Many doctors offer a wide variety of payment plans. In some cases, those arrangements must be made prior to the surgery. Now is the time to consider how you'll pay for your operation.

Cash, personal checks and cashier's checks are reliable forms of payment, if you have the ready cash. For those patients that don't have those funds immediately available, there are other means. If you have a credit card, doctors will accept your card to tender the funds. But let's say you have that card on reserve for family emergencies, or the rates are just too much for you to charge your cosmetic procedure. Don't worry. These days, with plastic surgery so popular, doctors are offering ways for patients to finance their operations.

One word of warning, however: be certain you've learned all there is to learn about the various financing options. Plastic surgery results are not something that can be repossessed or foreclosed on like a vehicle or home. The doctor isn't going to re-inject the fat or take your new nose or breasts. Rather, the negative results will hit your credit rating. So before you schedule that surgery, make sure you have financing for your self improvements.

In many cases, there are a variety of options. If you are having surgery done, a payment in advance is required. For injectables, payment is due at the time of the procedure.

Here are some examples of your financing choices:

Opportunity one

The doctor's office may offer you a no interest plan with a twelve month term. This option is the same as cash. If you can afford it, you'll avoid interest charges with this plan. Additionally, the doctor also has an extended payment plan with 24, 36, 48 or 60 month terms (2, 3, 4 or 5 years). The rate of interest on these options varies according to your credit history.

Opportunity two

A second option offers interest free loans on procedures costing up to 25,000 dollars. They have an instant approval process that allows you to quickly decide if you can afford the surgery. Their interest free financing gives you a term of three, six or twelve months, with starting payments as low as 300 dollars. Their other plans come with 24, 36, 48 and 60 month terms. Again, be aware of what your interest rate and monthly fees will be. These can affect which term length you choose.

Opportunity three

With this financing choice, you can apply for a loan that covers the total cost of your surgical fees. You may have additional, non-surgical fees to consider, like recovery time and days off work, so consider carefully. Also, this plan comes with fixed interest rates that vary according to their terms. You can select arrangements that range from 18 to 60 months, depending on your needs. There are also loans that don't draw interest. These come with three, six or twelve month terms and start as low as 1,500 dollars. Applicants must qualify for the various offers from this lender.

Opportunity four

In option four, you can apply for surgical financing but the cap is 12,000 dollars. Consider the cost of your procedure when you think about the loan amount limits. The payment plans range from 12 months (same as cash) to a 36 month option with attendant interest rates. Depending on your credit history, your rates can be as low as 9.99% or as high as 27.99%.

When selecting your payment options, be sure to consider what you can comfortably afford, even in times of financial distress. You can also cover your costs with a combination of the above payment plans, including credit cards, cash, cashier's checks and personal checks. Before you go under the knife, make sure you have peace of mind. Investigate your financing choices and pick the one that works best for you.