“Lifestyle Life Wasted my Time and Money, Unwilling to Fix Their Mistakes”

Smithsilver: Can you please disclose what city and doctor did your lift. Oh, and what procedure you had done? I'm scheduled to go in very soon and would value any feedback?? Thanks

Hi, It was the 'Washington DC' location in Reston, VA. I won't name the doctor here on a public board. Another friend of mine also signed up for the LSL and gave a deposit after being told she could cancel and get her deposit refunded. But after consideration she canceled in the alloted time,but after repeated calls, she never got her deposit. She was especially surprised since the office manager/sales person told her she could get a refund 'at any time' since they were not interested in keeping people's money that didn't want the procedure.

I had the lifestyle lift with additional liposuction of the jawline/neck. (they also sell eye procedures, cut I did not have any of those). I was assured I was an excellent candidate for the procedures because of the elasticity of my skin, muscle tone, etc. I was promised excellent results. They showed me repeatedly in the mirror what I could expect to look like. The results were not even close, as I said in my earlier post, the results were hardly noticable. It was a lot of pain, and misery, and money for negligible results. The trauma during the procedure was totally unexpected since I had been assured and reassured about the 'sedation' they would provide. Believe me, for a procedure like this, one 10 mg Valium is NOT 'sedation'. I am not a nervous or high strung person, but it was barely tolerable, I was very distressed by the time the procedure was finished. The month long (plus) recovery just added insult to injury, the ice packs, and binding my head every night, which caused jaw and tooth pain in addition to the pain from the surgery made for a long and miserable recovery.

Hi I had the lifestyle lift and eyes upper & lower lids. all done in April 2007 I think I am OK! I just want anyone who is thinking about having it done, do your home work 1st! Everyone is different, The commercial makes it seem like going to the dentist. That is not true! I did not have a double chin or a turkey neck, but my skin was getting a little loose at the neck, so I went for the whole 9 yards. I did have jowls that seemed to just pop up overnight. My eyes had lower bags, and very heavy upper lids for many years, and got worse in the last year or so. When I seen the lifestyle lift commercial I thought OK! I am going for it. The price was good for all the stuff I was getting done. The girl that is like a car saleman was not real honest about the cutting around the ears. I was told the cut is along the front of the ear in the crease then behind the little flipper thing in front the ear hole, then in the front crease at the lower part of the ear, then just under the ear lobe, and to top of lobe in back of ear. Be very aware that is not true!!! they put about a 1" slit just below your temple in front.The back of the ear is cut almost all the way up, then another 1" slit is put behind the ear going side ways to scalp. I was shocked when I seen the very ugly mess. They almost cut the ears off. I seen a video after I had the surgery, and I think they cut one side at a time. front and then the back this is the link you can copy and paste in your browser.( http://www.nbcsandiego.com/health/10052581/detail.html ) Its not to bad to watch. I was happy to see that my ears were not just flopping around while they were doing the surgery :-) I now have really been checking out the surgery, after the fact. and I should have done it before. I consider my self lucky, I had a good doctor, that I heard no longer works for lifestyle lifts. I guess there is some people that has no problems at all, and maybe they can be normal in a day??? I was a very brused up mess, and no way could stand having the phone on my ear. It is not a walk in the park! It is not like going to the dentist. It is surgery! Everyone seems to think I look OK! but one eye no longer closes all the way :-( but both eyes still blink ;-) I still am swollen in front of my ears, sometimes all the swelling move to one side and causes my jaw to click and it pulls to the right looks a little weird, but it goes back in place as the swelling moves around. Everyday day is a new adventure. It has been over 2 months and my ears are feeling better, but stitches have been breaking through the skin, and scar tissue is forming around them causing bumps. I am having trouble getting a appointment to get them removed. Oh I almost forgot to mention, my neck looks almost the exact same as it did before the surgery. It looked great while it was swollen. Would I tell people to go have it done?? I don't know!To soon to tell! It is not like going to a regular doctor.... it is high volume in and out! Like I said I consider myself lucky!Eye surgery is more riskey then I thought. But I am glad I had them done.I was never in a lot pain, except if I touch ears or eyes! They are still sensative because they are not healed inside yet.I hope this info has helped someone.There is a ton of information on the web read as much as possibe !!!! :-) Or you can be like me, and just stumble through it:-) Oh! one more thing!The paper that they sent home with me,after the surgery. Said "in one month you will begin to heal".I thought that was worth mentioning :-) Also be aware it is your face, it is not like any other part of the body. And you will be shocked for a while when you look in the mirror. Somedays you will be happy with it and somedays you might regret having it done.I hope that is normal:-) because that is how I felt. Well good luck! to you!

I agree with smithsilver - I had a very similar experience. I am one year later, very dissatisfied, and still have stitches that poke out thru my skin around my ears. I have hard lumps behind my ears, still have ear pain and headaches. I followed post operative care to the letter, but still had major swelling and bruising. The change from the surgery is negligable - if at all discernable. I have been back 4 times in the past year, and each time I am told to wait longer and I will see the improvements that I am looking for (and was promised). The sides of my face were very uneven after the surgery. I realize the side of my face that they did first had the most swelling because fluid built up there when they turned my head sideways to do the 2nd side. It is one year later and I still look uneven (more than average b/c no face is perfectly symetrical). I have a feeling that I am stuck with my poor results, I doubt that they will ever fix my problems, and even if they did, I am not sure I would trust them to touch my face ever again. I guess I will have to save up more money again, but this time go to a real plastic surgeon and get real results, not empty promises.

I would be interested in comments in the Nevada office. Dr Lanfranchi???? Editor note: Here is the Lifestyle Lift Las Vegas message board

smithsilver wish I had read your review of Reston office - I would have NEVER DONE THIS!
I would have saved myself a lot of money, pain, suffering, and humilation (lumpy scars and uneven ears).

My experience was unfortunately very very similar to yours, so apprently this is their 'modus operendi'.

good luck.

my "lunchhour" procedure took over 3 hours.
I was told it would take 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
It was over twice as long, painful, miserable, and down right creepy smelling burning flesh, and seeing my cut out skin passed right in front of my eyes to be dumped in a little pan.
It truly gave me nightmares for weeks afterwards.

Smithsilver did the doctors in the Reston office ever correct your procedure or refund your money?
Are you in the class action suit against LSL?