Eyelid Surgery: Stories

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You Get What You Pay For!!

  • posted 3 years ago
  • updated 3 years ago

There are a lot of poor plastic surgeons out there...

  • 8 Sep 2009

There are a lot of poor plastic surgeons out there so it's not surprising that some people were dissatisfied. A woman I know wanted to save money although she's pretty affluent. She went to a doctor who charged only $3500 and he made a mess of her eyes. I do not believe in economizing on one's face. Wearing cheaper underwear is a better strategy. I went to a highly regarded surgeon and I got my money's worth.

Some years later I confided to a couple of dermatologists that I had had my eyes done. They looked closely and said it was the best job they had ever seen. You get what you pay for. The fees I cited are "all-in", hospital, anesthesiologist, etc.

Great review?

My Doctor:

My rating:

There are a lof of tricks to plastic surgery. It's not like an appendectomy. Some doctors can do the operation but have no artistic sense and it shows aferwards.

Comments (31)

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Sweetheart, I'm glad for you that you are afflent. I assure you I am no plant. My doctor does not need any publicity on this website. He already has world famous movie stars, leaders of society and members of royalty calling his office to make appointments. He's not waiting for you to call, believe me. You are correct that there are no guarantees but someone who has been in practice for a long time, has had a stellar list of patients including world class beauties such as Pamela Harriman and Catherine Deneuve, has received continual accolades from his peers and who also teaches is a good bet. So do your research. I'd love to hear whom you think is wonderful and on what basis.
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Wow !!! Randal...If you truly ran in those circles you would not be here arguing over K-mart vs who is in Castle Connelly. I am here because I.m in my 50's and never even had Botox done. I am now "researching" my possiblities. I have homes in several states and can "afford" your doctor. However I am a little more knowledged on how to research Physicians... I am not interested in the 5 star hotel for post op recovery. I travel with my own help and have my preferences of were I stay (if not in my own home(s) ). The one think I can say is seriously there are NO guaranteed outcomes whether you pay 3000.00 or 15000.00 Even a 15000.00 physician can have a bad day. Good example...I have a crown placed on a BACK molar by a Beverly Hills Dentist that was/is "Dentist to the Stars" The cost 12,000 (a 1500 proceedure) This taught me a very good lesson... price and location means nothing. That man has caused me more pain and agony and you know what ? He says what all the other hatched guys say. I see nothing wrong it looks beautiful...LOL It is getting replaced it was WAY to big for me and has caused me physical illness. I waited a long time because he and his staff told me that "It takes time" to get used to it...Yes it does until the statue of limitations runs out to sue. So you can best bet I am researching any work done to my face. I chimed in only because you appear to be more of a "plant" to drum business for this DR more so than a patient.
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If Dr. Aston is such a great doctor, how can the appearance of his wife, the famed Muffy Potter Aston, be explained? I have never seen a worse browlift or a more surgical appearance. Also, hate to burst your bubble about MEETH, but we are talking about the hospital that was fined by the state of New York for serious safety lapses, all under the stewardship of Dr. Aston. Perhaps the hospital cleaned up its act after the fines. New York opened an investigation on MEETH following the death of two patients, one of whom as Dr. Aston's patient. The malpractice suit against Dr. Aston was dismissed because the patient died while she was being anesthetized before Dr. Aston started the actual surgery, but as head of the plastic surgery department at MEETH, he was captain of the ship and should be held accountable for the safety lapses found by the state of New York.
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You're pretty ignorant. Dr. Aston was cleared of any wrong doing in the MEETH affair. You even allude to this depite your false claims. Plus your opinions of his wife are simply your opinions. Catty and bitchy comments I might add. Dr. Aston remains the premier plastic surgeon in NYC and I'm sure he doesn't care what you think of him. You should be as famous and at the top of your game as he is. What are you, a cosmetics sales clerk at Bloomingdale's??
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BTW did you have both an upper and lower blepharoplasty? Any fat grafting? Transconjunctival? Thanks.
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I had my lower eyelids done 15 years ago with only a very slight trim to the upper eyelids. There is an almost imperceptable scar from that operation, parallel to the lashes. which shows that the upper eyelids have been trimmed. 15 years later I had a more conventional and extensive upper eyelift with the scar in my orbit. The operation also included raising my eyebrows...something that is quite important to one's looks but not so easy to do well. Under my lower eyes which had been done all those years before, the doctor used an Erbium laser to remove wrinkles that had formed since the first opration. The redness from the Erbium laser lasted as a slight pinkish color for three months. However, more recently, about a year later, I had a similar laser treatment, again under my lower eyes with the newer Mixto laser. It really is an advance and I highly recommend it. The area underneath my eyes cleared up in a week and I have no wrinkles at all. Doctors say that blepharoplasty is an easy operation to perform but what if the results are not satisfactory? It's not worth taking a chance with someone who is an unknown unless there are strict budgetary restrictions. What are you going to do? You will have spent the money and you cannot sue or get a refund so you would be stuck with having your eyes done over again and with what results? Forget it. Mine look perfect and I am very happy with the results. No one believes my age when I tell them.
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Thanks for your thoughtful reply. I have been wanting to rejuvenate my eye area for a while and now that I live in Manhattan was interested in your experience with Dr. Aston. My concern with a blepharoplasty was regarding the hollow eye which can result.(I already have eye hollowing.) I had seen one surgeon who recommended a superficial subciliary check lift in addition to a TRANSCONJUNCTIVAL FAT REPOSITIONING of the lower eyelid to address the loss of fat (and muscle position, I guess) in that area but I am not sure if I want to get that aggressive. Thanks also for the review of the Mixto laser. Laser resurfacing was also recommended to diminish my crows feet. Botox works great for that and other areas but of course it only lasts for a short time. Also, do you know of Dr. Astons work on necklifts?
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Go to see Dr. Aston. The consultation fee is maybe $350-400. He's awfully nice. Just pose all your questions to him. He is world famous for face lifts and neck lifts. If you can avoid it at all, don't try to save money on your face. Dr. Aston's fees are not any higher than many other, far less talented, doctors. I have known quite a few people who have been his patients and they have all been very happy with his work and the great service you receive. I recommend him very highly and so do my friends.
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I had my nose and upper eyes done by Dr. Aston and I was also very pleased. I really wanted natural and that is what I got. I look much better people just told me that I looked well rested. My sister in law also used him and 10 years later she looks great. Her brow lift was particularly effective, she has never needed botox since.
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It's nice that you like your results but not all board certified surgeons are a guaranteed good result ...you don't have to get defensive be lucky that your results are what you wanted but not everyone can afford that
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No just because a doctor is Board Certified does not guarantee that a patient will get a good job. There is nothing in the board certification process nor in the licensing process that tests artistry. This is a huge factor in a doctor's ability to produce great work. A well known plastic surgeon who has been in practice for forty years told me that plastic suregery is a "fouth dimension" undertaking, because the doctor has to be able to envision how the patient will look once the scars have healed. He said many doctors, board certified or not, never really develop this skill. This is why doctors who are "famous" are famous. They have a sense of artistry that many others do not have. It can only be taught up to a point. So when someone says they went to a Board Certified plastic surgeon in such and such a place, its not necessarily the same thing as going to someone recognized by his peers and patients as one of the top doctors. Most well trained specialists in other medical disciplines can provide very competent work but a gall bladder operation does not involve artistry.
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No. You're not that far from NYC. Read New York Magazine's annual Best Doctors Issue.
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Wow ... All of that nonsense for a bleph ? My mother drove me to my ocular surgeon's office while she waited in the waiting room for me to have my surgery. It was done in his little surgical suite with one assistant ..no anesthesia , ...no bells and or whistles ...the result ...a beautiful surgery that took 10 years away from my face...also because my lids were affecting my vision....my insurance covered the whole thing. I am so happy with my eyes ...yes I probably had more swelling than you because I had no nurses attending to my ice packs , but I am so happy ~ I have spent my career as a nurse in the area so I knew OF my physician and his reputation , but I really think you WAY overpaid ! I could care less if royalty has gone to my surgeon as long as he is good at what he does. It has been only 4 weeks and I still have a bit of swelling , especially in the morning ..my fault for not drinking enough water (gag gag) but I can barely see my scars. I began using latisse about 2 weeks ago and can already see a difference in my lashes. I am a very happy girl !
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who is your doctor? do you know anyone northern NJ?
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Well I had all the trimmings. An internationally famous doctor. It was done in the most celebrated hospital for plastic surgery in the USA where I stayed overnight and had extra duty nurses to minimize the swelling. Then I hid out at an expensive recovery hotel in NYC for six days. Plus in the operating room there were my doctor, a resident, another doctor handing instruments, 2 anesthesiologists and 3 nurses. So it wasn't the usual $4000 deal. The results were flawless so that the stitches on my lower eyelids were hidden inside of the eye. Trying to cheap it on your face is a poor idea.
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Just a note to everyone about price I live in NYC had a nose and upper bleph by Dr. Aston and his team for 15k in 2007. I stayed home iced and medicated myself and got great results. Keep in mind she said that included the nurse ( over 1k), hotel (at least 5k), airfare etc. I bet the actual sx was about 8k. He is a great surgeon.
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wait you got a facelift or eyelid surgery for 15,000$? Because Upper Bleharoplasty for 15,000$ is a little much if you ask me.
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For anyone that considered any forms of plastic surgeries get several good pictures of yourself up close. If you don't then if the surgery get blotched, you won't have the proof you need. Or better yet have a video of yourself using high definition up close and not up close. This can help you if you need to take the plastic surgeon to court. There are way too many bad doctors out there, then good doctors. Too many doctors do plastic surgeries without the proper training or experience. Please do yuor research in detail and take several months in research your surgeon of choice before actually schedule the surgery date. Just because the surgeon/doctor of your choice coming up clean doesn't mean he didn't do anything wrong. Blotched plastic surgeries are hard to proof and the our court system looks for serious injury cases only. Even if you have many noticeable scars is really not an injury. You will need another surgeon that is willing to go to court with you pointing out that the surgery is blotched and scaring is excessive. Doctors/surgeons love to stick together and often time don't like to snitched on another person in their profession unless you offer loads of money for their testimonal. Most people don't have that kind of money, except for celebrities and/or rich people that just want to get even with the doctor.
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I would like to clear something up. I live in Switzerland. Born and raised here.I went to Sacramento to get my eyes done because my best friend happens to live in Lake Tahoe (about 1.5 hrs from sac)We pay a lot of money here in CH (short for Switzerland)(but I am sure you know that because you came here many many times before, right ??) for plastic surgery. My friend just had her first baby so why not visit her, see the cute, cute baby and get the eyelid surgery done at the same time ? Lot's of swiss go to the USA because in your country surgery is very, very cheap and most of the time doctors there know what they are doing. I never shopped at K-mart. We do not have that. But I am sure the Ladies who shop there are nice. I do not know what Goodwill is, please explain. My eyes turned out wonderful and I don't have any scars to speak of. I have beautiful big green eyes and long thick black lashes who get a lot of compliments on a daily basis. I do not read Vogue or Castle Connolly. I don't have too I live in Gstaad and see pretentious,rich and nuveau rich and downright stupid people every day. I live in a Chalet right under the Palace, I have met lot's of famous people my dear. AND AFTER ALL OF THAT I SEE NO REASON TO SPEND $15.000 FOR EYELID SURGERY!!
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Prince Charles thinks your doc is worth it ? Prince Charles?? Have you looked at the man lately ? Did you pay $15.000 because Charly went there ? I have to agree with Vicisue's posting. I paid $2200 for uppers only and my eyes look like a million bucks. I did my homework, I interviewed the doctor, not the other way around. $15.000 for a Face lift? Sure , why not. But for eyelid surgery ? No darling, not even if Prince Charles or Deneuve seem to think he is worth it!
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Prince Charles has not had surgery, as for Catherine Deneuve I do not know. Jackie O, name drop much?
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I went to the most famous plastic surgeon in NYC and one of the most reknowned in the world. I plan to go back to him for something else. I for one do not care to entrust my face to an also-ran in the middle of nowhere. The going price you paid several years ago was $8-10K plus hospital, plus anestheseologist. Depends upon the city. I would not use anyone other than in NYC or LA. Having facial work done is not like buying a cashmere sweater on sale or having an appendectomy. Most plastic surgeons are pretty lousey. It's a real art form. I have seen people who shopped around. There is a woman at my gym who has what I call a $1.99 facelift. It's your face. Good luck with it. I don't think you know what you're talking about. Prince Charles and Catherine Deneuve seemed to think my doctor was "worth it".
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I went to Dr. Baker in NYC for an upper and lower eyelids,mid face, and a chemical peel around the eyes. Midface is fine. Not satisfied w the peel or the eyes. I am two months out of surgery. I am going to see him in Nov. Perhaps I am still swollen. I thought I was using one of the top surgeons in the City. I better still be swollen! Who did you use?
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