POSTED UNDER Facelift REVIEWS
Facelift Abroad - Cancun, Mexico
ORIGINAL POST
I will start this review by saying I do not want...
AlwaysKimSeptember 6, 2012
$5,000
I will start this review by saying I do not want people to read this a think that surgery abroad is a bad idea, I had a prior surgery in Mexico and had a wonderful experience. What I want people to know is there is a chance issues or problems that may arise and you need to be prepared for that. chances are you'll be fine but just in case get your ducks in a row. I took 10 days off work because I was told to just buy some Dermablend to cover what ever bruising I may have left and I would be able to return to work but for me that was not the case, I had severe bruising as you will see in the photos and developed a Hematoma a couple hours after surgery that my Doctor quickly drained (it is my personal opinion that that soon after surgery I should have been taken back to the OR the bleeding stopped and the area cleaned out and my recovery time would be a lot less) long story short I had to stay in Cancun longer then intended, so please if you go out of the country for surgery please make sure you have a little wiggle room in your schedule because chances are you'll be fine but sometimes things happen.
I was kept in the Clinic an extra night so the could keep an eye on me and Sherri sent Flora a English speaking nurse to stay with me both of those nights ( I really like Flora and I felt a lot better with her there) which will bring me to my next peice of advice. Take someone with you if for nothing but piece of mind, Trust me it will help you to stay calm and get through. Going alone was one of my mistakes.Now I always give credit where credit is due so I want to mention that Sherri's Husband Eric was great, He was there with anything I needed and the poor thing caught my wrath more then once as I can have a pretty bad temper at times. But he took it and still handled things for me to the best of his ability. I ended up having 2 hematomas and both were drained, I have terrible lumps from them on my face that I'm told will go down in about 6 months and I must say it disturbs me to have to go in public looking crazy (refer to photos) and doing it for 6 months bothers me even more. (so much for the little vacation facelift on the down low) The two things that are bothering me the most right now are my right eye is so droopy it looks like I have a basset hound eye, drives me crazy. And as of last night I realized I have a stitch sticking out of my head, not a suture used for closer but a white one softer to the touch and appears to be sticking out of my head. I am waiting for Sherri and Dr. Velasco to get back to me about it but I;m really worried about it because I'm afraid it might be a suspension stitch that has worked it's way out. We'll just have to see. I will add more later but I have to get to work for now.
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UPDATED FROM AlwaysKim
Just wanted to do a quick update and say Dr....
AlwaysKimSeptember 6, 2012
Just wanted to do a quick update and say Dr. Velasco said it is not a suspension stitch and I can take it out with no problem which makes me feel a little better, well a lot better. The last picture I am posting I took today when I got out of the shower. Looks like my face is melting. I can't stand this droopy eye. Sure hope that goes away
Replies (10)
September 7, 2012
Thank you so much for sharing your story, I truly appreciate it! Can you please tell us how old you are and what procedures you had done during your facelift? Your forehead looks awesome and doesn't look like it was touched at all (nor did it need to be). As for your eyes, did you have a transconjunctival bleph on both an upper and lower? Did you receive any fat grafts? Or anything else?
I have to wonder how much the drooping on the right side is connected to the hematoma? I've read that additional trauma to the blood vessels from a hematoma takes much longer to heal from in the area that it develops. On average, I think you can expect to have 4-8 weeks of dark bruising & lumps if a hematoma was only drained and not evacuated in the OR. They really sound horrible and troublesome if they are not resolved in a specific way after surgery.
Do you use tape on your eyes/lids at night to hold the skin in its proper place? People rarely discuss what kind of aftercare protocols they are told to follow once they get home.
Kim, even though you are healing from multiple issues at the moment and it is difficult to see your results, I do see some positive changes in your jawline and neck. Your face has more of a sweetheart shape now, which is very pretty!!
I have to wonder how much the drooping on the right side is connected to the hematoma? I've read that additional trauma to the blood vessels from a hematoma takes much longer to heal from in the area that it develops. On average, I think you can expect to have 4-8 weeks of dark bruising & lumps if a hematoma was only drained and not evacuated in the OR. They really sound horrible and troublesome if they are not resolved in a specific way after surgery.
Do you use tape on your eyes/lids at night to hold the skin in its proper place? People rarely discuss what kind of aftercare protocols they are told to follow once they get home.
Kim, even though you are healing from multiple issues at the moment and it is difficult to see your results, I do see some positive changes in your jawline and neck. Your face has more of a sweetheart shape now, which is very pretty!!
September 7, 2012
Yes I should have said all that, I'm 48 and I lost over a 100 lbs which is great but for the fact my face went due south. You can see the hanging skin. Next: I was kept in the hospital so Dr. V could monitor my hematoma. My blood preasure seenm to be quite low but nothing to worry about. I can say I really didn't have much pain maybe due to the numbness or the pain meds, maybe a little of both. I'm not sure but I think the pain meds would be maybe Tylenol 3 but it had an antiinflamatory in it. I really don't have much bruising left just the droopy eyes and hematoma lumps. I am just massaging my eyes right now (I tried tape but I just wake up with it stuck somewhere I didn't put it) I am using a little heat on my face and Dr V just told me yesterday I could start massaging it fir 2 minutes 2 times a day. But I must admit I jumped the gun on that one because I started a few days ago. The thing I would like to stress the most is if you are going to have surgery in any other Country you better make sure you have aftercare set up at home prior to doing so. I did that when I got my lapband in Mexico and don't know why I didn't do it this time, It was a very STUPID oversight on my part.
September 7, 2012
Thanks for the forehead comment because that's one thing I didn't have done. lol
September 7, 2012
I totally agree with Kim. Once I got back and the hematoma continued to grow I had a really hard time finding someone do drain my hematoma and it was the size of a tennis ball I would say. I ended up going to the emergency room and all they would do is give me a referral. They would not drain it there. Many PS do not want to deal with you once they know you had surgery in Mexico.
September 8, 2012
Thank you for the extra details, they are very helpful. Wow, to lose 100 pounds is quite an accomplishment - congratulations! It totally stinks that our faces don't rebound back as well after significant weight loss once we get older.
Even though the inflammation from the Hematoma lumps & the residual swelling is distorting things at this stage, I don't see anymore sagging skin around your mid to lower face & neck. Lumps aside, your face looks more defined and tighter in the lower regions and the new shape is flattering, IMO.
The issue that would concern me the most right now is the lower eyelid drooping. Without a doctor to physically inspect your eyes and check the response of the lid muscle & nerve that was severed during the bleph, you won't know what the real story is. It's also hard to know how much the hematoma lump on your right cheek is affecting the eye droop on that side. Your left eye looks to have some lower lid laxity at the corner, but not as much from what I can see in your pics. Distance aftercare via email is not adequate in this situation. There is no way that Dr. Velasco or any doctor can truly know what is happening without physically seeing you. So your advice to have proper aftercare in place BEFORE you get home is greatly appreciated and VERY wise.
I hope this issue resolves for you in time, Kim. You do have other options available to help fix it, if it does persist. Fingers are firmly crossed that everything works out in the end.
Even though the inflammation from the Hematoma lumps & the residual swelling is distorting things at this stage, I don't see anymore sagging skin around your mid to lower face & neck. Lumps aside, your face looks more defined and tighter in the lower regions and the new shape is flattering, IMO.
The issue that would concern me the most right now is the lower eyelid drooping. Without a doctor to physically inspect your eyes and check the response of the lid muscle & nerve that was severed during the bleph, you won't know what the real story is. It's also hard to know how much the hematoma lump on your right cheek is affecting the eye droop on that side. Your left eye looks to have some lower lid laxity at the corner, but not as much from what I can see in your pics. Distance aftercare via email is not adequate in this situation. There is no way that Dr. Velasco or any doctor can truly know what is happening without physically seeing you. So your advice to have proper aftercare in place BEFORE you get home is greatly appreciated and VERY wise.
I hope this issue resolves for you in time, Kim. You do have other options available to help fix it, if it does persist. Fingers are firmly crossed that everything works out in the end.
September 9, 2012
I fully recognize how hard it has been based on my experience and thank you for the private emails. About your suggestion of doing my own doctor review, I will consider depending on how Dr. Velasco and Sherri will respond to me. I will wait as I used to do for now. You take care,
September 9, 2012
Hi Crying - Are you saying that you are afraid to write a review about your experience with Dr. Velasco & Sheri because you fear there will be repercussions if you share your story? This is terribly sad and disconcerting if this is the case. You shouldn't be punished for telling the truth about your complications and the revision surgery you had to have on your nose with another doctor afterwards.
Your story is very important and will help to inform others about what can go wrong if they decide to have surgery abroad. I truly hope you change your mind.
Your story is very important and will help to inform others about what can go wrong if they decide to have surgery abroad. I truly hope you change your mind.
September 9, 2012
Hello 'crying'....you really should,nt be to concerned about Velasco or Sheri....for the truth will always stand.
You paid good money for favourable results and that is exactly what you should receive.Non of these doctors/coordinators worry me when i tell the honest truth,and to be honest it certainly appears that nothing ever worries them,utter xxxxxxx.
''Right is right,and WRONG is no ones right''
You paid good money for favourable results and that is exactly what you should receive.Non of these doctors/coordinators worry me when i tell the honest truth,and to be honest it certainly appears that nothing ever worries them,utter xxxxxxx.
''Right is right,and WRONG is no ones right''
September 7, 2012
Kim, I forgot to ask if you know what your blood pressure readings were after surgery. Were you kept in the clinic for an additional night because your blood pressure was spiking, or where they monitoring the first hematoma (or both)?
Did you go through any periods of pain afterwards? If you did, what kind of pain meds did you receive?
I hope I'm not bombarding you with too many questions. Thanks for your help.
Did you go through any periods of pain afterwards? If you did, what kind of pain meds did you receive?
I hope I'm not bombarding you with too many questions. Thanks for your help.
UPDATED FROM AlwaysKim
Needed to add that I am 48 years old, I looked a...
AlwaysKimSeptember 7, 2012
Needed to add that I am 48 years old, I looked a lot older due to a mix of age and a 100 plus weightloss. I had a mid, lower and neck lift (Deep plane) upper and lower eyes (sure regret those lowers) and a littler fat transfer to the nasal folds and between the eyes
Replies (117)
September 7, 2012
Hi Kim, I got squashed when I told that you would need at least 6 weeks to recover, i just recieved comments back saying everyone heals at a different pace..o.k. No problem but they have to stop promoting quick time healing because that simply is not the highest percentage of people. My hematoma has gone down quite a bit, I iced it daily
and that really helped. I still have a rather large bruise on my neck.....my surgery was
may 8th , so 4 months and still a lot of bruising! I also found quite a lotbof stitches most were around my eyes a couple around my mouth, I just had them removed by my local doctor.I hope that you are doing better.
and that really helped. I still have a rather large bruise on my neck.....my surgery was
may 8th , so 4 months and still a lot of bruising! I also found quite a lotbof stitches most were around my eyes a couple around my mouth, I just had them removed by my local doctor.I hope that you are doing better.
September 7, 2012
I just looked at your pictures on the large view, you really do look really good, he did a great job on your chin area! I ended up getting some Botox and some filler to fill in areas that still were droopy and it's looking better. I used a little Botox to lift my eyes on the side, wait a couple of weeks , ice the hematoma and maybe go see if a little Botox would help lift the eye......you really do look better but I know what your going through I really wanted a dramatic change but that didn't really happen and the hematoma on my face reallpy bothered my, it was in the same area on my face as yours, it onlytook my a week of constant ant icing to get it down! Hang in there.
September 7, 2012
Uhh Marie... are you kidding that you still have bruising. My neck is still very bruised as well and I am at 2 months. I swear my students look at me and get this weird look on their face and I know they think I tried to hang myself or something. Please let us know when your bruising does finally go away so it will give Kim and I a time frame.
September 7, 2012
I didn't have eye stitches left but so far I have found 2 in my head that my Husband took out. But right now I have a long white one that's not nylon sticking out of my head, Some of it is still stuck under a scab but Dr. V said not to worry just pull it out but I think I need to wait till the scab comes off because he also said not to pick the scabs.
September 8, 2012
The bruise is not too bad right now as I have a tan, I'm not looking forward to when it fades! I sure hope it goes away....i still have pin and needles in areas of my face...cheekbones and jaw, also a streaching feeling more on my right side than my left, I haven't updated lately as not much has changed!
September 8, 2012
This always is very upsetting and concerning when i see hematoma like this,and the fact that so many had this self same thing ,really makes me question the experience of this doctor.
I sincerely wish you a good outcome eventually,but right now it has to be very hard to deal with.
I know that so often patients who have had surgery abroad,arrive home in a dreadful condition,and as missmic says,many PS dont want to know if you have had surgery in another country....luckily in the UK the National Health service has a duty to help patients during this time,(for free)even though some doctors disapprove whole heartedly.
I sincerely wish you a good outcome eventually,but right now it has to be very hard to deal with.
I know that so often patients who have had surgery abroad,arrive home in a dreadful condition,and as missmic says,many PS dont want to know if you have had surgery in another country....luckily in the UK the National Health service has a duty to help patients during this time,(for free)even though some doctors disapprove whole heartedly.
September 8, 2012
Well I will say that missmic and myself have discussed this very subject at length. It's just very hard to understand how so many people have had Hematomas on the exact same side and almost in the same area. Not saying this is fact but I did read where Hematomas are the most common complication of a facelift but even with this said it went on to state the the national average for Hematomas is about 3.9%. Just seems strange. and I'll tell you another thing I find troubling, As soon as I posted something that wasn't all happy happy joy joy my emails & phone calls were no longer being returned by my patient facilitator. Although Dr. Velasco has returned them with the answers to my questions and I am grateful for that, I am just trying to be honest with people so they have all the facts both the good and the bad. I am not out to bash anyone but feel people need to know the ups and downs of having cosmetic surgery so far away from there surgeon. That's why I want anyone thinking of doing this to have someone in their area willing to do follow up BEFORE you have surgery.
September 8, 2012
Oh yes Kim..I to had very vague replies when voicing my concerns to the coordinators/facilitators when things were looking bleak......these people know absolutely nothing about plastic surgery,they are just in it to persuade patients to spend as much money as possible ,often having procedures they dont really need.
I also asked the doctor for details of what exactly he did......i never heard a word.
''out of sight,out of mind'' they really dont care a damn.
I also asked the doctor for details of what exactly he did......i never heard a word.
''out of sight,out of mind'' they really dont care a damn.
September 9, 2012
Yes, Secret
I have sent numerous emails concerning my nose (infected, titling to the right, redness, big ball of nose) which have been ignored. I was angry in that if I had not taken care of it, it would have damaged my nose overlying skin in a incurable way (how much I can spend it cannot be fixable/ even the best of nose revision doctor cannot do anything about it. Now, I am thinking of Michael Jackson, the deceased legendary singer, who had a lot of money, yet there is a limitation to fix his nose.).
A few days ago, I sent them another email to ask for my medical report and the signed documents. Silence again as they used to be .... No surprise.
Seems like they have been waiting for me to be worn out up to the point where I cannot do anymore, lol. Well, shouldn't like this....let's see what will be happening.
I have sent numerous emails concerning my nose (infected, titling to the right, redness, big ball of nose) which have been ignored. I was angry in that if I had not taken care of it, it would have damaged my nose overlying skin in a incurable way (how much I can spend it cannot be fixable/ even the best of nose revision doctor cannot do anything about it. Now, I am thinking of Michael Jackson, the deceased legendary singer, who had a lot of money, yet there is a limitation to fix his nose.).
A few days ago, I sent them another email to ask for my medical report and the signed documents. Silence again as they used to be .... No surprise.
Seems like they have been waiting for me to be worn out up to the point where I cannot do anymore, lol. Well, shouldn't like this....let's see what will be happening.
September 8, 2012
Not a very good business practice, Word of mouth is your best advertisement Guess they didn't learn that in business 101 Oh look and here I am with a big mouth LOL
September 9, 2012
The unprofessional conduct of this patient facilitator speaks volumes. To have your emails ignored and be dropped like a hot potato just because you are sharing an honest account of your surgical experience is disgusting. It's also upsetting this isn't an isolated incident and that another woman in this forum had the same thing happen when she used this particular facilitator in Cancun.
This is not only terrible business practice, it is also cruel. To leave a person in the lurch while they are trying to deal with issues from their surgery is heartless. I guess this is one of the advantages of running a business in Cancun, you can ignore your clients all you want and there is nothing they can do about it. Not impressed!!!!!!!!!!!
This is not only terrible business practice, it is also cruel. To leave a person in the lurch while they are trying to deal with issues from their surgery is heartless. I guess this is one of the advantages of running a business in Cancun, you can ignore your clients all you want and there is nothing they can do about it. Not impressed!!!!!!!!!!!
September 9, 2012
Hi, Toront!
I see the problem with them is too much focus on money making (the lack of staff-without having enough staff who has not been trained medically). To them, my face is one of tons of faces, lol...Cut and paste from my response to 60 loving.
When everything goes well, there is no conflict. Only there is conflict, you only can know the people by experiencing directly. I am thinking now how you would have responded to them if you had gone through my surgical experience and fixing struggle (you never know how many sleepless nights I have had, restlessly tossing and turning due to a severe psychological pain due to the issues caused by the surgery project without my family around in the US) ....I wonder....
Thank you again.
I see the problem with them is too much focus on money making (the lack of staff-without having enough staff who has not been trained medically). To them, my face is one of tons of faces, lol...Cut and paste from my response to 60 loving.
When everything goes well, there is no conflict. Only there is conflict, you only can know the people by experiencing directly. I am thinking now how you would have responded to them if you had gone through my surgical experience and fixing struggle (you never know how many sleepless nights I have had, restlessly tossing and turning due to a severe psychological pain due to the issues caused by the surgery project without my family around in the US) ....I wonder....
Thank you again.
September 9, 2012
Hello Crying - Thank you for copying your reply to '60lovingit'. I'm not sure if you are just sharing your comment or asking me the same question that you posed to 60?
September 9, 2012
Well, I want to ask for your wisdom because my intuition tells me that you are well educated with a passion for justice and good personality. If you were in my situation, what would you do?
Although there were a few things I was not satisfied with) during my 15 day stay in Cancun, I just let it go and tried to see a good side. I was really nice and tried to have a good relationship with them, partly because I am a kind of person who follows the rule that everybody can make a mistake, even the best of the best surgeon can make a mistake and mainly because I thought they are the people I need to get back when I have an issue with my surgery. As long as they tried to take care of it, I am okay ...kind of ...
However, after coming back, issues revolving and I expressed my concern especially nose, yet have been ignored. As I met other doctors, I realized my issues is not a just look, but was causing a medical problem. While making an effort to reach them, I was frustrated by their silence. Now, I am exhausted with my fixing project....Too much pain, time, and money...
I have accumulated the documents including other doctors' note and revision receipt. A few days ago, I sent them an email to ask for my surgical report and singed document (consent letter???)/
No response at all, for the document as well as for the damages caused by the surgery. What do you think might be the best solution.
I am planning to send them the document and receipt and ask what they will do about it. If they still do not respond, I am planning to sue, yet I fear that they might bribe the judge in Mexico. In addition, it costs money. I already contact a Korean lawyer in Mexico. He told me it costs me $5000 as a start and another $10,000 if I win or if I reach an agreement with them.
My first and most concern is I might get disadvantage because I am a foreign and I have heard in Mexico there are many dirty things happening such as bribing police (My friends from Mexico told me that a police stop your car for your violation of traffic law, he/she asks for money....)
What might be your advise or/and suggestions?
Although there were a few things I was not satisfied with) during my 15 day stay in Cancun, I just let it go and tried to see a good side. I was really nice and tried to have a good relationship with them, partly because I am a kind of person who follows the rule that everybody can make a mistake, even the best of the best surgeon can make a mistake and mainly because I thought they are the people I need to get back when I have an issue with my surgery. As long as they tried to take care of it, I am okay ...kind of ...
However, after coming back, issues revolving and I expressed my concern especially nose, yet have been ignored. As I met other doctors, I realized my issues is not a just look, but was causing a medical problem. While making an effort to reach them, I was frustrated by their silence. Now, I am exhausted with my fixing project....Too much pain, time, and money...
I have accumulated the documents including other doctors' note and revision receipt. A few days ago, I sent them an email to ask for my surgical report and singed document (consent letter???)/
No response at all, for the document as well as for the damages caused by the surgery. What do you think might be the best solution.
I am planning to send them the document and receipt and ask what they will do about it. If they still do not respond, I am planning to sue, yet I fear that they might bribe the judge in Mexico. In addition, it costs money. I already contact a Korean lawyer in Mexico. He told me it costs me $5000 as a start and another $10,000 if I win or if I reach an agreement with them.
My first and most concern is I might get disadvantage because I am a foreign and I have heard in Mexico there are many dirty things happening such as bribing police (My friends from Mexico told me that a police stop your car for your violation of traffic law, he/she asks for money....)
What might be your advise or/and suggestions?
September 9, 2012
Add on to the above, I was very careful not to damage their reputation when I raised the questions, writing a different state and neural name. However, their continuous silencing has made my heart colder and colder.
It is a painful, angry, and sorrowful experience for me personally. but it is more painful to see tears in my parents' eyes. I feel guilty to realize that I am giving them agony rather than happiness....
It is a painful, angry, and sorrowful experience for me personally. but it is more painful to see tears in my parents' eyes. I feel guilty to realize that I am giving them agony rather than happiness....
September 9, 2012
I personally have a lawyer write a nice letter with your request. If that is not responded to then a nasty letter. Next would be a legal claim. See what after care and guarantees are included in your contract Good luck
September 10, 2012
Hello, Makeover,
Thank you for your caring advice. I will take it into consideration!
Thank you for your caring advice. I will take it into consideration!
September 10, 2012
Hey Crying - I haven't forgotten about you my dear! I'm just gathering some additional info before I respond back, okay! I'll post again soon, I promise. :)
September 11, 2012
Dear Torontochick,
My appreciation towards you is never be enough. I wish there is better words other than just "thank you."
tears immersed
rolling down choking throat
buried in the chest....
Although the world is becoming wicked under global capitalism, the people like you still have given a light to the world.
Best wishes,
My appreciation towards you is never be enough. I wish there is better words other than just "thank you."
tears immersed
rolling down choking throat
buried in the chest....
Although the world is becoming wicked under global capitalism, the people like you still have given a light to the world.
Best wishes,
September 11, 2012
Reading your beautiful heartfelt words made my own eyes fill with tears....you are very welcome my friend. xoxo
Replies (9)