Questions worth asking before you book

Look them up free at certificationmatters.org, run by the American Board of Medical Specialties. For plastic surgery, the certifying board is the American Board of Plastic Surgery. "Board certified" with no board named, or certification by a board outside ABMS, is not the same thing.

A plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery completed an accredited plastic surgery residency. "Cosmetic surgeon" is not a protected title — any licensed physician, including one with no surgical residency, can legally use it. Verify the specific board.

Yes. Ask whether the operating facility is accredited (AAAASF, AAAHC, or Joint Commission) or is a licensed hospital or ambulatory surgery center. Accreditation governs anesthesia safety, emergency equipment, and staffing. It is a fair question and any reputable practice will answer it directly.

Cosmetic procedures are not covered. Reconstructive procedures often are: breast reconstruction after mastectomy is federally mandated to be covered, and functional cases — eyelid surgery obstructing vision, breast reduction for documented symptoms — may qualify with proper documentation.

Consultations in the Augusta area are typically available within a few weeks. Surgery itself is usually scheduled several weeks to a few months out, depending on the surgeon and the procedure. Build in extra time if you are working toward a specific date.

Expect roughly $5,500 to $12,000 all-in. Southeastern Aesthetics publishes an approximate cost of $5,500, and Augusta Plastic Surgery lists $6,000+ for saline and $7,800+ for silicone implants. The ASPS national average surgeon fee is $4,875, but that excludes anesthesia, facility, and implants.

Plan on roughly $12,000 to $20,000 all-in. The ASPS national average surgeon fee is $11,395, but that is the surgeon's fee only — anesthesia and the surgical facility typically add several thousand dollars more. Augusta practices rarely publish prices, so the only reliable number is a written quote from a consultation.

Expect roughly $6,500 to $15,000. Augusta Plastic Surgery publishes $8,500+ for a lift alone, $10,500+ with saline implants, and $13,000+ with silicone implants. The ASPS national average surgeon fee is $6,816, but that excludes anesthesia and facility fees, which typically add $1,500 to $3,500.

Budget roughly $8,000 to $16,000 all-in. The ASPS national average surgeon fee is $7,637, but that covers the surgeon only — anesthesia and the surgical facility are billed separately and add several thousand dollars. Revision cases, which often require cartilage grafts from the ear or rib, cost more.

Self-pay runs roughly $5,000 to $13,000. Image Cosmetic Surgery Center's Augusta page lists breast reduction starting at $5,000; Augusta Plastic Surgery publishes $9,500+ for a cosmetic reduction. The ASPS national average surgeon fee is $7,800, which excludes anesthesia and facility fees.

The ASPS national average surgeon fee is $3,359 for upper eyelids and $3,876 for lower eyelids. Those are surgeon fees only. With anesthesia and facility costs added, expect roughly $3,400 to $5,500 for uppers alone and $7,000 to $9,000 for uppers and lowers together in an accredited surgical facility.

Expect roughly $8,500 to $16,000 all-in. The ASPS national average surgeon fee is $7,885, but that is the surgeon's portion only — anesthesia and facility fees are billed separately. Most neck lifts are done together with a facelift, which raises the total but costs less than having the two surgeries separately.

Typical per-unit pricing nationally runs about $10 to $15 per unit, and ASPS reports an average of $435 per botulinum toxin treatment. A standard forehead-and-crow's-feet treatment of 30 to 40 units therefore lands around $300 to $600. Augusta pricing generally falls within these national ranges.

Expect roughly $5,400 to $15,000. Image Cosmetic Surgery Center's Augusta page lists tummy tuck starting at $5,400; Augusta Plastic Surgery publishes $9,000 to $11,000+ for abdominoplasty. The ASPS national average surgeon fee is $8,174, which excludes anesthesia and facility fees that typically add $2,000 to $4,000.

ASPS national averages are $715 per syringe for hyaluronic acid fillers, $901 for non-HA fillers like Radiesse or Sculptra, and $743 for lip filler. Most areas need more than one syringe — full cheek restoration commonly takes two to four — so a realistic visit lands between $1,400 and $3,000.

Expect roughly $3,700 to $12,000 depending on how many areas are treated. Image Cosmetic Surgery Center's Augusta page lists liposuction starting at $3,700; Augusta Plastic Surgery publishes $5,000+ and notes cost varies. The ASPS national average surgeon fee is $4,711, excluding anesthesia and facility.

Expect roughly $12,000 to $22,000 all-in. There is no single ASPS average because it is a combination. Using ASPS surgeon fees — tummy tuck $8,174 plus breast augmentation $4,875 or breast lift $6,816 — and adding one set of anesthesia and facility fees produces that range.

The ASPS national average for a skin resurfacing procedure is $1,829. In practice, a deep ablative CO2 treatment often runs $2,000 to $3,500 as a single session, while lighter non-ablative laser or RF microneedling sessions cost less each but are sold in packages of three or four, bringing the course to a similar total.

Expect roughly $5,200 to $15,000. Image Cosmetic Surgery Center's Augusta page lists BBL starting at $5,200; Augusta Plastic Surgery publishes $10,500+ for buttock augmentation with fat grafting. The ASPS national average surgeon fee is $7,264, excluding anesthesia and facility. Price scales with how many areas are liposuctioned.