If you have been looking into rhinoplasty you might have noticed that many surgeons won’t give out cost information over the phone, or provide information on costs on their website. There are a couple of reasons why this is the case. If you have had previous septoplasty surgery CSESO offers a revisional consultation.

The first is that it is difficult for a surgeon to give you an accurate surgical price until they assess you and can establish what might be required to achieve your expectations. The price can vary depending on the type and complexity of surgery, or if you need additional procedures to get the best result.

The second reason is that in Australia there are guidelines on what doctors can include in advertising for 'regulated health services'. Plastic or cosmetic surgeons have to be cautious when advertising price information, and must include any 'variations' to an advertised price. It is impossible to predict what individual variations might be without an initial consultation, so surgeons avoid providing cost estimates until they have seen the patient.

Price guide

As a rough guide, rhinoplasty costs between $8,000 and $20,000 (AUD). Your surgeon should provide you with a detailed breakdown of the costs at the first consultation.

What costs are there?

• Consultation fee –$100 to $500 for the first visit to discuss our options. You will have to pay this fee even if you decide not to proceed with the surgery.
• Surgeon’s fees – generally between $5,000 AUD and $ 15,000 AUD, depending on the procedure. The fee will normally include pre and post-operative care. Fees will vary depending on the experience and qualifications of the surgeon and the techniques required to achieve your expectations.
• Anaesthetist’s fees – approximately $1600 to $2400 - based on the complexity of nasal surgery and related anaesthetic time.
• Hospital costs – Approximately $5000. Most of this cost is for the utilization of the operating theatre plus the bed fee which includes your recovery from the anaesthesia. If your rhinoplasty surgery requires an overnight stay in hospital, the costs will be higher.
• Other costs - any medical tests, such as blood tests or CT scans if required will all be additional costs.
• GST must be added to all costs quoted if the procedure is performed for cosmetic reasons where there is no preceding nasal trauma or airway obstruction.

Are any of the costs covered by Medicare or my health insurance?

Some of the costs may be covered by Medicare and depending on your level of cover, private health insurance if the surgery is to correct a birth defect, breathing or other functional problems or because of trauma. If the surgery is for purely cosmetic reasons then there is no Medicare rebate available. The Cosmetic Surgery Co-ordinators of NorthEast Plastic Surgery will contact your Private Health Insurer to establish what you may be eligible to claim.

Rhinoplasty surgery needs to be carefully considered because even a small change can have a huge impact on your appearance. Your choice of surgeon will be a big factor in how happy you are with your new nose. A lower price might not be cheaper in the long run if the surgeon doesn't have the experience and skills needed to provide the result you are looking for.

Next Step

If you are considering nasal surgery and have questions you would like to ask or if you would like to book a confidential consultation at a cost of $140, click below or call (03) 9088 5000 for the Melbourne practice or (07) 3180 3400 for the Brisbane practice. The Cosmetic Surgery Co-ordinators of NorthEast Plastic Surgery will organise a consultation with Mr Tansley or Dr Seneviratne who are highly qualified and experienced surgeons. They will assess your individual requirements and discuss your preferences in regard to rhinoplasty surgery.