Paging Dr. Finance

Your plastic surgeon wears many hats: counselor, cosmetic genius, and now loan officer. Many plastic surgery center Web sites offer payment plans and loans. While this may seem like one-stop shopping, both you and the surgeon need to be cautious with financing plastic surgery. Plastic surgery financing typically is unsecured by collateral, so your surgeon stands to lose more if you default. Not that you plan to default, but life often takes unexpected turns.

Also, what happens if you need additional or corrective procedures? Ask your plastic surgeon if you pay upfront, or if you can pay in installments. Be prepared to negotiate when financing plastic surgery. You can pay for part of the surgery with your credit card and borrow the rest of the financing for cosmetic surgery. A good rapport with your plastic surgeon helps.

Don't be afraid to ask about cosmetic surgery financing options in the beginning. Also, you and your surgeon may want to prioritize: if you neeed a tummy tuck, you may want to postpone liposuction. After all, if your surgeon's not busy worrying about repayment, she's free to concentrate on what you came to her for in the first place.