Confidence lost/making a huge financial decision

marlot

Cebass wrote: »

The loan is for £6000 at 39.9% APR which is not too bad.

That is a huge interest rate. I would look at the other options being proposed here before taking on such a big debt.

fabforty

A quick check of reputable cosmetic surgery companies, puts the average cost of rhinoplasty at £3k - £5k. I am sure that you can get it done for less than £8k+ in the UK.
I realise that you are desperate to get this done but you really need to do a lot a research before jumping in and making such a big financial commitment - especially if you want someone else to guarantee the loan.
If you cant get a loan without a guarantor, this suggests that your credit is either non-existent or very bad, so it is well worth investigating all options first. How many plastic surgeons have you visited to get an idea of prices? Have you discussed the possibility of NHS treatment?

Lunar_Eclipse

Sorry to hear about your nose. I'm sure people are not staring at you because of it, but I appreciate you are very self conscious and deserve to get it fixed. But in a nutshell: no! 40% interest rate in today's market is outrageous.

I understand you are now 25. Do you not have any savings whatsoever? I suggest that is your first port of call, along with a trip to your GP to investigate the NHS option.

Pollycat

fabforty wrote: »

A quick check of reputable cosmetic surgery companies, puts the average cost of rhinoplasty at £3k - £5k. I am sure that you can get it done for less than £8k+ in the UK.
I realise that you are desperate to get this done but you really need to do a lot a research before jumping in and making such a big financial commitment - especially if you want someone else to guarantee the loan.
If you cant get a loan without a guarantor, this suggests that your credit is either non-existent or very bad, so it is well worth investigating all options first. How many plastic surgeons have you visited to get an idea of prices? Have you discussed the possibility of NHS treatment?

I would like to ask the OP how he chose the cosmetic surgeon that has quoted £8950.

Cebass wrote: »

Seven years ago, when I was eighteen, I was caught in the crossfire of a fight at a pub. Someone threw a wine bottle, and it hit me in the face. The bottle didn't break, my nose did. The surgeons at hospital did all they could, but I'm left with a saddle nose deformity.

It affects my life in so many ways. I have no confidence left inside, and I always think people are staring at my nose. It has become unbearable over the past few months, to the point where I can't take it anymore.

Has anything specific happened in the last few months to make it unbearable?

Cebass wrote: »

I have £4000 in inheritance, and I have to convince my mother to be a guarantor on a loan for me. The loan is for £6000 at 39.9% APR which is not too bad. If she agrees, I will have the loan within 30 days and get my nose fixed ASAP.

I think having to convince someone to be a guarantor is not the best thing.
Have you had any discussions with your Mother about being a guarantor?
What if you find - further down the line - that you can't pay the loan?
What impact would that have on your Mother? Could she afford to step in and pay the loan repayments?

[Deleted User]

Push your GP for this - as you have said, it's effecting your mental well-being.

Have you been visiting Harley Street? You're not going to get the best prices, or loans, from there. Even 'shopping around' in the UK will cut your costs, if you want to go private. A plastic surgeon friend of mine told me that boob jobs can cost twice as much in London, as in Cardiff (where he worked).

Find a better source of finance. 39% is abysmal. Some surgeries (e.g. Spire) offer 0% APR, and a personal loan wouldn't be that high a rate.

BUT.. push the NHS for this. Consider how it is effecting you physically (can you breath through your nose ok?) and mentally; put a case together before you go to your GP to ask for a referral.

pendragon_arther

VfM4meplse wrote: »

Can I make a more realistic suggestion?

Why not ask the NHS to fund this? If it was an accident and outside of your control, part of the problem is that the surgeons at the time didn't achieve a good result and your nose new has a bearing on your ability to live a normal life, the remedial action may be funded as an exception.

It would be interesting to discover why you think my suggestion wasn't realistic? Thousands of people do medical tourism, as I did at a fraction of the cost, plus you get a holiday too.

Waiting with anticipation...

Gingernutty

I suspect the reason the surgery is more expensive is the saddle nose deformity.

It requires grafts of cartilage either from elsewhere in the body (ribcage is normal) or from porcine or bovine sources.

It's hard going and may not work. Grafts may not take, become infected, require further surgery and the resulting complications could be horrific.

Do not Google those images if you're the slightest bit squeamish.

To be stuck in another country when you're not well, recovering from surgery and be facing further work which you hadn't budgeted for would be an utterly miserable experience.

Seriously, go see your GP.

And do not think of taking out a loan at 40% interest.

VfM4meplse

pendragon_arther wrote: »

It would be interesting to discover why you think my suggestion wasn't realistic?

Because from the circumstances described, if a UK citizen this patient needn't be self-funding.

FBaby

Why not ask the NHS to fund this? If it was an accident and outside of your control, part of the problem is that the surgeons at the time didn't achieve a good result and your nose new has a bearing on your ability to live a normal life, the remedial action may be funded as an exception.

Wrong advice. The NHS is not here to decide whether the OP is worthy of cosmetic surgery because of what happened. They are there to make sure it doesn't affect his ability to breath properly. The operated, the fact it is left with a deformity is not for them to deal with. That's why you sue people.

I do agree though with the costs being exceptional high and would definitely suggest to investigate.

fierystormcloud

I agree with the people who are saying you should see your GP. I see no reason why you should not get this done on the NHS, I mean many people have gotten plastic surgery before that was not actually needed medically... Like breast implants (Josie Cunningham anyone!) and IVF, and also gastric bands, gastric bypass, and of course the operation to remove all the skin after losing 10 stone! So why the heck should YOU not be allowed surgery free on the NHS for your nose?

Are you male or female Cebass?