Genuine surgical options vs overhyped marketing in plastic surgery
If you're active on social media and pulled into the plastic surgery algorithm, it's likely you've seen the recent chatter around the "$300,000 facelift." This may feel unreasonably expensive, outrageous or like a publicity stunt to boost engagement around a particular surgeon or practice, but this tactic is fairly common.
Some surgeons are charging – and many patients are paying – upwards of hundreds of thousands of dollars for procedures that typically would be a smaller percentage of that total. Patients are often willing to pay this amount due to the deceptively "amazing" results that they see on social media, or the notoriety of going to the surgeon and paying the excessive premium to do so.
Are these wildly priced procedures actually worth it for the average patient? Can the marketing that we see around them truly be believed? To gather more insights into the topic of facelifts and other popular procedures that are often overhyped and outrageously priced, we reached out to ASPS Member Surgeons John Burns, MD, and Richard Reish, MD, FACS.
Dangers of modern-day marketing practices
Social media and digital marketing are great awareness drivers in the field of plastic surgery, but there is an imminent danger of being misled.
"There's definitely been a dramatic increase in deceptive marketing in social media in recent years," said Dr. Reish. "We should be seeking, as the authority in plastic surgery, to teach that these practices are not acceptable. We have to really go above and beyond, especially in the era of digital marketing, to present this to residents and fellows as unacceptable."
Marketing is simply a reality in the world of elective procedures, where many plastic surgeons are also small business owners for their practices.
"Any area of plastic surgery is going to be subject to or victimized by deceptive marketing," said Dr. Burns. "Marketing, whether we like it or not, plays a role. Plastic surgery marketing has quickly gone from a taboo topic to what everybody does. There are some doctors who do not believe in it, but you really cannot survive without it. How far you want to push the envelope is still in flux."
The importance of price transparency
In addition to being vigilant for deceptive marketing tactics, it's also essential to seek transparency in pricing for procedures.
"Two of the scariest words for some surgeons are 'price transparency,'" said Dr. Reish. "They just won't ever talk about pricing. I am a big proponent of and a big believer in price transparency. I only do two procedures and am very open about my pricing. If someone asks me on social media, I'll tell them the total cost. I am not afraid to publicly announce it and say it. It is unfair for patients not to know pricing when they come in for a consultation. If they cannot afford it, they have wasted their time, their money and their hope for results. Quite frankly, I think it is good for the surgeon's practice as well. I am getting more qualified patients coming in the door."
Not providing pricing upfront or inflating prices on the backend can damage both a surgeon's practice and their potential patients. In addition, charging a premium price can be deceptive because it may give the wrong impression that the procedure is of higher quality.
"I definitely think that high price does not equate to quality," said Dr. Reish. "Some patients are tricked into thinking that the more expensive the procedure, the higher the quality."
Excessive pricing appears to be prevalent on social media, but it may be limited to a few key regions.
"Right now, it seems to be confined to New York, Los Angeles and maybe a few select places around the country where they have beautiful offices and it is about the whole experience," said Dr. Burns. "But I do know of doctors demanding upwards of $300,000 for a facelift. That is really the top echelon of what the industry is doing right now. But it does really speak to the power of marketing and the crazy heights to which it can go."
How patients can best protect themselves
There are a few steps you can take to protect yourself from deceptive marketing and exorbitant prices. It may seem like a small detail, but always ensure that you spend adequate time with your surgeon during your consultation.
"My best advice for patients is, number one, if you are doing a consultation with a surgeon and you are spending more time with someone else in the office than the surgeon, that is usually a bad sign," said Dr. Reish. "Meaning, if you are spending three to five minutes with the surgeon and you are being led around by a coordinator the rest of the time, that is usually not a good sign. It can mean that you are not going to get the attention that you want postoperatively."
One of the easiest ways to spot deceptive marketing is through promises of results that seem too good to be true.
"Nothing in plastic surgery is really going to be scarless," said Dr. Burns. "There will always be a scar. Nothing in plastic surgery is new. As the saying goes, 'There's nothing new under the sun.' We are doing the same thing in a different time and a different way. It is not unique. It does evolve, but slowly, and there is no magic procedure that somebody figured out on their own that is going to revolutionize it. Change happens slowly, and it happens by peer-reviewed literature."
It can be easy to fall into the trap of being pushed into booking a procedure when you're not entirely sure that you're ready.
"The other thing patients should look out for is high-pressure sales tactics," said Dr. Reish. "For example, the office says that they are booked out for three years, but they have a sudden opening in two weeks, and if you do not act now, it will go to the next patient that walks in the door. If you are being pursued as a patient by the office or led to believe that there is some strict timeline that you have to book by, usually, all of those are not accurate at all and are high-pressure sales tactics, which are never a good sign."
Artificial intelligence (AI) may be an advantageous tool for many, but it can unfortunately be used to enhance or alter images of patients before and after treatment.
"In this age of AI, you have to be wary of photographic manipulation, which is unethical, but does happen, and people putting models on their website and trying to pass them off as patients," said Dr. Burns. "Have a skeptical eye when it comes to marketing."
If you are seeking a surgeon for a plastic surgery procedure, it's always important to trust your instincts to determine whether they are the right fit.
"We all have a gut instinct that is very helpful," said Dr. Burns. "If you visit more than one surgeon for a procedure and like one over the other, that is a good sign."
Many equate a higher price to be indicative of better quality, but this isn't always the case. This is especially true within the plastic surgery specialty, where overhyped, deceptive marketing practices often run rampant and exorbitant price tags for standard procedures follow. By engaging a board-certified plastic surgeon who is transparent about pricing, offers standardized before and after images and comes recommended by friends or family, patients can protect themselves against this and ensure they achieve amazing results in the process.
To find a qualified plastic surgeon for any cosmetic or reconstructive procedure, consult a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. All ASPS members are board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, have completed an accredited plastic surgery training program, practice in accredited facilities and follow strict standards of safety and ethics. Find an ASPS member in your area.
