paid or free consultation

[kiwilee]

Well I had planned on going PS shopping. After i called a few places, I came to find out that 2 of them (highly recommeded) have a fee for consultation. I can't drop that kind of money.

What would you do? I really want to get more info. I went to one free consult and would feel much more comfortable going to at least one more. Would you pay or keep searching. Are the ones that charged better??

[Red]

I'm anxious to see everyones answer to this as well..

The PS that I am going to Thurs came highly recommended by a friend and has a free consult. But I did find one on my own, and even stopped in to chat with the nurses at the front desk (who were great). But the consult with the Dr is $80. I know thats not much for peace of mind and for this type of work, of course... but I'm wondering if I need a second opinon if I like the first Dr. ? If it were free, of course I'd probably talk to two... anyway, I'm interested in the responses.

[5318008]

I am going to check out a couple of different ones 'in person' before I make a final, but most of my homework is being done online to short-list them.

The first one that I have a consult with is $100 for the consult, but that is taken off the breast augmentation cost, so if I go with him, essentially free.

If I go to any others, I'll have to fork it out, but I'm ok with that because I feel that with all the information I can GET (through my OB/GYN, or friends who used so-and-so), that I can get some decent information to shortlist, and I'm ok with spending a couple hundred to get a good PS. As someone said to me in my 'cutting costs' thread, this is something that I don't want to skimp/cut corners on. I'll pass on a pain pump before I cut costs on my PS decision.

But I totally see your point.

[5318008]

next thought: If you haven't gotten the financing for your breast augmentation yet, build the fees into it so you'll have it to work with.

[Sassy Cat]

I didn't know that there were PS that didn't charge for the consult. I only went on one and he deducted the $100 from the rest of the fees. But I understand wanting to go on more than one to make sure you connect with the surgeon.

BTW welcome to the forum.

Toni

[Nanny66]

Originally Posted by kiwilee

Well I had planned on going PS shopping. After i called a few places, I came to find out that 2 of them (highly recommeded) have a fee for consultation. I can't drop that kind of money.

What would you do? I really want to get more info. I went to one free consult and would feel much more comfortable going to at least one more. Would you pay or keep searching. Are the ones that charged better??

Personally, a fee puts me off...I think they charge enough as it is without having the cheek to ask for consultation fee too....Im well aware that the price for my breast augmentation prob included that consultation, but at least i didnt have to pay up front...suppose you pay then cant stand the ps....what a waste of money....I think if theyre confident enough in their consult manner a charge shouldnt be made cos you would like them and their work and choose them anyway...just my opinion.....

[Red]

Well said Anne!

[pam]

I agree with Anne!.

[Nanny66]

Originally Posted by Red

Well said Anne!

Thank you Red !!!!!xxxxx

[Victoria]

This is a very good question.

I too paid the $100 for consult which is later applied to my breast augmentation. My consult was well over 1.5 hours, unrushed and pleasant-- so I didn't mind. It would bother me if I was unimpressed with the PS and went elsewhere taking a $100 loss. My advice would be to get personal recommendations so you know fairly well ahead of time that you'll be pleased. While I haven't had my breast augmentation yet, I am VERY confident in the recommendations given and my first few interactions.

[Slinky]

I paid $75 for the consult. It would have been nice if it was free, but I felt it was worth it. I guess, looking from the doctors view, you are using a good hour or more of their time and they deserve to be compensated for that. Still, I DO think it should come off the cost of your breast augmentation should you decide to go with that PS. Mine doesn't. But I'm very happy with my PS and only paid for one consult, so I'm not complaining. And I consider my breast augmentation costs to be quite reasonable.

[Jess]

Originally Posted by anne

Personally, a fee puts me off...I think they charge enough as it is without having the cheek to ask for consultation fee too....Im well aware that the price for my breast augmentation prob included that consultation, but at least i didnt have to pay up front...suppose you pay then cant stand the ps....what a waste of money....I think if theyre confident enough in their consult manner a charge shouldnt be made cos you would like them and their work and choose them anyway...just my opinion.....

I can see both sides of the coin. But if you have a busy PS who does a lot of consults for free with no commitment then the PS is out money. I think the fee weeds out those who are not fully committed in the breast augmentation, plus most of them will apply the cost to the breast augmentation if you decide to use them.

[dennise]

was totally free as it should be. My feeling is, that if your work is good, your constantly busy, your not desperate to make a consult fee.

[msmisty]

Originally Posted by dennisecatto

was totally free as it should be. My feeling is, that if your work is good, your constantly busy, your not desperate to make a consult fee.

i went to free consults as well as paying consults...usually the ps will put the consult fee towards your surgery (never heard of it not being aplied) anyways, i dont think its a matter of the ps being desparate to make a consult fee...its more a matter of making sure that a person is serious about the surgery and not wasting their time. thats the reason why if you decide to go through with the surgery if gets applied.

i found that the consults i had that were free were very rushed and not very informative...i also felt like they just wanted me to come in talk to the dr for 10 mins and then automatically sign up to do the surgery with them.

with my paid consult (which is the ps i decided to go with) i felt my ps was very infomative...she spent over an hour with me and explained everything very thoroughly...everything from implant types and sizes to different types of incisions and implant placement. she actually took measurments of my chest and breast (unlike at the free consults where the drs. basically just looked at me and said "this is what you should do...")

this is may have been an isolated case (as i am sure that there are awesome ps's out there that have no consult fees) but i was willing to pay to get what i thought was better treatment. plus the fact that my ps garenteed her work for the first year, whereas the fee consult ps told me straight up that complications occur and i would just have to pay for it if they do...

my theory is actually the complete opposite of denise's...i believe that if your real good, you can charge the consult fee and people will pay it to see you because your that good, instead of trying to lure you in with the whole "free consult"...but everyone is different in their reasoning for choosing their ps's. my main concern was having someone that i felt extremely confortable with, that i trusted, and seemed to actually care about what i wanted...even if that meant paying more.

[BustyStClaire]

I agree with Dennise. My consultation with my PS was free, but it makes sense that because his work is so good and he has so many actual patients who go through with it, he doesn't need to charge for a consultation.

For me another little tiny peice of mind that made my PS sound good was the fact that he's so busy its a 6 month wait just for a consultation and at least 3 months after your consultation to get a booking for surgery.

[Ivy]

Originally Posted by kiwilee

Well I had planned on going PS shopping. After i called a few places, I came to find out that 2 of them (highly recommeded) have a fee for consultation. I can't drop that kind of money.

What would you do? I really want to get more info. I went to one free consult and would feel much more comfortable going to at least one more. Would you pay or keep searching. Are the ones that charged better??

Both of the surgeons I consulted with charged a consultation fee. I don't blame them at all for charging a fee. This is their time and experience you are paying for. If you choose to use the surgeon the consultation fee comes off of the balance of your bill (make sure you ask to make sure when you set the appointment). I would suggest that you research a few of the surgeons in your area and choose which ones to consult with based on their education, years in practice and board certification.

[Jess]

Originally Posted by Karisa

i went to free consults as well as paying consults...usually the ps will put the consult fee towards your surgery (never heard of it not being aplied) anyways, i dont think its a matter of the ps being desparate to make a consult fee...its more a matter of making sure that a person is serious about the surgery and not wasting their time. thats the reason why if you decide to go through with the surgery if gets applied.

i found that the consults i had that were free were very rushed and not very informative...i also felt like they just wanted me to come in talk to the dr for 10 mins and then automatically sign up to do the surgery with them.

with my paid consult (which is the ps i decided to go with) i felt my ps was very infomative...she spent over an hour with me and explained everything very thoroughly...everything from implant types and sizes to different types of incisions and implant placement. she actually took measurments of my chest and breast (unlike at the free consults where the drs. basically just looked at me and said "this is what you should do...")

this is may have been an isolated case (as i am sure that there are awesome ps's out there that have no consult fees) but i was willing to pay to get what i thought was better treatment. plus the fact that my ps garenteed her work for the first year, whereas the fee consult ps told me straight up that complications occur and i would just have to pay for it if they do...

my theory is actually the complete opposite of denise's...i believe that if your real good, you can charge the consult fee and people will pay it to see you because your that good, instead of trying to lure you in with the whole "free consult"...but everyone is different in their reasoning for choosing their ps's. my main concern was having someone that i felt extremely confortable with, that i trusted, and seemed to actually care about what i wanted...even if that meant paying more.

I have a friend who has been going on FREE consults for two years. She doesn't know if she'll ever have the money for a breast augmentation but still goes on free consults. She saw my results and loved them but wont see my PS b/c he charges $60 for a consult visit (which is pretty cheap, compared to some).

She has even made consults with PS's she's already seen before, she goes to so many that she cant keep them straight and she has no intentions of using any of them, she just likes to go and refuses to pay for consults b/c she knows it would be money wasted for her. Which is why I dont blame any PS for charging a fee. I dont think it makes them any better surgeons but probably tired of seeing people for free who dont commit.

[Ina]

I only went to a free consultation... Most places around here have a free consultation with a special consultant or a nurse, but if you want to speak to the PS it'll cost a 50 or so. If someone who took money for a consultation came highly recommended though I would go to them. It usually comes off the surgery costs in the end if you opt for that PS, and in the end they usually don't charge all THAT much compared to the actual surgery costs. It's just one more expense that can't be avoided in addition to the bras, bloodwork, mammograms, meds etc.

[Nanny66]

Originally Posted by amay77

I can see both sides of the coin. But if you have a busy PS who does a lot of consults for free with no commitment then the PS is out money. I think the fee weeds out those who are not fully committed in the breast augmentation, plus most of them will apply the cost to the breast augmentation if you decide to use them.

Jess, I think you have a fair point on that...and ive given it some thought too....it was an easy comment for me to make, cos i went for my free consultation on recommendation from someone, and she went thru recommendation....however, out of interest, i did call another ps...who wanted $300 for consult...but i didnt like their approach...so i opted with the one id been recommended...on rethinking my original reply...if my ps had charged the average rate of $200, b/c he had been recommended, i wouldve paid it....so i am sorry girls....sometimes, my hands run away before my brain engages....so does my mouth too

[Lynn]

I was planning on going to at least 2, but like you I was put off by the fee. I was told that if you went with the ps then the fee was taken off the whole bill. But I was lucky enough to find a ps that I was ok with on the first consult. Some say thats not advisable but I think you know pretty much straight away if they're the right one- and lots of talking to their PA's.