Dermal Filler Costs

Determining the costs of dermal filler injections can be tricky because many factors go into pricing. Some variables your physician may consider when setting a fee include:

  • Type and amount of dermal filler injected
  • Qualifications and experience of the physician performing the injection
  • Facility costs
  • Materials costs, such as for syringes, numbing creams and other tools

While discussing price can seem awkward, it’s an important aspect to consider. Your physician should be open to price discussions and give you an estimate so you can know what to expect.

“Our goal is to find a way to make the procedures cost effective for patients,” says Fernando Colon, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon and medical director of The Skin Center Medical Spa located in Gahana, Ohio. “I and my staff give them an estimate of how much volume they may need for a specific product. Your physician should give you as much as you need, but not more than you need.”

National Dermal Filler Costs Estimates

Fillers can be pricey, but it’s important to view them in terms of a time investment beyond just costs.

“Fillers tend to be priced based on how long they last,” says John T. Alexander II, MD, JD, FACS, a board-certified plastic surgeon at Alexander Cosmetic Surgery in San Diego, Calif. “If one filler lasts six months, and the competitor will last a year, the latter will tend to cost twice as much as the former. While some patients opt for the least-expensive option, many people also are willing to pay for a more longer-lasting product.”

According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the following were national average costs associated with filler procedures in the United States in 2010.

Filler: Calcium Hydroxylapatite (ex – Radiesse)

Cost: $712

Filler: Human Collagen

Cost: $673

Filler: Hyaluronic Acid (ex – Perlane/Restylane)

Cost: $558

Filler: Poly-L-Lactic Acid (ex – Sculptra)

Cost: $897

Dr. Alexander recommends starting with a filler that is less long-lasting and therefore less expensive to ensure you like the results the filler has to offer. After you see how your face responds to a filler, you may wish to opt for something that lasts longer and requires fewer doctor’s visits.

Making Your Results Last

While there is no exact way to predict how your skin will respond to dermal filler injections, there are some ways you can make your results last in a way that also is cost-effective. Dr. Colon recommends seeking additional injections before the filler has gone completely flat. This can reduce your costs over time because you will need less volume of an injection, which brings the dermal filler costs down. Also, the results you love will last longer, so you can maintain your appearance instead of going through phases where treated areas become more noticeable.
What’s vital to the entire process of evaluating dermal filler costs is to ask your physician for a straightforward estimate, and remember that noticeable results may have a higher price tag.

“Underfilling an area may lead you to believe the filler didn’t work when in reality, you didn’t have enough of it,” says Constance Barone, MD, FACS, a plastic surgeon based in San Antonio, Texas. “This is why it is important to have an experienced injector performing the procedure. When I see a patient, I want them to get the biggest bang for their dollar and have the best results when they walk out of my office.”