FRACS (Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons) is an experienced Melbourne Specialist Plastic Surgeon for breast and abdominoplasty surgery.
Dr Rubinstein offers women personalised abdominoplasty surgery and all forms of cosmetic breast surgery.
BOOK A CONSULTATION (03) 8849 1400
Next Steps in Your Surgical Journey
Want more information about your Procedure?
- Download a Free Procedure Guide on your chosen surgery.
- Visit the FAQs and read patient reviews to learn more about your intended procedure.
- For more information about pricing visit our cost page.
- You can also talk to our Patient Care Team from 9 to 5 pm Monday to Friday on (03) 8849 1400
About Your First Consultation
- Dr Rubinstein’s Consultation fee is $300.
- A referral from your GP or specialist is essential.
- A referral helps when claiming Medicare or Private Health Insurance coverage.
- Please contact the Patient Care Team at Coco Ruby Plastic Surgery to book your consultation.
What to Bring to Your Consultation
- You are more than welcome to bring a friend or relative to help discuss the information and your choices.
- Ensure you also take a lot of notes and thoroughly examine the documents provided.
- Please be aware you may need to undress for a physical exam so wear simple clothes.