Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta is a premier practice providing proven and effective aesthetic and reconstructive surgery procedures of the breast, body and face. Led by Dr. Paul McCluskey, an experienced plastic surgeon, the practice focuses on meeting patients’ expectations in a safe and satisfactory manner.
Patients in and around Atlanta, GA can receive a wide range of treatment options from Dr. McCluskey. As a cosmetic surgeon, he understands each patient’s aesthetic goals are unique, and ensures that customized treatment options and approaches are followed to suit their needs in the best possible way.
Range of Procedures
The Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta provides the following main surgical treatment options:
Body
- Arm Lift
- Thigh Lift
- Brazilian Butt Lift
- Body Lift
- Tummy Tuck
- Liposuction
- Mommy Makeover
Breast
- Breast Augmentation
- Breast Augmentation with lift
- Breast Lift
- Breast Reconstruction
- Breast Reduction
- Breast Revision
- Male breast reduction for gynecomastia
Face
- Browlift
- Ear Pinning Surgery (Otoplasty)
- Eyelid Surgery
- Facelift
- Mid-Facelift
- Facial Implants
- Necklift
- Revision Rhinoplasty
- Rhinoplasty
Cost Difference in Procedures
The cost of each of the aesthetic or reconstructive procedures performed by a plastic surgeon is likely to be different. The treatment approach, technology involved and skills, efforts and time required to complete a procedure successfully will usually vary from one procedure to another. All these inputs have a direct bearing on the overall cost of the procedure. For example, a full tummy tuck surgery or abdominoplasty is likely to cost more than a relatively smaller procedure such as neck lift.
Similarly, a comprehensive mommy makeover, which includes tummy tuck, liposuction, breast augmentation or reduction and breast lift, can be a costly affair because of the extensive treatments involved. However, in terms of cost effectiveness, a mommy makeover may prove to be more cost effective compared to each procedure performed individually. Surgeries that involve functional correction, reconstruction, repair or revision over a previous surgery may be more expensive because they are usually more intricate and complex.
The cosmetic surgeon will usually discuss the cost aspect in detail with the patient beforehand, and help the patient make the right choices. Sometimes a patient may just need a minor improvement in the chin, nose, lips, brows or eyelids, and a surgery such rhinoplasty, brow lift, eyelid lift or chin or lip augmentation may be sufficient to achieve the purpose. In such case, the surgeon may advise the patient to avoid a complete facelift surgery, which may be more costly as well as unnecessary from the patient’s point of view.
Strategic Factors that could Impact the Price
Procedures that do not involve general anesthesia may cost slightly lower because the costs of anesthesia are excluded. When it is safe and convenient for the patient, Dr. McCluskey performs procedures on an outpatient basis. This also brings down the overall cost of treatment because overnight stay and care expenses are avoided. Efficiency of a practice, support of the staff members and cost-reduction efforts of the plastic surgeon may sometimes help bring down the costs to an extent.
Other Factors Influencing Cost
Some common factors are likely to impact the cost of every procedure in a uniform manner. Some of the key common factors include the following:
- The skills, experience, and reputation of the cosmetic surgeon are likely to have a bearing on the surgeon’s fee.
- Geographical location of the practice will impact the cost because the general cost of living varies in each place. For instance, the cost in Mobile, AL may be different from the cost in Manhattan, NYC for the same procedure.
- Quality of facilities and services provided at the surgical facility or hospital, including the expertise of support staff.
Actual Cost of a Procedure
The actual cost of a procedure will differ from one location to another and even from one practice to another within the same location due to so many cost influencing factors involved. However, to provide an indication to new patients about the expected costs of various plastic and reconstructive procedures, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) compiles cost data across the United States each year.
According to the data released by ASPS for 2012, for instance, the average cost of abdominoplasty or tummy tuck surgery was $5,241. This is the basic national average figure, and does not include the costs of anesthesia, operating room facilities or additional costs. The cost of breast augmentation in 2012 on a national average basis was $3,543, but ASPS indicates that costs would vary depending on the type of implants used and several other factors. For breast lift surgery in 2012, the national average cost was $4,332, and the cost for liposuction surgery came to $2,852.
She would have surgery within the week and she had already chosen to undergo mastectomy on the affected side. Again I turned to the numbers, and my limited knowledge of breast surgery to conclude that everything was going to be fine. Not until I met my family at St Thomas hospital in Nashville before surgery did I realize how little I knew. The truth is that the numbers, stats, and rates of complication, cure, and relapse, are incredibly important and they paint a pretty clear picture of how the average patient will do. But this wasn’t an average patient. This was my mom and she had breast cancer and despite having watched a few mastectomies I was scared to death about what was about to happen. I had no idea if the surgery would “work”, as in would it cure the cancer, and what would have to happen afterward. I was an intern – basically a fourth year medical student with an MD next to my name. My family looked to me for some insight and I tried to be strong and reassuring but I had no idea what I was talking about. I just wanted her to be ok and for this to all be over.
