The cost of aging gracefully?
The price for looking rested, lifted and natural is not inexpensive. If you know you will want to do more than soap, water and sunscreen, there is a significant cost to maintaining your face throughout your lifetime. Most patients start to spend more on skincare in their 20s, begin to invest in Botox, Filler and microneedling in their 30s, add a mini facelift and / or energy based procedures in their 40s, have a significant facial rejuvenation overhaul in their 50s and follow that with volume restoration, skin tightening and collagen building procedures and often a second facelift in their 60s.
You can look at the cost in different ways, but I chose by decade of life
Let’s break this down by decade with some average price points in today’s dollars. The cost of energy and surgery are added in during the decade, but the price is averaged out over the years of each decade. For purposes of demonstration, it is very reasonable to spend $4000 per year in your 30’s, $8000 per year in your 40s, one high cost year for surgery in your 50s and continuing the $8000 per year for maintenance, one high cost year in your 60s for surgery and $10,000 per year for maintenance.
Cost per year |
30s |
40s |
50s |
60s |
| Botox (annual) | 1500 | 3000 | 3000 | 3000 |
| Microneedling (annual) | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 |
| Volume (annual) | 1000 | 2000 | 3000 | 5000 |
| Energy Focused (one-time expense during the decade) | 5000 | 5000 | 5000 | |
| Surgery (one time expense during the decade) | 10000 | 35000 | 25000 | |
| Annual Cost | 3500 | 7500 | 11000 | 13000 |
| Total for the decade | 35000 | 75000 | 110000 | 130000 |
The one time surgical estimates per decade
The trend is to have a small nip & tuck in your 40s, a larger facial rejuvenation set of procedures in your 50s, and some maintenance surgery in your 60s. I’ve estimated the cost for each in the above scenarios. To plan for the bigger ticket items, it is best to start early with your financial planner. There are also companies that will allow you to borrow for a fee and pay it back over time. These are best used for short term financing to avoid high interest rates.
Consider maintenance and membership programs
These costs do not include skincare products. So, this showcases why a maintenance or membership program with some built in extras and cost savings is suggested. Our practice has a membership program which allows monthly payments and savings. Allē with Allergan gives points toward product and services to reward loyalty. And it is so important to find a practice and providers you trust that are not going to oversell you on products or treatments that will not benefit you in the long run.
Choose trustworthy providers
We strongly discourage paying for anything in the cosmetic world solely based on price. The cost of redoing a procedure that did not meet your needs or harmed you will add to the overall cost of maintenance. Choose wisely and pay for the provider you trust to give you the value of their time and expertise for your investment and loyalty.
Plan ahead for the face you want
The price tag for slowing the aging process to make sure you look rested, lifted and natural is expensive. Plan ahead with your investment advisor, ask for gifts such as gift cards to your favorite provider and follow social for promotions on items that you want to add to your plan are all ways to help you get more out of your facial plastic dollars. We recommend planning early and if you do use a service such as Care Credit to pay for larger ticket items, make sure to pay it off before the higher interest comes into play and adds to the above numbers.
