Dr. Alejandro Lev Did an Amazing Job on my Face Lift! - Costa Rica, CR

I had been considering a facelift for quite some time and now that I have had it, I would like to share my thoughts about the process, how I felt, both mentally and physically and the end result. Although I feel that it's a very personal journey, I hope to help anyone considering having any kind of facial surgery. 
For me it started as a “Who is that woman?” moment when I caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror. I’m in my 50’s and have noticeable drooping in my jowls, neck and eyes. I am also quite fair skinned so my obsession with sun bathing in my 20’s and 30’s had come back to haunt me, leaving me with a significant amount of wrinkles around my eyes and mouth.
Almost daily I started to really wonder, would a facelift help? If I caught a glimpse of myself in a store front window or even in my rear view mirror, I would start to think about it again and again. Do I want to just accept that this is aging or was I going to fight it kicking and screaming? I decided that I wanted to spend as much of my life as I possible could feeling good. And to feel good, I needed to feel good about my appearance. Finally, I had made my decision – yes, I wanted a facelift.
But there was so much else to consider: What are the risks involved? The cost? Where the heck do I start?
I started by asking a few close friends if they had any recommendation as to a surgeon that had great skills. My friends were full to the brim with suggestions and I spent weeks researching the doctors that friends had recommended. I Google searched their names and I checked the usual review sites. I found 2 that passed my initial screenings.
I made a consultation appointment with the one I felt was most impressive. He practiced in the Seattle area, and had a good reputation. We talked and he showed me a computer simulation of the improvements he could make to my face. After the appointment, I had misgivings about him. I honestly cannot say specifically that there was any one thing that I didn’t like, I just didn’t “feel” it with him. Something about his demeanor made me very uncomfortable.
I set up a consultation with my second surgeon choice and put together a list of questions and concerns, many that I felt I missed on my first consultation. At my visit, I asked to see before and after photos of some of their clients. I was presented with a photo album to peruse. I would assume that when you are showing before and after pictures of your work, you would strive to put your best out there — these were bad. If these pictures had not been labeled before and after, I don’t think I could have figured out which were which. I went through with the consultation but I knew in the back of my head that my search for the right doctor would have to continue.
My doctor search continued and I went back to my list that I had compiled from all of my friends input. Looking though the names, I came across Dr. Alejandro Lev in Costa Rica. He came highly recommended but until that moment I never really considered travelling out of state, let alone out of the country for my surgery.
I was still undecided about who I would have do my surgery, but I started to communicate with Didi, Dr. Lev's liaison for individuals in the States that want to make the trip to Costa Rica for surgery. I sent a couple of head shots of myself to Didi, who sent them off to Dr Lev for an assessment.
Dr. Lev said I would benefit from a full facelift (neck, jowls, eyes, and brow lift). I wrote back that I really only wanted my neck and jowls done. He quoted me $5,000 for the neck and jowls, which included the anesthesiologist and the clinic where I would have the surgery. It would be $7,000 if I added my eyes and a brow lift. (There is a discount if you pay cash.) 
The recovery clinic that he recommended (he recommends two, both on his website) was $100 a day. This includes 24 hour care and all meals. I thought I would want to stay at least a week, so that would be an additional $700. I was looking at roughly $7000 for my surgery.
Dr Lev and Didi both were both so attentive and answered all my questions fully. They went out of the way to ensure that I was pretty comfortable with the idea of going to Costa Rica for my surgery. With that I decided to have the full facelift.

Three months have passed since my surgery and looking in the mirror I believe with all my heart that going to Costa Rica and having Dr. Lev do my surgery was the best decision I could have made. I felt extremely pampered and well cared for during my entire visit. In my opinion, being pampered at Villa Plenitud for two weeks post-op is absolutely the way to go. It allowed me to rest and recuperate in a very calming and healing environment.

Dr. Lev and Dr. Greenwood, my anesthesiologist, are not only wonderful at what they do, but are good listeners. Its important for me to have someone hear me and listen to my concerns and it put me at ease. In the time prior to my surgery Dr. Lev and I spent plenty of time together and I knew that I was in good hands. Didi, Dr. Lev’s most awesome Patient Coordinator also spent a great deal of time with me holding my hand, it was like a member of my family had gone with me and I never felt alone during the surgery process.

Once I was back at the Villa for my recovery, the kind folks that run the Villa would check in on me often, give me my medication, and even bring me my meals until I felt up to going to the dining room. Every meal was delicious, and I should know because I am a professional private chef.

Once the "helmet" was removed from my head, I was able to enjoy and appreciate the beautiful surroundings of Costa Rica. Dr. Lev and his staff, all took such good care of me in a loving and nurturing way. They are wonderful, remarkable people and my life is better having met them.