Cosmetic surgery is often near the top of the wish list for the average modern man or woman. A nip here and a tuck there - sounds great. What’s more, with the easiness of most operations, it’s just a case of raising a few thousand and booking your self in for the surgery, right? Well, actually, that’s not the case. Plastic surgery is highly skilled and highly dangerous. As a result, you’re looking for your operation to carried out by a fully trained, well experienced professional, which will bump up the costs considerably, depending on the specific treatment you’re opting for.

Before you consider costs, you must consider what type of operation you’re looking at, and whether you are sure it is the route down which you want to go. Remember the inherently dangerous nature of all procedures before you embark, and make sure you discuss at length with a practitioner your options and the potential side effects of your treatment should the worst happen.

Here we’ve compiled a list of average cosmetic surgery costs by operation at professional hospitals by experienced surgeons. Of course you may find backstreet surgeons willing to operate for less, but this at least gives an indication of what you can expect to pay for a job well done.

• Breast Enlargement - $6,800 - $10,000
• Ear Correction - $2,200 - $5,600
• Facelift - $8,400 - $10,600
• Liposuction - $3,000 - $10,000
• Nosejob - $6,000 - $8,000
• Tummy Tuck - $7,600 - $10,400

Many cosmetic surgery patients make their way to foreign shores in order to save on the cost of their operations. Quite rightly, the cost of treatments is incredibly variable, and Western currencies do carry more weight in other territories. However, you need to make sure before you hand over your money that the doctor or surgeon preparing to perform your operation is as skilled and experienced as your domestic practitioners, so you can compare like for like.

It is possible to find good hospitals in Europe or some Asian countries that may be cheaper than domestic practices, however you should exercise your full discretion in selecting which country to choose and indeed which hospital to commit to for your operation to avoid experiencing the unpleasant and potentially life altering consequences of a botched job (and of course to guarantee your money and that the services will be performed as agreed).

Choosing a plastic surgeon is probably one of the most significant decisions you will ever make. Aside from the initial decision to have this kind of surgery in the first place, selecting the right surgeon is of critical importance in ensuring you don’t end up with unnecessary complications which can at worst ruin your life. Plastic surgery is a difficult thing to go through with for both the patient and the doctor, and one false move could leave you regretting it for the rest of your life.

That’s why, after deliberating long and hard as to why you want to go through with the surgery, you should also think carefully about which surgeon you want to go with. That means paying a visit to a number of surgeries, both in and around your local area, to find a surgeon that has both the right credentials on paper and provides you with that all-important personal reassurance.

Obviously the first thing you want to make sure is that any surgeon you’re considering is suitably qualified. Apart from his actual University diploma, where does he practice? Does he have a successful surgery? You can usually tell a lot about a surgeon from the presentation - if he comes across as sharply dressed and professional and runs a surgery that seems busy, clean and is well designed, chances are you’re probably along the right lines.

How many successful ops has this surgeon carried out? Ask the surgeon about his previous experience of your specific procedure and weigh up the response you get. Has he ever had a patient that has been dissatisfied, or scarred by the procedure? What kind of things could go wrong, and what factors contribute to the risks? Furthermore, how can you avoid ending up with side effects, and how easily can they be treated? An experienced surgeon will be able to answer all your questions with confidence and will provide you with satisfactory responses in an unpatronising and reassuring way.

Probably one of the most valuable tools in your armoury is your intuition - in other words, the overall general impression you get of that particular surgeon. Good or bad, your intuition should always be the overriding factor in situations like this - a good surgeon should make you feel comfortable and at ease, and it something doesn’t quite sit right with you, it’s probably best to try someone else.