If you’d like to enhance your breast size or shape naturally, without artificial implants, consider fat grafting or fat transfer. Your surgeon relocates fat cells from one part of your body and implants them into the breasts to create a natural look and feel.

One of the most often asked questions about breast augmentation today is, “How much do breast implants cost in 2022 and how can I afford them”?

As complex as it may seem at first glance, there are several simple aspects that influence the cost of your surgery. In the Los Angeles, Inland Empire area, the cost of a breast augmentation surgery may range from $6,000 to $15,000. But why is there such a wide price range for this surgery?

How much does a natural breast augmentation cost

Several factors influence the price of a breast augmentation procedure. Patients may benefit from learning about all of these aspects in order to better prepare themselves for one of the most life-changing and confidence-boosting surgeries available on the market. This will not only help them in establishing the cost of their surgery, but it will also help to make the best surgical decision possible.

We’ve compiled this article to give you an idea of what breast implant surgery will cost in 2022. Continue reading to learn more…

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN A BREAST AUGMENTATION COST?

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the average cost of breast augmentation surgery is $5,000. This is the minimum fee, which does not include anesthesia, operating room charges, or any other expenses. Here are several things to bear in mind before your consultation:

• The starting cost of the operation, whether it’s a breast lift or breast augmentation, is determined by the type of procedure.
• The type of implants that you’ve chosen.
• The cost of medical tests before the surgery.
• The expense for the anesthesia during the surgery.
• The surgeon’s fees also include any nurses needed for the surgery.
• The cost of the facility room and surgical equipment needed.
• The costs of the recovery medication or prescriptions.
• The cost of medical support bras or garments that will be needed.

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE COST OF BREAST AUGMENTATION SURGERY

Every patient’s goals for their breast augmentation operation are unique, therefore the expense of each surgery will be different. The breast augmentation cost of your customized surgical treatment depends on a variety of things, including:

TYPE OF BREAST IMPLANTS

The cost of silicone and saline breast implants is significantly different. Silicone implants are more expensive than saline implants because medical-grade silicone is more costly to produce and distribute than saline implants, which are composed of sterile saltwater.

Women prefer silicone gel implants because they mimic breast tissue in their own breasts. Silicone implants are more expensive than saline-filled ones. Saline is a less artificial, more natural, and less expensive implant filling than silicone. They are inserted through fewer incisions because they are filled after implantation.

As a result, saline implants are significantly less expensive to produce. The type of implant that is most suitable for your unique surgical procedure will affect the cost of your implants.

PLACE OF RESIDENCE

Whether you believe it or not, where you have your procedure done may influence the price.

Cosmetic plastic surgery in larger, metropolitan areas and cities with higher living expenses will almost certainly cost more than cosmetic plastic surgery in smaller towns and regions. The increased cost of living, as well as the growing need for these treatments, has resulted in greater pricing for almost everything.

Finally, if a cosmetic surgeon you trust has a significant price difference, plan a trip to a different city or state to verify that you are happy with your selection and get the results you desire.

THE PLASTIC SURGEON’S EXPERTISE

The cost of breast augmentation is determined in part by the surgeon and practice you select. Surgeons with more expertise, credentials, and specialized training typically charge more than those with less experience or training. This isn’t to imply that the most expensive surgeon is always the best option for you, but surgeons who charge more for their level of skill typically have higher fees.

It’s crucial to note that you should look for a board-certified plastic surgeon with whom you are a good match in terms of technique and aesthetic approach. Because breast augmentation is such a significant operation, it’s usually preferable to choose a surgeon based on experience and training rather than price.

EXPLORE YOUR FUNDING OPTIONS

In recent years, cosmetic plastic surgery has grown increasingly popular, especially in 2022. With the increasing popularity of cosmetic surgery procedures, more choices are becoming accessible to assist customers to pay for them.

Although insurance does not typically cover breast augmentation operations, most reputable and experienced plastic surgeons will provide a variety of options to increase access to them.

Many plastic surgery clinics, in order to make prices more affordable, take major credit cards and/or offer payment plans. Additionally, plastic surgeons may provide alternative payment choices, such as financing, to those who qualify.

Your bank may potentially be able to provide you with a secured or unsecured personal loan. Conventional credit cards have lower interest rates than lines of credit, but the rates and repayment plans are set in stone. If a loan is accessible to you, it’s worth considering. If you have decent credit, this might be an option for you.

SHOULD I GET BREAST IMPLANTS?

Breast augmentation may be a pleasurable and pleasant experience that boosts your self-esteem and general well-being. If cost is a concern, consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon for advice on how to balance the budget so you may go forward in your pursuit of looking and feeling your best.

Despite the fact that breast implants are a financial investment, many people are prepared to invest in them in order to get the results they desire. When it comes to the overall cost of breast augmentation surgery, it’s critical to remember that you can’t put a price on your self-esteem.

The ideal place to start is by contacting your preferred clinic and requesting a detailed cost breakdown of your individualized surgery. The procedure will be explained in full before being performed. Your cosmetic surgery specialist will begin by going over your medical history and examining you thoroughly to determine if you are a suitable candidate for the procedure. He’ll give you a thorough overview of your surgical procedure, as well as pricing, how to go forward, and other important details.

Breast Augmentation: Insurance, Average Prices, and Procedures

Key takeaways:

• Health insurance plans don’t cover breast augmentation surgery for cosmetic purposes.
• As of 2020, the average surgeon’s fee for this procedure is $4,866.
• The total cost for breast augmentation can range from $6,000 to $12,000. This includes fees for the surgeon and the hospital or facility, plus anesthesia, medical tests, and prescription medications.

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Breast augmentation — sometimes called a “boob job” or “augmentation mammaplasty” — remains one of the most popular forms of cosmetic surgery. More than 250,000 Americans had it done in 2020. Augmentation changes the size and appearance of one or both breasts by transferring body fat to them or adding artificial implants. As with other types of cosmetic surgery, health insurance plans won’t cover the cost of this procedure.

Breast augmentation isn’t the same as breast reconstruction. If a breast cancer patient has had a mastectomy and wants reconstructive surgery afterward, federal law requires most private insurance plans to cover that.

But for cosmetic breast-augmentation surgery, you’ll almost certainly be paying out of pocket. Read on for an overview of how much it’s likely to cost and which factors can affect the price.

How much does breast augmentation surgery cost?

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported in 2019 that the total cost of breast augmentation was between $6,000 and $12,000. One reason for the broad price range is the plastic surgeon’s fee. The average fee for a typical breast augmentation in 2020 was $4,866, according to the Aesthetic Plastic Surgery National Databank. 

The surgeon’s fee can vary based on:

• Their level of experience
• The market prices in your local area
• The specifics of the procedure

Other surgical considerations, discussed below, will affect the cost as well.

What can influence the average cost of breast augmentation? 

Beyond the plastic surgeon’s fee, the overall cost of breast augmentation will include such expenses as:

• Hospital or surgical-facility operating room fee
• Cost of anesthesia
• Medical tests
• Post-surgery garments, such as a compression bra to control post-op swelling
• Prescription drugs, such as pain medication

The facility where the surgery takes place makes a big difference in your total cost. For insured people, surgery can cost more than twice as much if performed at a hospital rather than an ambulatory care center. This may not be the case for people paying out of pocket, though.

You can find out facility-fee details ahead of your breast augmentation surgery. The No Surprises Act allows you to request binding good-faith cost estimates for the procedure from your area’s hospitals or ambulatory care centers. Once you have facility-fee information from those estimates, you can ask your doctor to do the surgery at a facility you can afford.

The FAIR Health website helps you zero in on the costs for people who are paying out of pocket. In Columbus, Ohio, for example: 

• The average uninsured cost of inserting a single breast implant is $2,752.
• You’d also have to pay $2,151 for anesthesia.

The biggest expense can often be the facility fee, which varies widely. 

• In Columbus, this fee is estimated to be $20,162 for an ambulatory surgical center (ASC) or $9,502 for an outpatient hospital.
• In Chicago, by contrast, the price difference is smaller. The ASC fee would cost $17,285, while the hospital outpatient fee would be $15,556.

What else can affect the price of breast augmentation?

The technique and materials that your plastic surgeon uses will help determine your overall costs. Discussing these aspects with your doctor is also the best way to get the result you want. You and your doctor should talk about your desired breast shape, size, surface texture, incision site, and type and placement of the implant or fat transfer.

Additional procedures may add to the cost. One example is moving the nipples. A surgeon’s average fee for nipple cosmetic surgery in 2020 was $1,739.

It’s also important to tell your surgeon about any history of breast surgery, such as whether and how your breasts have been augmented, reduced, or otherwise altered in the past. Be sure to tell the doctor how your body reacted at the time. These details will influence their surgical decisions.

Breast augmentation size

When it comes to cost, implant size doesn’t matter. Larger implants cost the same as smaller ones. This is true whether you’re getting silicone or saline implants.

Here, again, you’ll want to have a detailed conversation with your surgeon. Discuss your desired breast size and how much it would differ from the existing breast. This will help the doctor decide on the best surgical approach.

Breast augmentation techniques 

To make the breasts larger, the surgeon inserts either artificial breast implants or fat transferred from another part of the body.

Breast implants are the more common choice. Manufacturers offer many options to choose from. Beyond the basic materials — saline-filled or silicone-filled — implants may also have different shapes, structures, and textures.

Silicone vs. saline breast implants

If you’ve decided on artificial breast implants, the choice of silicone versus saline can greatly affect the cost. Generally, silicone implants are more expensive. In one 2019 study, researchers found that saline implants cost about $1,300 less than silicone implants and lasted about 5 years longer.

Fat-transfer augmentation

This type of breast augmentation — also called fat grafting, lipofilling, or living-fat transfer — is becoming more popular, in part because there’s no insertion of silicon or saline and no need for anesthesia.

Instead, the doctor moves fat tissue from one spot on your body to another. Using liposuction, they take your own fat from one part of the body, such as the belly, sides of the abdomen, back, or thighs. The surgical team purifies the fat through washing, filtering, or other methods. The surgeon then injects it into the breast to get the desired shape.

Fat transfer yields a relatively subtle increase in breast size. People get more volume at the top of their breasts or increased definition of their cleavage.

Surgeons’ average fee for breast fat grafting was $3,318 in 2020, according to the Aesthetic Plastic Surgery National Databank.

Nipple augmentation

This secondary procedure changes the appearance of the nipple and areolas. It may involve repositioning or raising the nipple, improving symmetry, increasing or decreasing the nipple’s size, or changing how far it projects.

Post-surgery costs

You should expect certain follow-up care expenses. As mentioned above, these could include:

• Post-operative garments, such as a compression bra
• Follow-up appointments
• Medical tests
• Prescriptions for pain medication

If you need to have additional surgery because of implant problems or because you want to further revise your breasts’ appearance, a new set of costs will apply. However, if the implant warranty from the original surgery is still in effect, it may cover some of those costs.

Can I finance breast augmentation surgery? 

Many plastic surgeons offer financing options or payment plans. You can also pay for your surgery with a healthcare credit card such as CareCredit. Be sure to keep a close eye on the payment terms and interest rate, though. This is especially important if you decide to take advantage of a no-interest offer. If you still have a balance at the end of the set introductory period (often 6 to 24 months), you’ll have to pay interest at an annual percentage rate (APR) as high as 26.99%.

You can also look for online lenders that offer healthcare loans, such as Prosper Healthcare Lending. It offers 60-month loans with rates between 7.95% to 36.00% APR. Depending on your credit history, you may well get a better rate from your regular credit card or a personal loan.

Does my health insurance cover breast augmentation? 

Probably not. Most health insurance plans don’t cover cosmetic surgery for breast enlargement or any other surgery intended solely to change the appearance of your breasts. They also don’t cover any complications that may result from this type of surgery.

Also, bear in mind that some insurance plans won’t cover treatment for breast diseases that could occur after you’ve had breast implants.

In short, undergoing breast augmentation surgery can expose you to financial and health risks. Before scheduling the surgery, it’s wise to review your health plan’s specific coverage rules for breast augmentation and other related conditions.

Health insurance plans will not cover surgery to enlarge your breasts or otherwise enhance their appearance for cosmetic reasons. You’ll pay all costs out of pocket, so be sure to understand what they are: the surgeon’s fee, the price of any implants, and the fees for anesthesia and the medical facility. Insurers will cover post-mastectomy breast reconstruction, though, as required by law.

Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation

During a fat transfer breast augmentation, cosmetic surgeons use liposuction to remove fat cells from your body. They then inject the purified fat cells into your breasts, increasing the cup size. A fat transfer breast augmentation poses fewer risks than augmentation with breast implants. You may also get a breast lift to firm up breasts that sag.

OVERVIEW

What is fat transfer breast augmentation?

A fat transfer breast augmentation uses fat from your body to enlarge your breasts. Surgeons suction fat cells from several areas of your body. They then inject the fat cells into your breasts. Your breasts get bigger while the areas of your body that lost fat cells get smaller.

What is breast augmentation?

Breast augmentation is cosmetic surgery to increase breast size and enhance the shape of your breasts. The goal of this type of plastic surgery is to change your appearance. Some people call this procedure a “boob job.”

What are the types of breast augmentation?

Breast augmentation may take place using:

• Breast implants.
• Fat transfer.

What’s the difference between breast augmentation and breast reconstruction?

Breast augmentation is for healthy people who want to improve their appearance. It isn’t medically necessary. You can use breast implants or fat transfer for breast augmentation.

Breast reconstruction takes place after breast cancer surgery. It recreates one or both breasts after a mastectomy (breast removal). You must get breast implants for breast reconstruction.

Should I get a fat transfer breast augmentation?

Choosing a breast augmentation method is a personal decision. You may consider this procedure if you want slightly larger breasts but don’t want breast implants.

Who should not get a fat transfer breast augmentation?

People who have little body fat may not be good candidates for fat transfer. Your provider has to be able to remove more fat cells than they’ll use. That’s because some cells die off during the process. People with low body fat may need breast implants instead.

People who have obesity, experience drastic weight fluctuations or smoke may not be good candidates either. Ideally, you should be in good health, a nonsmoker and able to maintain a weight that’s healthy for you.

PROCEDURE DETAILS

Who performs fat transfer breast augmentations?

Cosmetic surgeons perform fat transfer breast augmentations. These plastic surgeons are medical doctors who specialize in aesthetic procedures that enhance a person’s appearance.

What happens during a fat transfer breast augmentation?

A fat transfer breast augmentation is an outpatient procedure. You go home the same day. You receive general anesthesia to help you sleep through the surgery.

During the procedure, your provider:

• Uses liposuction to harvest fat deposits from several areas of your body.
• Runs the fat cells through a centrifuge device to remove any impurities.
• Uses special syringes to inject the purified fat cells into different tissue layers inside of your breasts.

How long does a fat transfer breast augmentation last?

The results from a fat transfer breast augmentation are lifelong. It can take up to six months to see the final results. During this time, the fat cells settle into their new places, where they remain for life. Because some cells die after the injection, providers inject more fat cells than needed during the transfer.

Most people who undergo fat transfer breast augmentations are satisfied with the results. If you’re dissatisfied, your provider may recommend another fat transfer procedure.

RISKS / BENEFITS

What are the risks of a fat transfer breast augmentation?

Risks of a fat transfer breast augmentation include:

• Bleeding and bruising.
• Fat cell death (necrosis) or fat cells moving out of your breasts to different parts of your body.
• Infection.
• Noncancerous (benign) breast cysts or breast calcifications.

What are the benefits of fat transfer breast augmentation over breast implants?

Fat transfer breast augmentation is a natural way to enhance breast shape and size. Surgeons use liposuction to remove fat from your belly, hips, back, legs or arms. These areas of your body become smaller.

Your provider injects the fat cells into your breasts to make them bigger. Because breasts have a lot of fatty tissue, adding more fat gives the breasts a natural look and feel.

Breast augmentation using breast implants involves artificial shells filled with silicone gel or saline (sterile saltwater). A surgeon places the implants underneath your skin.

With breast implants:

• You need replacement surgery every 10 to 15 years.
• You may need tissue expansion a few weeks before the procedure. A surgically implanted balloon stretches the skin on your breast so it can accommodate the implant and increased size.
• You’re at risk for an implant hardening or rupturing. In that case, you’ll need surgery to remove and replace the implant.
• Severe scarring called capsular contracture can occur around the implant. This can cause severe pain. It also increases your risk of blood clots.
• You may develop breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma. This rare cancer affects your immune system. It isn’t breast cancer. Treatment involves removing the breast implant. Some people need chemotherapy.

What are the cons of fat transfer breast augmentation?

Some downsides of fat transfer breast augmentation include:

• Smaller breast size: Fat transfer increases breast size by one or two cup sizes. If you want larger breasts, you’ll need breast implants.
• Sagging breasts: A fat transfer makes breasts larger, but breasts may still sag. You need a breast lift to get firm-looking breasts. A vampire breast lift is a nonsurgical augmentation procedure that uses injections of platelet-rich plasma to lift breasts.
• Repeat procedures: You may need multiple fat transfer procedures to achieve the results you want.

RECOVERY AND OUTLOOK

What is recovery like after a fat transfer breast augmentation?

Your healthcare provider will wrap an elastic bandage around your chest and fit you with a surgical bra. These bindings help the fat deposits settle into place. You should plan to take a week off from work and other physical activities.

You may have pain, bruising, swelling and discomfort in your breasts and liposuctioned areas for up to three weeks. Swelling may persist for up to six months.

These steps can ease your recovery:

• Sleep on your back to keep pressure off of your breasts.
• Take antibiotics and pain relievers as directed by your provider.
• Wear loose-fitting clothing to avoid compressing your breasts.

WHEN TO CALL THE DOCTOR

When should I call the doctor?

You should call your healthcare provider if you experience:

• Excessive bleeding, swelling or bruising.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Severe pain.
• Signs of infection like yellow discharge or fever.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

Does a fat transfer breast augmentation affect breast cancer risk or mammograms?

A fat transfer breast augmentation doesn’t increase your risk of breast cancer. And mammograms still work well for most people after this procedure.

Your breasts contain fatty tissue and breast tissue. Fatty tissue looks dark on a mammogram. Tumors look white against this dark tissue. Even when augmentation adds more fat to your breasts, tumors are still easily visible.

But a fat transfer breast augmentation can cause microcalcifications. These calcium deposits look like small white spots on a mammogram.

Most microcalcifications aren’t a sign of cancer. But microcalcifications sometimes cluster in your breast due to a type of breast cancer called ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). To rule out cancer, your healthcare provider may recommend more tests like a breast ultrasound, MRI or needle biopsy.

A fat transfer breast augmentation is a cosmetic procedure to enlarge your breasts. Surgeons use liposuction to harvest fat cells from your stomach, hips, thighs, back or arms. Afterward, these areas look slimmer. Providers inject the fat cells into your breasts, where they remain for life. A fat transfer procedure carries fewer risks than breast implants. However, it only slightly enlarges the breasts and doesn’t firm them up. For these effects, you need a breast lift or breast implants.