Determining patients' price sensitivity and willingness to pay for aesthetic surgery: A contingent valuation study

Pricing transparency and patient willingness to pay (WTP) are critical yet underexplored in aesthetic surgery. Cosmetic procedures have been described as exhibiting characteristics consistent with luxury or Veblen goods in certain consumer segments, where demand may rise with higher cost among certain demographics. Understanding these economic behaviors is essential for value-based pricing and patient-centered care.

To quantify patient WTP for five common American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPA) aesthetic procedures and identify demographic, behavioral, and regional predictors of price sensitivity.

Participants evaluated out-of-pocket prices for breast augmentation, blepharoplasty, rhinoplasty, facelift, and abdominoplasty, with price tiers based on ASPS fee benchmarks. Demographic, behavioral, and regional data were analyzed using quantile regression (STATA17, College Station, TX).

Among the 2335 respondents, higher WTP was associated with younger age (18-24 years), higher income (>$150,000), prior cosmetic surgery, regular exercise, and prior Botox/filler use. Regional differences showed greater WTP in the Midwest, Northeast, and South compared with the West. These patterns were consistent across the 50th and 75th WTP percentiles for rhinoplasty, facelift, and abdominoplasty, indicating variable price sensitivity by patient profile.

Patient WTP varies systematically with demographic, behavioral, and regional factors. These findings support data-driven, dynamic pricing models and tailored marketing strategies in aesthetic surgery, aligning pricing with patient valuation and advancing transparency in an increasingly price-sensitive market.