Question: I have a two-part question that I’ve been meaning to email you about for some time. I was wondering whether or not Plastic Surgeons ever sell gift certificates for their services and if they do, whether or not it would be considered acceptable or impolite to give such a gift?
Answer: That’s an excellent question and the timing couldn’t be better with the holidays pending! The answer to the first part of your question is Definitely At the Cosmetic Surgery Institute we offer gift certificates and financing available for a wide range of things, from cosmetic surgery procedures to injectable services, such as Botox & Juvederm, to procedures performed by our aesthetician, such as microderm abrasion treatments, chemical peels, facials or skin care products. Obviously, a gift certificate for any surgical procedure would have to be for a cosmetic issue because insurance would usually cover a necessary surgery. Most Plastic Surgery Practices offer financing to patients and also accept major credit cards as payment. You would have to check with a specific practice to find out what they provide.
Regarding the second part of your question, whether it’s appropriate to give a gift certificate for cosmetic enhancement, that can be a tricky situation. If you want to give someone the gift of a facial treatment of some sort, it’s highly unlikely that the recipient would be offended by the gift. It would be on par with giving a gift certificate to a spa or salon. However, for surgical procedure to be considered a proper gift, would be completely dependent upon whether or not the recipient has ever asked for or commented on wanting cosmetic surgery. If the person has voiced interest in having something done, the gift would be wonderfully well received. If you, for example, want to give the gift to someone because YOU think they would like it or perhaps need it, it could be perceived as a horrible insult, causing more harm than good. Suffice to say, you need to really consider how such a gift, albeit generous, would be received and think about where your intentions lie in giving the gift. Cosmetic surgery gift certificates can truly be the perfect gift for “that person who has everythingâ€, ultimately; it all comes down to how you present it (no pun intended).
