If you have considered having rhinoplasty to reshape your nose for cosmetic or respiratory
reasons you have probably realized that it can be an expensive procedure. There are many factors that go into the price of a nose job and the more you know about where costs are coming from the better equipped you can be to minimize them.
Nationally prices average between $3,000 and $8,000 and can sometimes be more than that. Knowing what influences the cost of the procedure can help you come up with ways of making it less.
Various things affect the cost of rhinoplasty. The most expensive factor is going to be the experience of the plastic surgeon. Although this is the number one place people tend to cut corners it should be the one thing you do not pick on the cheap. A plastic surgeon that is incredibly skilled at what he does will give you the results you want and will create the most natural and beautiful nose for you.
If you choose a doctor purely because he is the cheapest you may need to have additional surgeries to correct his mistakes. Remember, it is cheaper to have one great nose job than two or more inferior ones. The other parts of the surgery are places where you can look to save money.
Where you have your surgery done can greatly impact the price. First, geographically you may be able to get the same procedure you want to have done in a big city for about half the price in a smaller city. Even more than geographically you can save a lot of money by having your procedure done in an outpatient clinic rather than a hospital.
Hospitals have per diem charges for beds that are far higher than outpatient centers or offices. Also, hospitals charge more because they have an institution to fund not just a medical clinic. Talk to your plastic surgeon about the outpatient options available.
Also if it is possible opt for local anesthetic rather than general. Anesthesiologists can cost upwards of $200 dollars an hour whereas local anesthetic is relatively inexpensive. Of course the extent of the rhinoplasty you are having done will largely dictate whether or not general anesthetic is necessary, but make sure to ask if it is possible to use a local.
That brings us to the number one way to save money on your rhinoplasty. It is better to have a more minor procedure done exceptionally well than a more drastic alteration. Don't forget that you can always have more procedures done later as you can afford them. It is your nose and you are going to have it for a long time; make sure you have the one you want.