“Bad credit? No Job? Get Payday cash now!” We’ve all seen the ads and they are popping up more and more around the globe tempting women to borrow in order to pay for their plastic surgery procedures. Don’t be fooled! Risky loans that charge usury interest may help patients get the look that they want, but after the procedure is over, having to pay almost 4,200 percent over the original loan amount can send anyone back into the hospital.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is on a mission to protect consumers but while the jury is still out on payday lenders, Dr. Stevens recommends bypassing risky loans and opting for other ways to finance your procedure.

Budget – Surgeries are typically scheduled months after your initial consultation with your surgeon. Begin setting aside money towards your goal and develop a strategy that you can also supplement with other financing options.

Care Credit – Medical credit cards work like a regular credit card and offer payment plans with low interest rates to finance your medical procedure. In some cases, if you pay off your procedure within a year, you will avoid paying interest on your surgery.

Insurance – Most cosmetic operations are not covered by private insurance carriers, but in some cases, for example breast reduction, costs may be defrayed. Check with your insurance company to see which procedures are covered by them.

Additional Resources:

5 Tips to Budget For Plastic Surgery

Dr. Leslie H. Stevens is a board certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills and co-director of the renowned Lasky Clinic, known for its extensive celebrity clientele.  Dr. Stevens specializes in facelifts, eye lifts, breast augmentation, tummy tucks, labiaplasty, liposuction and body contouring. His practice is located in the Los Angeles area at the Lasky Clinic in Beverly Hills.

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“Bad credit? No Job? Get a Payday cash now!” We’ve all seen the ads and they are popping up more and more around the globe tempting women to borrow in order to pay for their plastic surgery procedures. Don’t be fooled! Risky loans that charge usury interest may help patients get the look that they want, but after the procedure is over, having to pay almost 4,200 percent over the original loan amount can send anyone back into the hospital.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is on a mission to protect consumers but while the jury is still out on payday lenders, Dr. Stevens recommends bypassing risky loans and opting for other ways to finance your procedure.
Budget – Surgeries are typically scheduled months after your initial consultation with your surgeon. Begin setting aside money towards your goal and develop a strategy that you can also supplement with other financing options.  
Care Credit – Medical credit cards work like a regular credit card and offer payment plans with low interest rates to finance your medical procedure. In some cases, if you pay off your procedure within a year, you will avoid paying interest on your surgery.
Insurance – Most cosmetic operations are not covered by private insurance carriers, but in some cases, for example breast reduction, costs may be defrayed. Check with your insurance company to see which procedures are covered by them.

Additional Resources:
5 Tips to Budget For Plastic Surgery

Dr. Leslie H. Stevens is a board certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills and co-director of the renowned Lasky Clinic, known for its extensive celebrity clientele.  Dr. Stevens specializes in facelifts, eye lifts, breast augmentation, tummy tucks, labiaplasty, liposuction and body contouring. His practice is located in the Los Angeles area at the Lasky Clinic in Beverly Hills.

While the thought of getting your long thought-over cosmetic procedure at a discount overseas is an appealing idea to consider, it’s important to understand that what you could be getting into before booking an appointment. There have been a number of cases in past years where patients have been scammed by clinics and fake surgeons abroad, and the results have been horrific, and even fatal. Never risk your life for an opportunity to get your surgery on the cheap.
If you do elect to have a procedure done in a foreign country, here are a few rules to follow to ensure that you don’t get more than you bargain for:

• Word of Mouth Isn’t Enough: Complete your due diligence and research a clinic and surgeon beyond advertisements. Make sure they are certified and ask to speak to some of their past patients. Also, find out the credentials of the certifying organization.

• A Sale Isn’t A Sale When It Could Kill You: Don’t opt for the cheap surgery based on price alone. If something seems ridiculously cheap, let your warning signs do the talking and back away.

• Make Sure Your Surgeon Speaks Your Language: Having the ability to communicate what you want to your surgeon is important. Make sure that you can communicate directly with the plastic surgeon in an agreed-upon language (no translators please) and insist on an in-person consultation before you head into surgery.

• Have a Post-Op Plan: What will follow-up care look like after your procedure is done? What type of care will you need post-surgery? How will your surgeon handle complications? Don’t go under the knife without knowing the worst-case scenarios and how you will be treated by your surgeon and their team after the operation.

Stay safe, do your research, ask questions and use precaution before booking a surgery overseas.

Want to learn more about what questions you need to ask your surgeon before a cosmetics procedure or want to speak with Dr. Stevens about the risks of surgery overseas? Contact him for a consultation.

(1) INSURANCE
Though most cosmetic surgeries are not financed by insurance companies, there are special cases where insurance will pay for a procedure to improve your health. For example: breast reductions for women that have medical issues resulting from having too-large breasts; nose surgery for patients that have trouble breathing; and eye lid lifts if drooping eyelids interfere with a patient’s vision. Make sure to check with your insurance provider

(2) SAVING
If you’re thinking about having a procedure done, start to put aside money to build towards your goal. Your surgery is typically scheduled months after you have your initial consultation with your surgeon, giving you plenty of time to develop a savings strategy that you can also supplement with other financing options.

(3) CREDIT CARDS
Most surgeons accept major credit cards and you can finance your surgery with this option. When choosing to pay with a credit card, be sure to factor in interest rates and come up with a monthly payment plan that will be suitable for your financial goals.

(4) LOANS
Personal loans and medical loans such as SurgeryLoans.com and CaseHealthAdvance.com give you the ability to pay for your surgery upfront with no down payment. These loan options offer a variety of monthly payment plans, interest rates and finance terms upon credit approval.   Make sure to understand the terms of your contract and payment plan and chose a plan that you can comfortably afford.

(5) MEDICAL CREDIT CARDS
Plastic surgeons and health credit card companies like CareCredit.com and Capital One Health Care Finance offer finance options on a credit card specifically for health-related procedures. Credit approval is required and the card works like a regular credit card with interest rates and a monthly payment rate. Contact your surgeon directly to find out which medical credit cards are accepted at their practice.

OTHER HELPFUL TIPS

LOCATION
Many patients are going to foreign countries to get discounted procedures at the risk of complications, infections and death. Check out this story on an overseas surgery complication. Protect yourself by investigating your surgeon before making the decision to leave the country for a procedure. Saving a few bucks shouldn’t be worth your life, and although having your procedure done in the United States may mean that you’ll end up paying a little more for your procedure, your health and ultimate surgical outcome are the most important factors. Wherever you decide to have your procedure done, make sure that your plastic surgeon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons and has had experience in your particular cosmetic procedure.

DISCOUNTS

Are you having more than one cosmetic procedure done? Speak with your surgeon about combining the surgeries as a packaged deal to make your surgery more affordable. Often, if you want to have several procedures, having them all done on the same day will save you money. Most surgeons offer significant discounts for second, third, and fourth procedures.

GIFTS
Instead of expensive jewelry, parties or other fancy gifts, ask for the gift of a procedure. Plastic surgery gifts are becoming popular and great ways to get the procedure you desire.