Are you planning to undergo breast reduction surgery soon? This article is for patients interested in the factors affecting breast reduction surgery cost.

It’s always a good idea to familiarize yourself with these factors — whether you’ve already chosen your plastic surgeon and finalized your surgical plans or not. If you are still shopping around for the right surgeon, this information may help inform your decision. And if you’ve already chosen your surgeon, understanding the ins and outs of pricing can help you budget better and plan for potentially unexpected costs related to your surgery. Let’s get started.

Top Factors Affecting the Cost of Breast Reduction

Where You Undergo Surgery

Where you undergo surgery will greatly impact your breast reduction cost. First, geographic location is important: in large urban areas, surgery prices tend to be higher.

Next, you’ll need to pay for your surgeon’s care. Once you decide to get a breast reduction, you’ll begin shopping around for a good plastic surgeon. Most urban areas offer a variety of professionals who regularly perform this surgery.

As always when choosing a plastic surgeon, first, book an initial consultation appointment. Make sure you are choosing someone who is a) board certified and b) has experience performing breast reductions. You also want to have a good rapport with your surgeon. Find someone who makes you feel confident and comfortable. Your surgeon will charge their own unique surgeon’s fee.

As a third piece of the price puzzle, you’ll have to pay for the surgical facility itself. Every plastic surgeon has their practice office, but that’s not usually where they perform major surgeries like breast reductions.

They may do small noninvasive procedures there. But for invasive procedures, they need to have privileges at a nearby accredited surgical facility or hospital. On top of the surgeon’s fee, this location will charge their own fees for your surgery and care.

Lastly, where you get surgery will impact another cost factor: anesthesia. Your anesthesiologist will charge fees for their treatment and care. They will be administering anesthesia before your breast surgery and monitoring you throughout the procedure.

Like plastic surgeons, all anesthesiologists charge different amounts. Also, different types of anesthesia cost different amounts. Finally, the length of your procedure will dictate how much care and anesthesia your anesthesiologist will need to provide. This, too, will impact the cost of your cosmetic surgery.

What Your Breast Reduction Requires (Surgical Techniques)

A “simple” and “straightforward” breast reduction might involve incisions made to the breast; the removal of excess breast tissue, skin, and fat; and the closure of the incisions. This is the overarching surgical technique for most breast reduction patients.

With that said, there are many variables within this loose process. For example, there are different incision patterns that can be used, each of which will incidentally leave different breast reduction scars. The lollipop incision pattern and the anchor incision pattern are two common examples. Additionally, some patients may require one pattern on one breast and another pattern on the other breast (for uneven breasts).

Some patients may also need to have their areolae resized and their nipples and areolae repositioned — or both. Actually, the areolae and nipples are almost always moved up higher on the breasts to create a more natural and perkier appearance. This sometimes requires the areolae and nipples to be completely removed and repositioned, or sometimes, only the nipples are moved.

Most of the time, aesthetic patients seeking breast reduction will want a breast lift with their breast reduction. Depending on their desired outcome, this may require more pre-surgical planning and time in the operating room. Therefore, the breast reduction and lift surgery cost will be more.

All of these factors require different surgical techniques and can change the “average price” of this plastic surgery.

Will Health Insurance Cover Breast Reduction Procedures?

Some insurance providers may cover breast reduction surgery. However, this depends on multiple factors.

First, most health insurance companies need to know that your breast size has been chronically impacting your life in negative ways. They’ll likely ask to see proof that you have visited your doctor or specialists numerous times for chronic back, neck, or shoulder pain and other ailments related to your breast size. You must have documentation that medical professionals think a breast reduction procedure could improve these issues.

Next, remember that all providers are different. One insurance company may cover all breast reduction costs as long as certain requirements are met. But other providers may deny insurance coverage based on your circumstances or your unique plan.

How Much Does Breast Reduction Surgery Cost With Insurance?

The average breast reduction surgery cost with insurance can vary widely. It’s always best to contact your insurance provider directly for answers to your questions. They will determine what costs they are willing to cover for breast reduction surgery, if any.

If you are able to get coverage for your breast reduction, this is, of course, optimal. The cost of breast reduction surgery without insurance is typically in the thousands.

Schedule Your Consultation Appointment

If large breasts are holding you back from living the life you want, breast reduction surgery could be your answer, and your journey begins with a consultation appointment.

At your consultation, you’ll meet with female board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Ashley Steinberg who is skilled and experienced with all types of breast surgery, including breast reductions, breast augmentations, breast lifts, and gynecomastia surgery for men. This appointment will give you a chance to express your concerns and ask questions, go over breast reduction before and after photos, talk about breast reduction recovery, and more.

Please call today to request your consultation appointment.