SMAS Facelift (Rhytidectomy) Cost in Newcastle NSW
A SMAS facelift (rhytidectomy) repositions the SMAS (superficial musculoaponeurotic system), the layer of connective tissue and muscle beneath the skin of the cheek and jawline, as well as the skin itself. Two versions are priced on this page. A SMAS facelift (rhytidectomy) on its own works on the mid and lower face. Where there is also laxity of the skin and platysma muscle of the neck at assessment, a platysmaplasty (tightening of the platysma muscle of the neck) can be added in the same operation. That is decided at consultation, and only where both are indicated.
Both versions are cosmetic procedures. No Medicare item number applies, no health fund contribution applies, and 10% GST applies to every component.
My surgical fee starts at $15,180 including GST for a SMAS facelift (rhytidectomy) on its own, and at $18,469 with platysmaplasty. That is my fee only. The anaesthetist and Maitland Private Hospital bill separately and set their own charges. The total comes to approximately $29,000 including GST for the SMAS facelift (rhytidectomy) alone, and approximately $35,000 with platysmaplasty. Those totals assume a normal BMI, no other procedures in the same operation, a first operation rather than revision of previous facial surgery, and a day stay at Maitland Private Hospital under general anaesthesia. An overnight stay is available where it suits you, and changes the hospital component. You receive an individual written quote after consultation.
I am Dr Bernard Beldholm, Specialist Surgeon and Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, and I have performed surgery of the face and neck for more than 15 years. Consultation, surgery and every follow-up visit take place in the Hunter Valley, for patients from Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Port Stephens and the wider region.
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What my fee includes
My surgical fee for a SMAS facelift (rhytidectomy) covers:
Your second consultation, at no cost
Which takes place before any surgery is booked. I go through your blood results, confirm the plan, and answer whatever has come up since the first visit. This can be done remotely if you live further out.
The operation itself
Including the platysmaplasty (tightening of the platysma muscle of the neck) where it forms part of your plan.
All follow-up
I see you closely through the first 2 weeks, then at 4 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months. There is no charge for any of these visits.
A face band
Supplied after surgery, with the wear schedule explained before you go home.
LED light therapy
Sessions in my rooms during recovery.
Access to the after-hours pathway
Through the hospital.
There is no charge for a review visit if something concerns you between the scheduled appointments.
What makes up your total cost
Your written quote for a SMAS facelift (rhytidectomy) is built from these parts:
My surgical fee
As set out above.
The anaesthetist’s fee
Billed to you directly. The pre-operative anaesthetic consultation is by phone in most cases, with the physical examination on the day of surgery.
The hospital’s charges for theatre time and your stay
The figures on this page assume a day stay. If you stay overnight, the hospital component changes.
Theatre consumables
Billed by the hospital.
Anything added to the plan at consultation
A platysmaplasty (tightening of the platysma muscle of the neck) is the most common addition and has its own figure above. VASER (ultrasound-assisted liposuction) of the neck, upper blepharoplasty (upper eyelid surgery) or a brow lift (browplasty) each change theatre time and are quoted separately, and only where each is indicated in its own right.
My patient coordinator organises the anaesthetist and hospital quotes for you, so you see the full figure before you decide.
Medicare and health funds
A SMAS facelift (rhytidectomy), with or without platysmaplasty, is a cosmetic procedure. No Medicare item number applies, so there is no Medicare rebate and no health fund contribution towards the surgical, anaesthetist or hospital fees. Because no item number applies, 10% GST is charged on each of those fees, and Maitland Private Hospital charges a higher rate for cosmetic theatre time than it does for procedures with an item number. That is why the totals on this page are stated including GST.
If a revision operation is needed within 12 months of your surgery, I do not charge a surgical fee for it. The anaesthetist and hospital charges for that operation still apply.
For a fuller explanation of how the different parts of a quote are set, and how the position differs for procedures that do carry an item number, see my article on how much a facelift (rhytidectomy) costs in Australia.
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Your next step
A GP referral is needed before your first consultation. The consultation takes about an hour at my rooms in Maitland and includes standardised photography, examination of the skin, the deeper tissues of the face and the neck, and a discussion of what a SMAS facelift (rhytidectomy) can and cannot change for you. If you live further out, the first consultation can be by telehealth, with an in-person examination before any surgery is planned.