Quotes for one treatment can differ because they include different amounts of product, different brands or different staff, so look at what each quote actually contains. This guide uses only one kind of dollar figure: national averages from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Those numbers are reported by plastic surgeons and are not prices from Dallas med spas.
Where the money goes
Several costs are usually built into a treatment price:
- The product or the device
- Training for the person who treats you
- Equipment and its maintenance
- Insurance and the expense of complying with Texas rules
- The delegating physician's role
- The premises and staff
When one price is far below the rest, it could reflect real savings or less of something on that list. Ask the practice which it is.
Make quotes comparable
Get three details from every practice: the product name, the amount and the person who will treat you. Two quotes missing those cannot be compared fairly.
Pricing for injectables
Botox and other neurotoxins are measured in units, and practices charge either by the unit or by the area. One brand's units do not translate to another brand's. This is stated on each of the Botox Cosmetic, Dysport, Xeomin and Daxxify labels. For botulinum toxin injections, the national average reported by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons is $435 per treatment.
On the Botox Cosmetic label, the listed dose is 20 units for frown lines, 24 units for crow's feet and 20 units for forehead lines. Treating frown and forehead lines together adds up to 40 units, and treating all three areas adds up to 64. Find out how many units your plan calls for, and ask for that number in writing.
For hyaluronic acid fillers, that society's national average is $715. Check which product a filler quote is for and how many syringes are included.
Lasers and other devices
Device treatment prices vary with the device, the treated area and how many sessions you need. For laser skin treatments, laser hair removal among them, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons lists a national average of $697 and points out that this figure does not include other related expenses.
Ask if the quote covers a single session or a series, what the device is called, and how much follow-up visits cost.
Memberships, packages and prepaying
If you already expect to come back regularly, a membership or package could bring down what you pay per visit. Before signing up:
- Get the monthly fee, the size of the discount and the cancellation terms
- Find out if unused credit expires or can be transferred
- With a practice you have not used before, start with a single treatment
- Ask for an itemized price, not just a bundle total
- Have the neurotoxin units written down
- Confirm how many syringes are in a filler quote
- Check the brand before you compare one package with another
- Hold off on prepaying for a large package until you trust the practice
Paying over time, and insurance
Financing or payment plans are available at some practices. Read the interest terms before you agree, and include the interest when comparing prices.
Cosmetic and medical uses are treated differently, so check with your insurer about coverage. As a separate point, BOTOX, the non-cosmetic product, carries an FDA label for severe primary underarm sweating, which is a medical use and distinct from Botox Cosmetic.