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Plastic Surgery Financing: How to Pay for Your Procedure

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Content was accurate at the time of publication.
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Cosmetic surgery is considered an elective surgery, and insurance usually does not cover these operations. Patients must pay cash or utilize another plastic surgery financing method to pay for procedures like laser hair removal, Botox, breast augmentation or rhinoplasty, among others.

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8 plastic surgery loans to consider

If a personal loan is your preferred method for plastic surgery financing, shopping around with multiple lenders could help you find the best deal possible. Ensure you make apples-to-apples comparisons of APRs, repayment plans, discounts and fees, among other loan terms.

There are many ways to get a personal loan, perhaps from a bank, credit union or online-only company. Prioritize those lenders that allow you to prequalify for funding without a hard check of your credit report, which could dim your credit score.

While many personal loan companies allow you to borrow for cosmetic procedures (among other major expenditures), here are a handful to begin your shopping process:

Lender Good for… APR range Credit score needed
1. Best Egg Seamless online prequalification 8.99%–35.99% 600
2. Achieve Applicants with excellent credit 8.99%–35.99% 620
3. LendingClub Applying with a co-borrower 9.57%–35.99% Not specified
4. LendingPoint Borrowing small loan amounts 7.99%–35.99% 660
5. LightStream Wide variety of repayment term durations 7.99%-25.49%* with autopay Not specified
6. Prosper Fast loan funding 6.99%–35.99% 560
7. SoFi Unemployment protection during repayment 8.99%–25.81% 680
8. Upstart Borrowers with thin credit histories 6.40%–35.99% 300

If you’re ready to move forward, you can check the latest personal loan rates here at LendingTree.


Here are five additional plastic surgery financing options:

  1. Enroll in a payment plan through the surgeon
  2. Utilize a medical credit card like CareCredit
  3. Use a credit card with a 0% APR offer
  4. Take out a fixed-rate personal loan
  5. Budget and save up in advance

1. Enroll in a payment plan through the surgeon

When you’re researching plastic surgeons to complete your medical procedure, ask the provider if they offer any type of plastic surgery financing or payment plan. You may be able to break up the cost of your cosmetic procedure into smaller monthly installments without paying interest.

Many surgeons avoid getting involved in the financial aspect of the procedure, though, and rely on third-party plastic surgery financing options like medical credit cards and plastic surgery loans.

Pros

  You can split the cost into smaller monthly payments.

  You may not have to pay interest or go through a credit check.

Cons

  Not many doctors offer in-house payment plans, and most defer to a third-party company.

  Your bill may be sent to a debt collector if you don’t pay.

2. Utilize a medical credit card like CareCredit

Your plastic surgeon may offer financing through a medical credit card like CareCredit. Medical credit cards are a popular way to finance plastic surgery because they usually offer promotional financing. During a certain introductory period, typically a few months to a few years, you can break up the cost of your procedure into smaller monthly payments at 0% APR or reduced APR.

However, some medical credit cards come with very high APRs. And if you don’t adhere to the payment plan outlined by the promotional financing offer, you may be stuck paying deferred interest from the original purchase date.

Take a look at the terms offered by the CareCredit® credit card:

CareCredit at a glance
APR 32.99%
Fees Annual fee: $0

Late fee: Up to $40

0% APR financing No interest if paid in full within 6, 12, 18 or 24 months on purchases of $200 or more.
Reduced APR financing Reduced APR for financing on purchases of $1,000 or more:

  • 24 months at 14.90% APR
  • 36 months at 15.90% APR
  • 48 months at 16.90% APR

Reduced APR for financing on purchases of $2,500 or more:

  • 60 months at 17.90%

Pros

  Promotional interest rates let you pay for your procedure at no (or reduced) interest.

  No fee for early repayment.

  A convenient option when you need it.

Cons

  You’ll pay deferred interest if you don’t adhere to the promotional terms.

  The APR for these cards can be very high, and you could find more competitive APR offers through other financing options.

  Not all medical providers offer financing through medical credit cards.

Average cost of common plastic surgery procedures

  • Breast augmentation: $3,947
  • Facelift: $7,467
  • Liposuction: $3,548
  • Rhinoplasty: $5,409
  • “Tummy tuck”: $6,092

Source: CareCredit

3. Use a credit card with a 0% APR offer

Medical providers typically allow you to charge your elective procedure to your credit card (though some may charge a card processing fee). However, credit cards are notorious for their high interest rates.

One way to get around this is to use a credit card with an introductory 0% APR offer. These offers typically last up to 21 months and are reserved for borrowers with good credit. This can let you split up the cost of your cosmetic procedure into smaller monthly payments without paying interest, as long as the balance is paid in full by the end of the introductory period.

If you’re unable to secure a 0% APR offer, you may end up paying a lot more for the surgery than you initially thought. Additionally, the large charge to your card is likely to tie up your credit, hurting your credit utilization and possibly affecting your credit score.

Pros

  Borrowers with good credit may secure a 0% APR intro offer to avoid paying interest for a limited time.

  You can pay with a credit card to earn rewards like cash back or travel miles.

Cons

  Not all borrowers will qualify for a 0% APR offer.

  Regular APRs can be high, which can increase the cost of borrowing.

  Putting a large charge on your credit card can affect your credit utilization and credit score.

4. Take out a fixed-rate personal loan

A plastic surgery loan — also known as an unsecured personal loan — is a quick way to secure money for a surgical procedure. Personal loans are lump-sum loans typically ranging from $1,000 to $50,000 that have a fixed APR and monthly payment.

Compared with some of your other financing options, a plastic surgery loan could be the cheaper alternative to getting a cosmetic procedure. If you have a strong credit history, your APR is likely to be significantly lower than a credit card. Borrowers with subprime credit might only find personal loans with high APRs, if they qualify at all.

As with most types of borrowing, plastic surgery loans will add to the cost of your procedure since you’ll be paying interest. You can try to mitigate the cost of the loan by making extra payments and paying it off early, as long as you’re aware of any prepayment penalties that the lender might charge. Plus, you should shop around for the lowest possible APR for your financial situation using our personal loan guide.

Pros

  APRs can be competitive for borrowers with good or excellent credit.

  Personal loans are typically unsecured, meaning you won’t have to put up collateral.

  You’re able to break up the cost of your surgery into smaller, fixed monthly payments.

Cons

  APRs can be high for subprime borrowers and may not be competitive for prime borrowers who only need to borrow for a short period.

  You may have to pay an origination fee, which is usually 1% to 8% of the total cost of the loan.

  You may be charged a penalty for paying off your loan early.

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5. Budget and save up in advance

Borrowing money from a lender or charging a credit card comes at a cost, whether that’s in interest, fees or penalties. Since an elective procedure is typically an unnecessary expense, it’s best to pay out of pocket rather than to rely on plastic surgery financing. Using the money you’ve saved to pay for your surgery is always an option if you have money in the bank.

If you don’t have the money saved up, you can create a budgeting plan to help you save up for the procedure. For example, if the procedure is $15,000, you could squirrel away $625 per month for two years to pay for the surgery with cash. Creating a monthly budget can help you realize your financial goals and get the cosmetic procedure you want without any financial consequences.

Pros

  You won’t pay interest, so the cost of your procedure is the only price you’ll pay.

  You won’t have to borrow money, so there are no credit requirements.

Cons

  You may not have the money you need to get the surgery as soon as you want.

  It takes time and discipline to save enough money to pay for plastic surgery.

 

The information related to the CareCredit® credit card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.