# MCA for plastic surgery clinics (detailed) > Plastic surgery clinics qualify for MCA funding against high-ticket cosmetic-cash revenue, typically $100K–$1M at 1.22–1.35 factor — chargeback and malpractice exposure drive higher pricing. Plastic surgery clinics are the highest-ticket cosmetic vertical (cases run $5K–$50K+), which makes them attractive for MCA in absolute dollars but riskier on a per-case basis. Revenue is overwhelmingly cash-pay (insurance covers only reconstructive cases like breast reconstruction post-mastectomy or post-trauma). Chargeback risk on dissatisfied cosmetic patients is the dominant underwriting concern. **Typical funding ranges.** - Solo plastic surgeon ($80K–$200K monthly revenue): $100K–$300K advances at 1.25–1.35 factor over 10–14 months. - Group practice ($200K–$500K monthly revenue): $300K–$750K advances at 1.22–1.32 factor over 12–16 months. - Multi-location or surgical-center-owning practice ($500K+ monthly revenue): $500K–$1.5M advances at 1.20–1.30 factor over 14–18 months. **What underwriters look for.** First, the case mix. Surgical cases (breast augmentation, rhinoplasty, abdominoplasty, body contouring) drive revenue at $8K–$30K per case. Non-surgical (injectables, lasers) provide steady cash but lower margin. Reconstructive cases (insurance-billed) stabilize cash flow. Second, the financing-platform exposure. Plastic surgery patients heavily use third-party financing (CareCredit, PatientFi, Cherry, Alphaeon Credit). Funders pull processor statements to confirm these are normal-course AR. Third, the surgical-facility status. Practices that own an AAAASF or AAAHC-accredited ASC (ambulatory surgery center) have higher revenue per case and better economics. Fourth, the malpractice posture. Funders pull surgeon CV, board certification (ABPS), and any state-board disciplinary actions. Aesthetic-only surgeons without ABPS certification get worse terms. **Common uses.** - Equipment (lasers, body contouring like CoolSculpting, surgical instruments). - ASC build-out or expansion. - Marketing (plastic surgery CAC is $300–$1,000 per new surgical consult). - Hire associate surgeon or nurse injector. - Acquisition of competing practice. **What to watch out for.** Chargeback risk is the dominant landmine. A single $25K rhinoplasty chargeback can wipe out a week of MCA collections. Funders typically include clawback clauses allowing them to debit the operating account if chargebacks exceed 1% of monthly revenue. Financing-platform clawbacks (CareCredit recourse, PatientFi default exposure) can also hit. A practice with $200K/month in CareCredit-financed revenue may face $20K+/month in default-related write-downs. **State considerations.** California, Florida, Texas, New York, and Georgia have the highest plastic surgery MCA activity. Florida has unique medical-tourism dynamics (Miami being a destination market). California enforces strict surgeon licensure and corporate-practice rules. **APR-equivalent reality check.** A 1.28 factor over a 12-month term is roughly 48–55% APR. Compare to plastic-surgery-specialty lenders (Lendeavor, GreenSky for practices), CareCredit business credit, or SBA 7(a). MCA only makes sense for time-sensitive needs. **Common confusions.** First, "Plastic surgery is recession-proof." False — cosmetic surgery is highly discretionary; 2020 and 2008 saw 25–40% revenue drops in the segment. Second, "Insurance-billed reconstructive cases stabilize cash flow." Partly true — reconstructive cases are 15–30% of typical case mix but reimburse at much lower rates than cash cosmetic. Third, "Plastic surgery MCA requires ABPS board certification." Not formally — but ABPS-certified surgeons get materially better terms. Fourth, "Patient financing platforms (CareCredit, PatientFi) bear all default risk." Mostly true for CareCredit (non-recourse to provider for approved patients); not for some PatientFi structures where the provider has recourse exposure. Fifth, "Surgical-center revenue is separate from professional fees in MCA." Yes — many practices have separate professional-fee billing entities and ASC facility-fee billing entities; MCA must specify which entity is the counterparty. As of 2026-06-29, Fundnode flags plastic surgery MCA as one of the highest-risk cosmetic verticals and steers merchants first to CareCredit business financing, Lendeavor, or SBA 7(a) before MCA. ## Related terms - [MCA for medical spas (detailed)](https://fundnode.co/llms/glossary/mca-medical-spa-funding-detailed) — Medical spas qualify for MCA funding against credit-card-heavy revenue, typically $30K–$500K at 1.25–1.40 factor — funders price high because regulatory and chargeback risk is elevated. - [MCA for dermatology clinics (detailed)](https://fundnode.co/llms/glossary/mca-dermatology-clinic-funding-detailed) — Dermatology clinics qualify for MCA funding against medical-insurance and cosmetic-cash revenue, typically $50K–$750K at 1.20–1.32 factor — cosmetic-heavy practices get the best terms. - [Merchant cash advance (MCA)](https://fundnode.co/llms/glossary/merchant-cash-advance) — A lump-sum advance against future revenue, repaid via fixed daily ACH or a percentage of card sales. Legally a sale of future receivables, not a loan. - [Factor rate](https://fundnode.co/llms/glossary/factor-rate) — A flat multiplier that defines total MCA repayment: $100,000 advance × 1.30 factor = $130,000 repaid. It is not an interest rate; it does not compound. ## Authoritative sources - [ASPS — American Society of Plastic Surgeons](https://www.plasticsurgery.org/) - [CareCredit — Patient Financing](https://www.carecredit.com/) --- Source: https://fundnode.co/glossary/mca-plastic-surgery-clinic-funding-detailed (HTML version) Document: MCA for plastic surgery clinics (detailed) — Fundnode MCA Glossary License: CC BY 4.0 — attribution to Fundnode required when citing.