Updated
May 30, 2023 Opting for plastic or cosmetic surgery is a personal decision. Once you decide you’re ready to move forward, it’s time to figure out how to pay for the procedure. Your health insurance may cover reconstructive or medically necessary plastic surgery.
But if you’re getting an elective procedure, you may have to bear the entire cost.
Explore plastic surgery financing options to find the most affordable funding that works with your ideal timeline. We’ve rounded up the best personal loan options and alternatives to consider.
In this guide:
- Personal loans for plastic surgery
- How much more expensive is surgery with financing vs. cash?
- Are there financing benefits for medical uses?
- How to repay a personal loan for cosmetic surgery
- How much does plastic surgery cost?
- Should you get a personal loan for plastic surgery?
- Alternatives to plastic or cosmetic surgery loans
Personal loans for plastic surgery
| Lender | Best for | Key features |
| LightStream | Excellent credit | Fixed-rate loans starting at 7.99% APR with autopay and excellent credit Loan amounts from $5,000 – $100,000 Funds available as soon as the same day |
| Upgrade | Fair credit | Fixed-rate loans starting at 8.49% APR Loan amounts from $1,000 – $50,000 Funds available as soon as the next day |
| Upstart | Thin credit | Typical rates between 6.7% and 35.99% APR Get funds as fast as 1 business day Minimum credit score of 300 |
| SoFi | Good credit | Rates starting at 8.99% APR with autopay discount Borrow between $5,000 and $100,000 Funds available as fast as the same day |
Many companies offer personal loans for plastic surgery expenses. Some lenders may brand their personal loans as medical loans. Often, these are the same as a traditional personal loan. However, certain companies cater to medical financing, such as a line of credit designed just for health care costs.
As you weigh your options, consider how your loan offers are structured. They could be unsecured or secured, which come with important distinctions.
Unsecured personal loans don’t require collateral, but you’ll often need a good or excellent credit score to get approved for a low rate.
If your credit score doesn’t measure up, you might qualify for a secured personal loan or a bad-credit loan. Secured loans are collateralized by property, such as your home, car, or savings account. If you default on the loan, the lender can take the asset used as collateral. Bad-credit loans have high interest rates that may not be worth it.
| Unsecured medical loans | Secured medical loans | |
| Collateral requirements | None—only a signature needed | Must offer some type of collateral |
| Credit requirements | Higher score required | More flexible credit requirements |
| Interest rates | Interest rate may be higher since no asset backs the loan | Interest rate may be more competitive with collateral, but lenders also consider your credit score. |
Ready to explore plastic surgery financing options?
We researched multiple options and chose the top loans you can use for elective plastic and cosmetic surgery. We’ve included options for borrowers with all types of credit scores.
Best for excellent credit: LightStream
Editorial rating: 4.8 out of 5
- Rate Beat program: Will beat a competitor’s offer by 0.10% APR if approved for a lower rate elsewhere
- Unique satisfaction guarantee: Borrowers who are not satisfied with their loan experience can get a $100 refund
- Loan amounts: $5,000 – $100,000
LightStream offers personal loans with low rates, no fees, and a Rate Beat program in which it will beat any rate a competitor offers by 0.10 percentage points. LightStream’s product is an unsecured personal loan, but you must disclose the purpose of your financing.
LightStream is well-suited for applicants with a good credit score and a low debt-to-income ratio. You’ll also need liquid assets, such as cash and retirement savings, to get approved. In other words, this lender wants to ensure you have stable financial footing with a high likelihood of making on-time payments every month.
- Credit score category: Excellent, good (660+)
- Soft credit pull to check rates? No
- Deposit time: As soon as the same day
- Origination fee: 0%
- Late fee: None
- Rates (APR): 7.99% – 23.99%
- Discounts: 0.50% for enrolling in autopay
- Repayment terms: 24 – 144 months
Best for fair credit: Upgrade
Editorial rating: 4.9 out of 5
- Credit health tool to monitor your credit score and get personalized recommendations
- Loan amounts: $1,000 – $50,000
- 15-day grace period before late fee is assessed
Upgrade is an appealing option for borrowers with credit scores of 580 or higher, as well as those who need smaller loans, thanks to a low $1,000 minimum loan amount. Upgrade offers several loan types. For plastic surgery financing, opt for the “major purchase” loan.
You can check rates without affecting your credit score, and eligibility is based more on free cash flow than other lenders. Upstart often shows several loan offers with different terms so you can compare monthly payments.
- Credit score category: Fair, bad (560+)
- Soft credit pull to check rates? Yes
- Deposit time: As soon as the next day
- Origination fee: 1.85% – 8.99%
- Late fee: $10
- Rates (APR): 8.49% – 35.97%
- Repayment terms: 24 – 84 months
Best for thin credit: Upstart
Editorial rating: 4.8 out of 5
- Uses artificial intelligence to provide competitive rates based on unique creditworthiness
- Checking your rate won’t affect your credit score
- Loan amounts: $1,000 – $50,000
Upstart is an online lending platform that partners with banks to provide personal loans you can use for almost anything—including plastic surgery financing. Because Upstart’s lending model considers multiple variables to determine eligibility (including education and employment), credit isn’t the only factor in approval.
This model leads to 27% more approvals and 16% lower rates than traditional models. So even if you have little to no credit, you could still qualify for a cosmetic surgery loan with Upstart.
- Credit score category: Fair, bad
- Soft credit pull to check rates? Yes
- Deposit time: As fast as 1 business day
- Origination fee: 0% – 10%
- Late fee: $15 or 5% of payment
- Rates (APR): 6.70% – 35.99%
- Repayment terms: 36 or 60 months
Best for good credit: SoFi
Editorial rating: 5 out of 5
- Unemployment protection allows pausing loan payments in case of job loss
- Fast, easy application: Get a decision in minutes
- Loan amounts: $5,000 – $100,000
You’ll need a good credit score to get approved for a SoFi personal loan. But if you’re looking to finance a larger amount for your plastic surgery, SoFi might be suitable. Plus, you can get funds deposited as fast as the same day.
You could be ready to pay for your procedure whether you see your provider for a last-minute opening or want to be prepared with a deposit.
- Credit score category: Good
- Soft credit pull to check rates? Yes
- Deposit time: Same day
- Origination fee: 0% – 6%
- Late fee: None
- Rates (APR): 8.99% – 23.43%
- Repayment terms: 24 – 84 months
How much more expensive will the surgery be with financing vs. cash?
You’ll save money by paying for your plastic surgery with cash rather than financing because of the interest and potential fees you’ll pay with a loan.
Let’s say your cosmetic surgery costs $3,500 total:
| Example only | |
| Loan amount | $3,500 |
| Origination fee | 2% (often deducted before loan funds are disbursed) |
| Interest rate | 12% |
| Repayment terms | 3 years |
| Monthly payment | $116.25 |
| Total interest paid | $685 |
| Total cost of loan | $4,185 |
You might pay $4,185 to borrow $3,500.
Are there financing benefits for medical uses?
Advantages to financing your plastic and cosmetic surgery include:
- Afford your surgery faster than saving up to pay cash. Whether you’re getting your surgery for comfort, confidence, or another reason, you can enjoy the effects sooner rather than later.
- Keep your cash savings in place for an emergency. If an emergency occurs after you drain your savings account, you may need time-sensitive funding, which can be expensive.
How to repay a personal loan for cosmetic surgery
When taking out a loan, you get the money upfront and repay it in monthly installments. Payments include the principal balance and interest. If your lender charges origination fees, it will often deduct them before you get the funds in your account.
Typical repayment terms range from two to seven years. Some lenders allow you to repay the loan early, but ensure they don’t charge prepayment penalties.
Impact of your APR
The total cost of a plastic surgery loan depends on the APR. If you have an excellent credit score, you’re more likely to qualify for a low interest rate.
If your score is less than perfect, your APR might reach double digits. To understand the difference this can make, we’ll examine two APRs for a $2,000 loan spread over two years.
| $2,000 loan with 6% APR | $2,000 loan with 15% APR | |
| Monthly payment | $88.64 | $96.97 |
| Total interest paid | $127.39 | $327.36 |
That’s almost $200 more to borrow the same amount. This example illustrates why comparing offers is essential when searching for the best plastic surgery financing.
How much does plastic surgery cost?
Plastic and cosmetic surgery aren’t cheap.
The table below shows the average surgeon or physician fee for certain standard procedures, according to a study from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
| Cosmetic procedure | National average surgeon/physician fee |
| Breast augmentation (Breast augmentation financing) | $4,516 |
| Buttock implants | $5,278 |
| Calf augmentation | $3,845 |
| Cheek implant | $3,669 |
| Chin augmentation | $3,137 |
| Ear surgery | $3,736 |
| Lip reduction | $2,503 |
| Nose reshaping | $5,483 |
| Tummy tuck (Tummy tuck financing) | $6,154 |
Should you get a personal loan for plastic surgery?
It’s wise to weigh all your payment options before you choose a personal loan for your plastic or cosmetic surgery. If you can’t cover the costs with cash, look at multiple loan options to consider the monthly payments and total interest paid.
Ensure you can afford the monthly payments and have a financial cushion to cover those payments in case another emergency arises.
>>Read more: What credit score is needed for a personal loan?
Alternatives to plastic or cosmetic surgery loans
If a plastic surgery loan isn’t right for you, check out the alternatives below. These options may have more competitive rates or fewer fees, so be ready to compare the pros and cons.
Medical payment plans
Your plastic surgeon’s office might offer interest-free payment plans customized to your budget. You can save on interest and fees, and a missed or late payment won’t appear on your credit report.
However, if you don’t pay your bill, the doctor might use a collection agency or sue you, both of which will appear on your credit report and can damage your score.
Medical credit card or 0% intro APR card
Medical credit cards are meant to pay for medical care only. Some offer 0% financing if you repay within a set time. If you miss the deadline, you’ll owe retroactive interest for the period.
As of March 2023, CareCredit is the primary medical credit card available. It may offer 0% interest repayment options, which your medical provider can tell you more about.
Another option is a 0% APR credit card. Like medical credit cards, interest doesn’t accrue on your balance for a set period. This option may be viable if you can pay off the balance in that time. If not, the high interest rates could make this one of the most expensive options.
Savings
If you don’t have the money on hand to pay for a cosmetic procedure, you might be able to save up for the cost by pushing back the procedure date. This option, of course, depends on whether your surgery is time sensitive.
To determine whether it’s worth it, consider the total cost of your surgery and how much extra money you can stash away each month. Divide that cost by your savings amount to determine how many months it would take to save.
| Example only | |
| Procedure cost | $2,500 |
| Monthly savings | $250 |
| Cost / Savings | 10 ($2,500 / $250) |
In this example, it would take 10 months to save the $2,500 needed for your procedure.
Remember: You can also pay for part of your surgery with savings and then finance the rest. That helps lower your monthly payments and total interest paid.