Lifestyle Lift: Stories

After all this reading and tons of research, I'll stay just the way life intended me to.

I felt your pain all over again, & I can't help but wonder how you could feel it was all worth it. I understand you feel better now, but go back & read what you wrote. Once the pain is gone, we really do forget it somehow.
I'm glad your happy with the results, but a REAL PLASTIC SURGEON could have done this without all the pain and post operation problems. Not being able to sleep in a bed for so long would have had me crying all day and night. I hope you would NEVER go back to these people again...I pray, you never go back again.
Thinking of you,
Lou1948...Linda

I had LSL earlier this year. (4/2010) in Palo Alto CA. As others on here have said, it is indeed MAJOR SURGERY. At least it is the way they do it.
I had no rapport with the surgeon on my initial visit. He was pretty creepy really. Russian guy who I later found was basically an oral surgeon/ dentist.

Yes the informercial minimizes all things unpleasant to expect. Fortunately the valium and darvocet they give you on arrival totally knocked me out through the entire surgery. The pain afterward was really awful. If not for the vicodin and darvocet I don't know what I would have done. Those drugs made it possible to endure what was really pure agony.

At 8 months out now, the pain, numbness, burning and scarring have definitely turned the corner. The stitches left some narley looking scars but this is also improving now. The bruising and swelling tightened the stitches which slowed my healing and increased my pain and need to continue icing and redressing and bandaging frequently for well over a month. I felt like the job was done without any finesse or particular skill. Sort of like assembly line surgery.

My friend who took me and took care of me the first night (which turned into 5 days) was ill prepared for how I came out of surgery. Lots of bruising, swelling and pain. Pain meds had to be picked up as well as OTC ointments and bandages. The particular ointment they listed was not available at any of the 4 drug stores my friend went to while I was being cut. She finally managed to talk/plead LSL staff out of a tube. We had to return first thing next morning which necessitated a motel stay while in agony and numbed out on pain pills. Eating was miserable for over two weeks. All in all it is not something to be taken lightly as seen on TV. It's a LONG healing process.

I think the work I had done was sloppy or possibly just done by untalented doctors who you will never see again. The center I went to closed down just a week after my surgery, which meant driving an extra 20 miles each way on top of the original 50 miles each way to get my stitches out and for my last follow up. An all day road trip in discomfort due to not taking pain meds for the day so I could drive safely.

My energy level and sense of strength and wellness was impacted for about 5 months. Really. It took a harsh toll on my body. All I wanted was to lie down without pain and thick bandages holding my face and neck together and sleep for a week or two. Oh did I mention that you have to sleep sitting up for about 5-6 weeks to "minimize swelling" and blood settling in and swelling your face, neck, eyes and ears. This fact is pretty miserable considering how wiped out you end up after this ordeal. Even when I was able to lie down at night I was not comfortable at all for about 6 months. Even now some nights my face feels hot when I lie down in my bed to sleep. I have to keep flipping the pillow to the cool side.

DESPITE ALL THESE FACTS, I am very glad I did it. I am 60 and for the past 25 years I have felt self conscious and very unhappy with my ever expanding ballooning double+ chin/ neck. I felt like I had an inner tube around my neck.

Really, it rolled and stretched my t shirt necks forward, made me feel old and fat and ugly. Now, with that fixed, I have to admit I feel a million times better. I can wear turtle necks without stretching it all out, same with the t shirt necks fitting and not stretching out immediately. Folks this is monumental improvement to me. It's not like I look so different. It's just better and lighter. So for the +/- $6000 I spent and all the pain I endured, I feel like it was all worth it. What can I say ? I just feel better and like I got what I wanted out of it.

But again, this is not some quicky office visit deal. It is major surgery that will leave some folks pretty messed up for a number of months. Not for someone with a few days off work. Plan on taking it really easy for at least a month.

A friend of mine also had this done in Maitland last month. IT IS MAJOR SURGERY DONE UNDER LOCAL ANESTHESIA!!!!!!!!!!! She is in so much pain and looks like Frankenstein. They never show you the pictures when your head is twice its normal size and wrapped like a mummy. Or - the black eyes and huge awful stitches. I pray she doesn't scar terribly from this. It was shocked and horrified at the way she looked. I sat and waited the 3 1/2 hours while they did hers - watched their stupid, lying infomercial over and over in the lobby. It leads you to believe you will walk out of there and go right back to your normal life - LIES!!!!!! After one week she still couldn't open her mouth, talking and eating were painful, she was black and blue all over, eyes, neck - it is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen. They need to advertise it for what it is - MAJOR SURGERY!!!!!

My mother just had this procedure done and I got sick to my stomach when I saw her post op results. This man should be jailed (again) for the botched up job. I am saddened to know my 75 yr old mother was duped by this quack and his employees and that I was not not aware she had this planned without doing research on him. She would have found out he was convicted of tax evasion AND that a patient of his DIED in October the day after the procedure.

I was seriously considering this procedure but it all seems so vague. These comments are very insightful. Thank you.

Correction: diminishing the warning of nerve damage,longterm pain.It's in the contract, but as I was told, it hasn't happened in tens of thousands of patients. It was like a warning label on a baby aspirin label, something that had to be shown, but never happens. Safe procedure, happy clients, no nerve damage, immediate results, longlasting results(7-10 yrs), etc, etc. Watch what you sign, read carefully, get 2nd, 3rd opinions. It is your face.

Did you know there is a class action lawsuit against them for diminishing what they really do& the post pain& problems?

I hope that you find solace in knowing that you are not the only person that is dissatisfied with your LSL. I hope that by all of us posting our experiences, good and bad, other women will not only believe what LSL tells them, but will also seek a 2nd opinion from another doctor that is Board Certified in Plastic Surgery. It gives me some relief knowing that people are coming forward and telling their stories. Time has come when we the public cannot believe infomercials and promises made by sales people dressed in white coats to make us think that they have medical training. I had the same problem with my ears hurting, could not wear earring for any length of time and had to have the surgery redone by another Doctor. Needless to say, it has been suggested by some posters here at realself that we don't wait long enough to heal properly before posting. Well, I waited 5 months to post my pictures and at that time I was still having excruciating pain behind my ears and problems with swelling among other problems plus we won't even get into the customer no service. After my surgery was redone by an American Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, I healed quickly with no problems like I had with the LSL. I hope you start to feel better soon or find a way to deal with the pain. Best, Chrystal Eckes.

Must have been Dr. Filiberto? I feel your pain. Please read my review...