February 09, 2023 | Financing Plastic Surgery
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There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look better, and there’s no denying that plastic surgery can help you achieve that. This applies to young men and women with long-standing concerns like the size of their noses or ears to more mature individuals who feel younger than they appear.
You have options when you want to address personal cosmetic issues and can’t (or don’t want to) pay upfront, depending on your credit score and banking history.
However, you should first consider when to schedule a cosmetic procedure.
Decide When to Have Your Cosmetic Procedure Before How You’ll Pay for It.
If you’re serious about making significant cosmetic changes, ask yourself these four questions:
- Am I in good health and at my ideal weight? You should be healthy and at or close to your ideal weight before having plastic surgery. Otherwise, significant weight fluctuations will adversely impact your results.
- Do I need to quit smoking? Tobacco use increases your risk of serious complications during and after surgery.
- Am I planning to make another significant change soon? Are you planning to move, graduate college, get married, make a career change, or attend a reunion in the next year? These can be the perfect times to make aesthetic changes too!
- Do I have the resources to take time off work for recovery?
These questions are important because the answers will determine whether you’re ready to undergo a cosmetic procedure and if coordinating your plastic surgery with another major change makes sense.
Saving Up as Much as You Can While You Wait
- If you are postponing your surgery because you need to lose some weight beforehand, consider saving as much as possible to put toward the cost of your surgery.
- Do the same if you don’t have free time for recovery yet.
- If you need to quit smoking, make that a goal and consider earmarking the dollar amount your habit would have cost you for a year or two.
Financing Surgical and Non-surgical Cosmetic Procedures When Time Is of the Essence
If you are making other life changes, moving, or have a major life event coming up, you’ll be more apt to seek financing. That said, financing plastic surgery (whether through a lender or in-house) can benefit anyone interested in aesthetic improvement.
If you’re a candidate for plastic surgery and now is the right time for your procedure, you might want to explore your financing options.
Using Medical-Use, Zero Interest Credit Cards, or Personal Loans to Pay for Plastic Surgery
Some ways to finance cosmetic procedures include medical-use credit cards, zero-interest credit cards, and personal loans.
Medical-Use Credit Cards
- The PatientFi card boasts a high approval rating and no hidden fees. PatientFi looks at more than the patients’ FICO score and offers a promotional zero-interest APR as well as conventional plans with reasonable rates and no compounding interest. You can even calculate your payments here.
- Applicants should have a credit score of 620 and over to apply with PatientFi. The CareCredit® card is probably the most popular medical-use credit card and provides a promotional-term, zero-interest option for purchases over $200. However, if payment in full is not received before the pre-arranged zero-interest term expires or regular payments are not made, you can incur retroactive interest rates as high as 26.99% or more.
Lower interest options are available with rates from 14.90% to 17.90% if you don’t want to risk paying higher fees should your balance not be paid by the agreed-upon date.
Applicants should have a credit score of 620 or over to apply with CareCredit®.
- ALPHAEON® also offers promotional zero-interest for purchases of $250 for six months and $500 for 12, 18, or 24 months. An APR of 28.99% is charged from the original purchase date if zero interest terms are not met.
Their low-interest terms include 14.99% for 24, 36, or 48 months on purchases over $1,000 and up to 60 months on purchases of $2,500 or more.
Applicants should have a credit score of 620 and over to apply with 640 and above to apply with ALPHAEON®.
If you already have access to a commercial credit card with a zero-interest promotion, check the penalties for carrying over a balance past the promotional term to see if this is a better option.
Personal Loans for Plastic Surgery and Other Cosmetic Treatments
If you have a good, long-standing relationship with your bank or credit union, try securing a low-interest personal loan.
Other financial institutions offer loans to cover medical or cosmetic procedures and have been rated by Forbes magazine as follows:
- SoFi – Best overall cosmetic option
- LightStream – Best interest rates
- Marcus – Best for long-term loans
- LendingPoint – Best for quick funding & less-than-perfect credit
- Upgrade – Best for bad credit
Don’t Look for Discount Plastic Surgeons
Choosing a surgeon who accepts the major medical-use credit cards or has other financing options can help, but never decide on a doctor based on discount prices or easy financing.
Your safety and the quality of your results depend on your plastic surgeon’s skill and experience, and you always want to choose one who is board certified.
Dr. Frank Agullo’s Plastic Surgery Financing in El Paso, TX
Dr. Agullo is a well-respected, board-certified plastic surgeon who accepts many forms of credit cards, including the above medical-use cards.
He also offers a pay-as-you-go option that allows you to make payments directly to the office before the procedure is done. Talk to his care coordinator to see about combining your options.
Want to learn more about financing your non-surgical cosmetic treatment or plastic surgery procedure in El Paso, Texas? Call Dr. Agullo’s office today at (915) 590-7900.
