Operation costs | Plastic Surgery – What is it?

Operation costs

Plastic surgery in the sense of reconstructive, burn and hand surgery is covered by health insurance companies in the sense of restoring body parts and their functionality. The question is always asked whether the functionality of the respective body part is limited (e.g. if back pain or curvature is caused by too large breasts, a nasal breathing impediment due to a curved nasal septum or a functional problem due to oversized labia). In this case, the doctor can apply to the health insurance company for reimbursement.

However, if the problem is purely cosmetic, such as a bumpy nose without impediment to breathing or lip augmentation, the costs must be covered by the patient himself. The costs vary greatly depending on the complexity of the procedure and the respective clinic. For example, the price range for a non-operative wrinkle treatment starts at a few hundred Euros and can reach into the 5-digit range for complex procedures with anesthesia and several days of inpatient hospital stay.

Risks of plastic surgery

Like any operation, plastic surgery involves certain risks, which the attending physician must inform about. In the case of a purely aesthetic operation, the explanation must be particularly thorough, as the patient has no functional problem, but the operation does involve some serious risks. The risk depends on the type and complexity of the procedure, so obviously a Botox treatment is less risky than a complex breast augmentation or difficult procedures on the face.

The risks of any operation include the danger of infection, the risks of anaesthesia, the cutting of blood vessels or nerves and thus loss of function. There is also the risk that the result of the operation does not meet the patient’s wishes and expectations, so that an honest and realistic picture of the result should be presented to the patient in advance. Particularly with purely cosmetic procedures, the cost-benefit factor should be carefully weighed up. For this it is indispensable that the physician leads an honest clearing-up discussion, with which critically one questions and the patient does not have the feeling to be able to be imposed something.