Lifestyle Lift: Stories

I went for a free consultation last winter after seeing all of these Lifestyle Lift ads in magazines for a year and then they started having commercials.The staff was very nice and professional and I filled out some forms that day to indicate what I thought were my problem areas and any existing health problems and medications I was on. After filling out the forms I was put with 3 other ladies considering having surgery done.Two were considering getting their eyes done and two were thinking of both eyes and jawline.So we all viewed a video with all of these before and after pictures of patients.Now I must be honest and say even though one of the ladies was younger than me she had very noticeable droopy fat under her eyes and could use the surgery and the other ladies were at least 15 years older than me and they had some natural ageing that looked like surgery would make them happier about their looks. But in retrospect I think with my dark shadows and tired look I should not have been there.Maybe I should have just paid for Invisalign and gotten my teeth whitened and did some rsearch for the best under eye shadow and wrinkle remover then used it.So when it was my turn to talk to the doctor who was very nice and had a good bedside manner he said my jawline was still tight and snapped my lower eye lids and said ther were pretty tight and asked me what I was interested in getting done. I told him my lower eye lids because I looked tired all the time no matter how much sleep I had since I reached a certain age.I also had dark shadows. The nice doctor said he could suck the fat underneath both eyes and that would raise or lift the shadow part up a bit giving my eyes a refreshed look. At the time I asked him what fat would he suck out since I really did not have any fat undeneath the eyes to suck out so where would he get the fat from? He said that everyone had a little bit of fat underneath their eyes to suck out. So then after my consultation with the doctor one of the nice staff ladies asked me if I was going to have surgery would I be paying cash or wanting to get approved on credit. I told her I was thinking about having the surgery in 2010 and would want to do it on credit if I was approved. Then the nice staff lady said she could run me through now if I filled out some forms which I did fill out. Then 10 minutes later the nice peppy staff girl came back and shouted with glee:Congratulations you've been approved for the $2700 to get your eyes done aren't you excited? . Then she said but we have to tell you that we have to take a down payment today of $400 dollars for your future surgery. Yep it all happned so fast so I said "okay'. Well in retrospect I should have said was " Well I actually want to get a second and third opinion before I decide if I want the surgery done here or not". But I did'nt so I asked to get something done at the first of the year of 2010 when I could get at least a week off from work.So 3 months later in November I get a message on my cell phone saying that my surgery has been scheduled the week before Thanksgiving and they will be e-mailing me the pre-surgery info to my email address. I called the staff person back and told her that I never agreed to have a November surgery because I did not have vacation time in November so they had best cancel that because I would not be there.That should have been a tip off there. So as November came and went and in December I started having these second thoughts about the surgery and thinking about the Farrah Fawcett Nightmare. Farrah had plastic surgery some years ago and some doctor screwed up her face to the point that her nose was sagging and mishappened and her face was crooked and I guess it scared her so bad that she waked around like that for years until I guess she healed suffciently for another plastic surgeon to "refix" the damage the first had done to her face. Well eventually Farrah got her face repaired and looked like her lovely self again. But I was thinking I sure as hell did not want to go through that.Well anyway in December I made plans to have my surgery the first week of January. I was told people usually take two weeks off for the eyes and I was going to take one and asked if they thought I would be okay since I was just doing the lower eyelids and the Dr. said I should be fine. So surgery day came and my meds were at my pharmacy a couple of days before the surgery.I had 20 tablets of 5-500 Hydroodone for pain, Tobramycin-Dexameth drops to use twice a day for 5 days and an Ambien sleeping pill to take the night before to relax me. I did not take the sleeping pill the night before just because I did not feel like it. The day of my surgery the doctor asked me to show him one more time with a mirror just what my concern was just to make sure we were on the same page( that should have been another warning). So I showed him the shadow underneath my eyes and how I felt the under eye should be lifted a bit to make my eye look less tired. I also asked him again if he was sure I would not develop keloids under the eye because it was the last thing I needed and would prefer to keep the look I had over developing keloids. He said the area under the eye that I was having the surgery done on usually did not develop keloids.Then the doctor went away and "Igor" came out and had me sign a paper that essentially said I could have a permanent scar. Yes I did sign the paper but I should have ran then and cut my losses and just wrote off the $400 already paid . Then "Igor" gave me some nedication to put me to sleep. Then I remember saying a few words then I was out. When I came to somehow I put my shoes on and they took me to my companion who drove me home. I looked in the mirror when I got home and I now know what I would look like if I ever had two black eyes. I am dark skinned but my eyes were swollen and red and black and blue . But luckily by day 3 I could finally open them and the swelling was helped a lot by the ice packs daily.Two dats before I was due to go back to work I saw teh pink scars under my eyes and purchased a pair of prescription ey eglases beacsue teh scars and lumps under on eeye were noticeable and I was not aboutto share my private info with my coworkers. I went to worl 7 days after my surgery and several people did ask me what happend to my eye and I said I think I had a sty. Though it is going on 2 months I have what look slike a lump of fat under on eeye and for two weekends ina row my eyse were pink graing and irritated to the oint all light hurt and I sat there with all th elight sout putting compresses on my eyes and using the drops and having a dirty fritty feeling to the eye. One eye doe snot close all the way but I wantto be fair and give it at least 4 months before I go to see a Board Certifie Plastic Surgeon to see if it can be corrected.At thi smoment I feel as if they took my $2700.00 and made a cut under each eye that did nothing and now i hav ethe same shadows with two scars and a lump uder on eye. And if I take off my glasses it is al noticeable. If after 4 months there is some improvemnet I will post. BUT THE LESSON HERE TO LEARN IS YOUR EYES AND YOUR FACE IS TEH FIRST THING A PERSON SEES SO PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO YOUR RESEARCH!1) MAJE 3 APPOINTMENST AND DISCUSS WHAT YOU WNAT DONE AND TAKE NOTES 2)ASK TO SEE BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES OF PEOPLE YOUR SURGEON OPERATED ON 3) ASK IF YOU CAN TALK TO PATIENTS WHO HAD GOOD RESULTS 4) DO NOT SCHEDULE ANY SURGERY TILL YOU MAKE SUR EYOUR SURGEON IS A BOARD CERTIFIED PLASTIC SURGEON. I DID MY RESEARC H AFTER THE FACT AND FOUND OUT MY SURGEON WAS NOT BOARD CERTIFIED.

You should and must heed the warnings you are reading from those who have had this company do their surgery. My suggestions are as follows: Go to a regular board certified plastic surgeon in your area; look at before and after pics; ask to talk with a previous patient. There's a lot of homework to do before making a decision. This is serious surgery. With the economy as it is, many Dr.s offer free consults. Go to at least 3. Check this site and Make Me Heal site under "face lifts" and see and hear about some real expectations and successful results. I did my research for a year and 1/2 before making my choice. You'll be glad you were cautious and particular with you decision. I am happy with my results. Remember though you have to have reasonable expectaions, take care of yourself as directed and give it time to heal. Good luck.

Has anyone had a LSL in Beverly Hills, CA? I am considering one but after reading the reviews, I am very nervous. Olywa

I am thinking of having a LSL in Beverly Hills Ca. Is there anyone out there who had one done there. After reading all the reviews I am thinking of changing my mind. J

OMG....I was actually considering having the procedure myself until I read these comments. However, I did have my doubts; the before and after pictures posted on their website are misleading. The before pictures show patients with no make up and no facial expression or droopy ones. In the after pictures, patients are smiling and are made up. Not a fair comparison. So glad I found this website. Will save up and have it done right!

This is freaking alarming. If this is what is going down, why aren't there suits taking place? OMG!

Dear New Friends, Boy do I wish I had read this page before having lifestyle lift.The doctor did my jawline and double chin.Two sleeping pills, two 10 millagrams of valium and I was still awake.He proceded anyway. When I saw the long needle coming towards my face I closed my eyes. I could not move my body but I was able to talk and feel the pain of the needle when it went through my face, neck and skull. I felt my bones crushing when he went around my ears.I didn't feel the incsion, but I felt the tightening of the neck, and the sutures around my right ear. I told him to stop but he said, " oh ,You can't feel this". I felt the second stitch and third until he was done.I don't remember getting to the hotel with my sister who also had this done. Her husband took care of us. That night we just cried in pain. The pain medication didn't help at all. I called the doctors office and begged for more pain meds or topical pain medication. They said they were so sorry but they already gave me too much already as most people just get 2 sleeping pills to go under.The next day I went in for a re-check. I had a hematoma all across my throat and both sides of my ears. Day 4 my left eye closed shut for a day.The first 3 days I begged GOD to take me.My ears were either on fire or just plain making me go crazy with pain.I had this surgery August 25 in Maitland Florida. I went back last week to see my Dr. as my hematoma is still here even though it is smaller.Also I have a red scar beside my ear . My Dr. said to use makeup and the hematoma will go away in a few months. I still have a scar under my chin and my right earlobe has stiches that stick out. I want to BEG people DO NOT USE LIFESTLY LIFT.They brag that 29% don't have any pain. That means that 79% DO. My ears are still VERY sensitive and sleeping is difficlt. They sewed my earlobe to my face. Din't tell us that either.I told my Doctor he was too rough with me .I said his office was not a Ford assembly line.He just laughed and said you look so good.He went opposite of the way I was going but he must have run to where I was in outer office because when I got to outer office and leaned into a women to tell her to get strong meds , the Doctor said "well goodby Sandi'. Thats when I said to ladies "Do use this Doctor he's too rough." In front of everyone he said" well, some people like it rough" What a Pig. Sandi

Hi Crystal, Sorry that I haven't updated you for a while on my sister that had such a horrible outcome after her lifestyle lift. Remember 3 weeks in ICU and another week in hospital. She is still recovering, slowly. Still has bandages on wounds behind ear, chin, etc. It has bee a real nightmare. While she was in hospital they had to open incisions to drain and reclose. I can't imagine what scars she will have. I tell all woman to be aware of the bad surgical procedures that Lifestyle lift does. I hope she gets a good attorney...

Hi Happy and welcome to realself.com. I hope you find some peace knowing that many women also suffer with you and made the same mistake of being led down a rose colored path that LSL paints for them with the "pretty after" photos. I do wish you well and hope that you keep in touch with us. Best, Chrystal Eckes.

I had similar issues. It's been two years and I still haven't had my scar revision surgery, but will pay for it with a board certified plastic surgeon versus going back to LSL. Also, I was advised by a couple of plastic surgeons not to have the corrective surgery too soon - I was told to wait 18 months.