Facelift: Stories
Write a ReviewOne of the Worst Experiences of my Life - Denver, CO
- normaco
- posted 7 months ago
- Not Worth It
- Cost: $17,000
- Richard Albin, MD, PhD (Denver, CO)
I went to Richard Albin in June 2010 for a face...
- 2 Oct 2012
I went to Richard Albin in June 2010 for a face lift. Before the procedure the right side of my face was marginally larger than the left, although I had never noticed it before. After the procedure the right side of my face was significantly larger. Dr. Albin offered to revise it. My expectation was that he would only take a little bit of tissue from below the right cheekbone so the side of my face would curve in slightly, similar to the left side of my face. He performed the revision in January 2012. During the procedure I received a vertical 1"x 1/2" electrocautery burn from underneath the skin in the nasolabial fold in front of my cheek. I had no idea that he would even be operating in this area. He took tissue from along my right cheekbone, flattened the front of my right cheek and took tissue from my jawline. After the revision, the right side of my face looked nothing like the left side. Since April 2012 I've spent $2800 on Radiesse injections to try to fill these areas in. Last week I had a $4800 fat graft so I wouldn't have to continue to inject filler into my face for the rest of my life. I have a large, ugly, full-thickness scar in the front of my cheek from the cautery burn as well as nerve damage in that area. My right cheekbone hurts constantly. In the past I have never had any issues with healing. In the spring I will need another fat graft once the current Radiesse is absorbed.
My Doctor: Join to view doctor's name
My rating:
I choose not to have Dr. Albin continue to treat me after the revision and injury. This horrible situation has had an enormous negative impact on my life. He has refused all requests to refund the fees I paid to him. His insurance company told me that "unfortunately, these things happen" and I received "appropriate care". I recently wrote to him again and asked that he do the right thing and refund my money to help offset the cost of reconstruction. His response, after rambling on about how he never abandons a patient, was that due to the negative tone of my initial correspondence he decided to have his insurance company "deal with my issues". I will post pre- and post-op photos soon, including pictures of the cautery burn. I've filed a complaint with the Colorado Board of Medical Examiners.
Comments (1)