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POSTED UNDER Facial Fat Transfer REVIEWS

Fat Transfer to the Face - Newport Beach, CA

Name: Fat Transfer to the Face - Newport Beach, CA
Item: Joseph Thomas Cruise, MD
Rating: 1
Author: JennyJJeffreys

ORIGINAL POST

I am very displeased from my facial fat transfer....

JennyJJeffreysNovember 11, 2012

$5,000

I am very displeased from my facial fat transfer. My DR. told me only how amazing I would look. When asked about side effects he minimized everything and didn't infrom me of many possibilities. He added to my cheeks but did not want to go under my eyes. This made my cheeks look bigger but my under eyes now look sunken in. The fat did not stay in my temples at all. I look older now not younger. And, a year after the procedure I still have these awful traumatized blue veins visibly running up and down my face. I have to wear makeup every day to cover them. I would never recommend this procedure.

JennyJJeffreys's provider

Joseph Thomas Cruise, MD

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

JennyJJeffreys rating for Dr. Cruise:

Overall rating

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Answered my questions

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Replies (15)

Dr. Joseph Cruise

November 26, 2012

Dear Jenny, I am truly sorry that we did not achieve the results you desired. Fat transfer is not designed to be put into the lower lids as this can cause lumpiness. Typically, fullness of the cheeks is a desired result, however, it appears in your case it was not. Please come in and we will discuss your options to correct your sunken appearance. It is imperative to us that all our patients are satisfied with their result. Looking forward to seeing you. Dr. Cruise.

CEPS

November 30, 2012

Hi Jenny, I am glad you are sharing your experience with others. Are you simply living with this or are you in the process of seeking some sort of revision? I have never had treatment from Dr. Cruise but I know someone who had fat grafting by Dr. Cruise in the same area that you describe. This person is also extremely unhappy. I wanted to reach out to you to let you know that you are not alone. Potential patients may want to look at Dr. Cruise's posted b/a photos with an extremely critical eye. Ask yourself, do you actually aesthetically prefer the after photos? Also, it is important for potential patients to look at recent photos of the physician's staff and the physician himself (or observe them in person). If it looks like they themselves have had work done (hint), then ask yourself, do you like their results? Is that how you want to look?

Gia54

September 16, 2020

Hi Jenny, I feel your pain. I too had an unsuccessful ft; now I have vertical and horizontal lines where the fat has sunken in and my face has a weird ripply look. It's very obvious I had a botched procedure. At least my dr has offered to see me again to try and fix it which helps as it's very expensive! I'm trying to not judge until then But I've lost over a year now bc you have to wait a year before he does any changes; plus to be honest, I hate going out now as it's difficult seeing my one I know.

Notforme

December 8, 2012

Hi Jenny, Sounds like you've had a disappointing experience like I had with a Dallas Texas PS that was on Oprah (which made me think I could trust him, ha). I felt sidelined by his deception and avoidance of answering questions (actually he even went so far as to lie). His work, the results, and the surgical experience were certainly not satisfactory. However, what REALLY upset me was when I realized he had been deceptive and even told me things that were just not true to scare me into having more surgery than I wanted. I wish someone could do something to hold these guys accountable and require them to also discuss and show pictures of possible bad results. I don't feel like the PS are policed appropriately due to the fact that they do mostly elective surgeries. Some of these guys talk like used car salesmen and give the handful of honest one's a bad rap. At least your doc wrote a reply to your complaint and hasn't taken your review off the site (which is what Dr. Jay Burns did to my review of him). That says alot to me. I'm not convinced FT is the answer but I think the doc's like it due to $$$$$$$$.

Sharing

January 5, 2013

Notforme, Which Dallas PS? I am flying in to meet with one is Dallas next month and just want to make sure that I don't mess up again.

Notforme

January 5, 2013

Dr. Jay Burns is the PS that I had a bad experience with. There are 2 Burns' in Dallas. The one that I don't trust is bald and his office is by North Park Mall. Who is your appt with?

Sharing

January 6, 2013

Notforme, Thank you so much for the information. I am checking air fares and making my future appointment next week to see Dr. Sam Lam.

Notforme

January 6, 2013

Best wishes to you. Hope everything turns out even better than you hoped for. Karen S

missmyface

December 16, 2012

I’ve waited almost two and half years to write this, and I thank you Jenny for opening the door. Dr. Cruise performed an ill-fated Fat Transfer on me. I was suppose to get a slight eye refresher - not unusually placed cheeks we never discussed. Dr. Cruise’s note above is something he does whenever he gets a negative online review, but when I told him in person that I was unhappy, he told me I looked perfect and sounded crazy. Dr. Cruise can write his note to a couple of the country’s best surgeons from whom I sought help - and tell them they're crazy and blind. Frankly, it would only be without sight that you could have missed the lumps and facial distortion. He can write another letter to me and include a check for the thousands and thousands it's cost me to try to revise the damage and get my life back –including job loss. I miss my old self, my old life, and my old face every single day. Two days ago I got up in front of large group and made a formal presentation for the first time since the procedure. I used to love public speaking. . .but when you can’t leave your home because of the daily horror you feel, things like losing your job become the result. I had worked for weeks on the 16 hours of presentation material I prepared, and when I was done, I received standing applause. At one time, I would have felt joy and relief, but now I have only tears. I’ve been sobbing for two days. I no longer feel any joy or any relief in my life because life exhausts me. No matter how hard I try and how hard I work, self-doubt has consumed my life since being the recipient of Dr. Cruise's handiwork. It has almost killed me – literally. I find no peace at any corner and friends are in short supply because they too, miss the old me. They miss the girl who used to have a big belly laugh and a smile that could bring the house down. And now, only darkness.

pe.ces

December 16, 2012

@missmyface: Thank you for sharing. I have not had treatment by Dr. Cruise. However, I do know from personal experience that when you feel that your identity is stolen from a botched facial procedure it can break even the most happy, strong, successful woman. Many formerly active women that have undergone this unfortunate experience seem to become reclusive, shadows of their former selves, and overwhelmed by depression and self-blame because this was an elective procedure. Congratulations on getting up and making a public presentation, even if it took years for you to take this step. I sincerely admire your strength!

missmyface

December 18, 2012

Thanks pe.ces, A botched job is horrifying enough, but the identity crisis that can follow these types of procedures is not often discussed by doctors - and it's a sentence to hell that's almost indescribable. Even small alterations can change the reflection you've seen in the mirror your whole life and your brain may struggle to reconcile that and find the connection. Your facial animations may seem different. You can feel like a completely different person - not in a good way. Over time and under continued duress, you can notice significant alterations in personality and even exhibit symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. In my case, the damage was real as is evident in before and after photos, professional second opinions, unkind words from acquaintances, and the lack of any positive comments and reinforcement that I took for granted prior to the procedure. Like Jenny, a bulging vein under my eye appeared very soon after. Some of the lumps can't be removed because it would be too dangerous for a couple reasons. The temple fat that was added went away immediately, except for a few lumps that were removed by my revision surgeon. I was about 100 lbs and fit when I had this done and still ended up with three lipo dents at the donor site. Crazy and no excuse for that. Based on my results, either too much fat was taken, or it was simply carelessness.

Sharing

January 5, 2013

Dear Miss My Face, I miss my face, too! My Dr. Julie Woodward of Duke Medical center did Ultherapy and a C02 Fractional lazer treatment at the same time and it ate the fat out of my face. I have begged for my medical procedures records and before and after photos. She and her office gave me the total runaround. Dr. Woodward gave me the chart for the Ulthera, but it was not correct. She did not reveal that she went under my eyes and the fat is gone. My photos are on her personal computer. My undereyes have permanent purple staining. My thought was that the treatment would at best be nothing and was never advised this could happen. There was no warning from the Doctor. Three months after my treatment, she had me sign a form to send the information to the FDA. Now, I am thinking this was just a total trick, because I signed nothing before. I too, have stayed inside, hiding from the world. My hope was to get fat transferred back into my face. After reading your comment, I am so scared. My kids just stare at me and I know exactly how you must be feeling. There is an honest talented doctor somewhere that can fix this mess. I am hiring an attorney next week, because Duke will not respond. Please hang in there and try to find the right Dr. to help you.

RedRoxie

January 16, 2013

I'm right there with you I went to a top doc and I'm only one month out-I look like a monster. I went from being a beautiful woman to something that is hideous. I lost my essence of who i am and can barely go to the supermarket without throwing up. This was the worst decision i've ever made. Praying daily that it will all disappear. I should have stuck with my gaunt face.

opentohealing

July 22, 2013

My God. I thought I was alone. I was an actress and model and thought I was going in for "a tiny injection of fat to the lower cheek."I awoke to find my big, beautiful eyes and delicate face utterly covered w fat by Mark Berman. I had gone in 3 times to tell him I love my face and was not interested in looking different. After, he said "what is I did put in too much fat, what are you gonna do, cry about it eery day?" I have. Not only did he ruin the career, but my dating life and daily, sunny interactions. The last time I heard the word "stunning", was in his office that morning, where he was running an hour late.