Direct Excision of Neck Skin Cost in Newcastle NSW
Direct excision of neck skin removes loose skin at the front of the neck through an incision placed on the neck itself. It leaves a visible scar, and I reserve it for selected patients with significant loose neck skin after massive weight loss. I perform it in two forms: excision of skin alone, or excision combined with deep neck work beneath the platysma muscle. The combined operation is only done where both are genuinely indicated, and that is decided at consultation.
For most patients this is cosmetic surgery. There is no Medicare item, no health fund contribution, and 10% GST applies to every fee. Where item 30169 applies after assessment, the position changes, and the figures for that pathway are below.
My surgical fee for direct excision of neck skin alone starts at $6,589 including GST. With deep neck work, my fee starts at $7,689 including GST. That is my fee only. The anaesthetist and Maitland Private Hospital bill separately and set their own charges. In total, direct excision of neck skin alone comes to approximately $16,000 including GST, and with deep neck work approximately $18,500 including GST, with no Medicare or health fund contribution. Where item 30169 applies, my fee is $5,990 with no GST, and excision alone comes to around $7,000 out of pocket with private hospital cover, or around $13,000 without cover. You receive an individual written quote after consultation. These figures apply to the least complex case: a stable weight, a day stay, no additional procedures, and skin excess confined to the front of the neck.
I am Dr Bernard Beldholm FRACS, a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons with more than 15 years of experience in face and neck surgery. I operate at Maitland Private Hospital in the Hunter Valley, and my patients come from Newcastle, Maitland, Lake Macquarie, the Central Coast and regional NSW.
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What my fee includes
My surgical fee covers the operation and the care around it, not just the time in theatre.
A second consultation at no cost before surgery
Including review of your blood results. This can be done remotely if you live some distance from Maitland.
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 neck garment
Supplied by my rooms and worn after surgery for the period I set at your review.
LED light therapy
Sessions in my rooms during the early recovery period.
Scar care advice through the first year
The scar from direct excision sits on the front of the neck and matures over 12 months or more, so scar review is part of every follow-up visit.
What makes up your total cost
Your quote has three separate parts, from three separate providers.
My surgical fee
Set for your operation after consultation. It differs between excision of skin alone and excision with deep neck work, because the deep neck work adds operating time beneath the platysma.
The anaesthetist’s fee
Billed separately by the anaesthetist, who sets their own charge. The pre-operative anaesthetic consultation is by phone in most cases, with examination on the day of surgery.
Maitland Private Hospital
Theatre time, your day stay, and consumables such as dressings and the surgical materials used in theatre. An overnight stay is available if you prefer it or if I recommend it, and the hospital charges for that separately.
Two things change the quote. VASER (ultrasound assisted lipectomy) of the neck can be combined with direct excision where fat beneath the skin is part of the picture, and adds operating time. And if assessment shows that the skin excess extends well beyond the front of the neck, a neck lift (cervicoplasty) may be the more appropriate operation, which is quoted on its own page.
Medicare and health funds
Direct excision of neck skin is usually cosmetic surgery. No Medicare item applies, no health fund contributes, 10% GST applies to the surgical, anaesthetist and hospital fees, and the hospital charges a higher rate for cosmetic theatre time.
Item 30169 is the exception. Whether it applies to you is assessed at consultation, and what your health fund contributes depends on your policy and level of cover. I cover the criteria, the fund position and worked examples in my article on Medicare and face and neck surgery costs.
If a revision is needed within the first 12 months, I do not charge a surgical fee for it. The anaesthetist and the hospital bill their own fees for any revision.
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Your next step
You need a GP referral before your consultation. I consult at Maitland, and for regional patients the first consultation can be done by telehealth, with an in-person examination before any surgery is booked. At consultation I examine your neck, take standardised photographs, and confirm whether direct excision is the right operation for you. Your individual written quote follows.