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.
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Personal loans for plastic surgery
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.
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.
Credible
Why Credible is the best marketplace
Credible‘s user-friendly platform makes it easy to compare loans. It partners with a variety of lenders to help you access prequalified loan options. If you’re looking to finance plastic surgery, you can compare terms that best fit your financial situation and cosmetic goals.
Use Credible’s tools to compare interest rates, repayment terms, and loan amounts from different lenders without any impact on your credit score.
- Compare loans from multiple curated lenders
- Get prequalified loan offers in as little as 2 minutes
- Get funded within a few business days
- No option to apply for joint loans
| Rates (APR) | 6.99% – 35.99% |
| Loan amounts | $1,000 – $200,000 |
| Repayment terms | 1 – 10 years |
Eligibility requirements
- Soft credit check? Yes
- Minimum credit score: Varies
- Minimum income: Not disclosed
- States: Loan partners may not be available in all states
Repayment terms
Credible loans have repayment terms ranging from one to 10 years. Some lenders may charge a prepayment penalty if you pay your loan off early.
SoFi
Why SoFi is the best personal loan for good credit
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 a good option. 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.
- No origination fees, late payment fees, or prepayment penalties
- Check rates in as little as 60 seconds
- Some borrowers may qualify for same-day funding
- Higher minimum loan amount
- Autopay discount is lower than what some lenders offer
| Fixed rates (APR) | 8.99% – 29.99% with all discounts |
| Loan amounts | $5,000 – $100,000 |
| Repayment terms | 2 – 7 years |
Eligibility requirements
- Soft credit check? Yes
- Minimum credit score: 660
- Minimum income: Not disclosed
- States: All 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Repayment terms
SoFi personal loans feature terms from two to seven years. If you enroll in autopay, you’ll get a 0.25% rate discount. There’s no penalty if you decide to pay your loan off early.
Upgrade
Why Upgrade is the best personal loan for fair credit
Upgrade is our top pick if you have a fair credit score (580 to 669), or if you need smaller loans, thanks to its 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.
- Choose your monthly payment and loan term
- Joint applications accepted
- Loan funds may be available in as little as 1 day
- Smaller loan maximum limit
- 1.85% to 9.99% origination fee
| Rates (APR) | 8.49% – 35.99% |
| Loan amounts | $1,000 – $50,000 |
| Repayment terms | 2 – 7 years |
Eligibility requirements
- Soft credit check? Yes
- Minimum credit score: 580
- Minimum income: Not disclosed
- States: All 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Repayment terms
Upgrade loans have repayment terms from two to seven years, and your monthly due date is adjustable to fit your budget. A short-term financial hardship program is available if you’re temporarily unable to manage payments.
Should I get an unsecured or secured loan for plastic surgery?
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 required? | ❌ | ✅ |
| Credit score | ⬆️ Higher score required | ⬇️ More flexible |
| Interest rates | ⬆️ Rate may be higher | ⬇️ Rate may be lower |
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. Most lenders allow you to repay the loan early, but ensure yours doesn’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 | $2,000 loan | |
| APR | 6% | 15% |
| 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 2020 study from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
| Cosmetic procedure | National avg. surgeon/physician fee |
| Breast augmentation | $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 | $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.
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.
CareCredit is the primary medical credit card available. It may offer 0% interest repayment options, which your medical provider can explain in more detail.
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.
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.
Recap of the best personal loans for plastic surgery
About our contributors
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Written by Lauren WardLauren Ward is a personal finance writer who regularly covers topics like mortgages, real estate, tax relief, home equity, business loans, and investing.
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Edited by Kristen Barrett, MATKristen Barrett is a managing editor at LendEDU. She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her wife and their pack of senior rescue dogs. She has edited and written personal finance content since 2015.