About 2 years ago (at 44) I looked in the mirror one morning and saw this thing hanging from my chin. I swear it happened overnight (not really possible, but it seemed like it)...I realized my weak chin and aging neck were betraying me and swift action was going to be needed...lol. My face was hanging in there and I felt like with the right lighting, good makeup, Botox and fillers it would good for a bit. But my neck/chin were another story...so I started talking to my nurse injector (she does my Botox and fillers-lips/cheeks) about what noninvasive things could be done to help. Kybella was new and I was game given the lack of downtime. I did 3 or 4 rounds. Don’t quite remember. But it was a fortune, hurt like heck and while it got rid of some of the fat under my neck...it didn’t take care of the hanging thing (skin?platysma?fat?) under my chin...In fact I think it made the “thing” more obvious. Kybella works for some...it just wasn’t for me and my particular issue. Money down the drain...a lot of money...next despite all the negative reviews I decided to try ultherapy. It did nothing. In fact I think it made it worse...more money down the drain... Ok...so now it was time to consider something more invasive...over the last year, I consulted with all the well known facial plastic surgeons in SA. All but one said I need a face lift...10 to 13k quotes. One didn’t even talk about my neck (my concern). One has a wife that works in the office that looks so plastic I would never let him touch my face....one told me to “get a new mirror” and “forget about it”. Mmmm. Ok. I didn’t want a full face lift. I have a full time demanding job and a 6 year old son and being out of commission for 2 weeks is not really an option. Neither is traveling to someone like Dr. H (probably what I will end up doing in a decade or so..) So I pretty much gave up and decided to just “get a new mirror”...then by chance I came across an article on platysmaplasty and found Dr. Taylor’s website. His info about taking the less invasive approach interested me. So I decided to have a consult and learn more... Updated on 13 Mar 2018: As soon as I met with Dr. Taylor I felt comfortable. He let me talk. Instead of telling me what I should do (oh I forgot to mention a plastic surgeon in San Antonio told me I have “distracting sub-mental glands” and suggested botoxing them. Which I did...2x...also botoxed my platysma bands. More moolah wasted). Anywho, back to Dr. Taylor. He’s made sure he fully understood what my concerns were and offered up several solutions. One option was to do a chin incision and go in and smart lipo the area and tie up the platysma bands. He felt my skin had enough spring back under my chin that I wouldnt have to be concerned about too much loose skin. He also felt that adding some fat to my chin area would give me more of an appearance of a jaw line and chin (since I had no real profile)...he also felt if he did incisions at the ears that he could give me an even sharper jawline effect. Since I’ve never had a sharp jawline that wasn’t all that important to me...his explanation of the fat transfer intrigued me. I hadn’t done much research on it and no other doc had suggested. I researched the heck out of it like I did everything else. This site is a godsend for those of us who want to know the good , the bad? and the ugly!! :) Dr. Taylor was a Lifestyle Lift doc for several years. It was one of the first things he shared with me and he also shared that he has done over 2,000 face lifts. I know that Lifestyle Lift shut down business and there are many on RS that has bad experiences with this company but based on the work I saw on Dr Taylor’s patients that his lovely assistant Maggie shared with me...I fully believe Dr. Taylor was one of the “good guys” in the whole LL mess. Some might also be concerned that his technique is not as aggressive as other plastic surgeons when it comes to face lifts. Again, I didn’t want aggressive or windswept. I wanted to fix a relatively small concern and improve my overall appearance/profile. The fact that he is incredibly experienced and a otalaryngologist as well gave me additional confidence that he would know how to help my neck area! But honestly the kindness, lack of pushiness, willingness to meet with me several times and answer every single one of my questions to my satisfaction is what ultimately helped me make the decision to move forward with him as my surgeon. I have always trusted my gut and it has served me quite well in life and business and my gut said that Dr. Taylor was my doc. After all the conversations and a very fair price (one that I don’t want to publish as every case is different. But if you took all the money I wasted on kybella, Botox on the neck, ultherapy, firming lotions(total joke) the price I paid was far less...) I decided to move forward with booking a plastymaplasty, limited fat transfer to my chin area, and smart lipo of the neck for Friday, March 9. Week of spring break. Recovery time and time with my 6yo prince of a son. Besides my husband and a few friends and people from work, I chose not to tell anyone I was having these procedure. For two years when I talked about it, literally everyone told me I was “crazy” and “you look fine”so I just didn’t want to hear it...my hubby is sweet and supportive and knows I’m vain so he went along with it even tho he didn’t think I needed it. Like a good lil patient I followed every piece of direction I got to the letter. Stopped taking supplements like fish oil, no alcohol, and probably the worst for me...no caffeine the day before, of, or after...aaaahhhhh! Coffee is my BFF so that was hard. But I wanted to make sure I did everything right so I could get the best out of the work I was having him do. Dr. Taylor’s does his procedures (only face) in his surgical suite in his office under local. I’m not gonna lie the idea of being semi conscious while having my neck worked on did scare me. But on the morning of my procedure I met Dr. Taylor’s very matter of fact nurse LeAnn at 7am and after clearly and concisely going over everything she gave me a cocktail of meds, a cozy recliner, and a blanket and sent me to lala land. The last thing I remembered as I drifted to sleep was that she said “I’ve worked with Dr Taylor for 27 years” and she stated she would not work for him if he wasn’t great. That gave me some comfort as I went out. I don’t remember a whole lot after that. I remember the RN helping me to the table, slight pressure on my abdomen during lipo, (that’s where the chin fat cane from) and being asked to lift up my chin a couple times. I was completely comfortable, had no pain, and was ready to head home when my hubby arrived. The next 24 hours are kind of a blur. I can’t take any meds with Vicodin. Makes me hurl...bad. So I was limited to ultram and Tylenol for the pain.. that was more than enough as I really didn’t have much pain and I slept for hours and hours. The only really awful part Is the headwrap he uses for compression post surgery. It is like having your head in a vice grip. Absolutely miserable :( and hard to sleep in. I will attach a lovely photo of me in it on the ride home. Dr. T called to check on me that night but I was out cold and missed his call. I returned to the office the next morning to have him take a peek and redo the compression (torture helmet). He told me everything went well and he was surprised at the amount of scar tissue I had from kybella. Said it was somewhat difficult to work around. I had heard from only one other surgeon that kybella scars the tissue when it dissolves the fat not something that company really publishes ...I wonder why? I didn’t have the mindset to get a quick selfie but when he handed me the mirror before rewrapping I already knew it was exactly what I needed and that the improvement was going to be just as I hoped, he explained, and I expected!! I returned in day 3, March 12 to get the vice off my head and I finally got a good look before being wrapped with tape. I’m bruised and swollen but so pleased so far!!! I will attach pics of my progress from here on out and will try to update beyond a month or so as I found on RS most people move on with their lives and stop posting. And I found very few that had only platysmaplasty (no ear incisions) especially in their 40s. So hopefully this info helps someone out there!! Updated on 13 Mar 2018: Here are photos starting on day of procedure. Updated on 14 Mar 2018: Got to see my new BFF Dr. Taylor and his lovely wife/assistant/Office manager/better half Maggie today :) I’m 5 days post and it was time to get my sutures out. Didn’t hurt and everything looks great. Just have to have a couple pieces of KT tape under my chin for a couple more day to help with swelling. So about the recovery, swelling, pain etc...not really pain the day of or after procedure. Was pretty numbed up...and given ultram for pain management. I can’t take any of the good stuff like Vicodin as it makes me sooooo sick. I think I only took 2 ultram and then switched to extra strength Tylenol at day 3. I haven’t had so much as an Advil for the last two days. The swelling was never that bad. Dr. T has you in a compression (vice grip) head thing for 3 days. Honestly the worst part of the whole process. My right ear lobe is irritated from the dang thing still. But...it makes the swelling very minimal. I also iced over the head wrap for 3 days. On day 3 I lost the wrap. Oh happy day. And he wrapped my neck and chin with kt tape. I then switched to heat. Using a heating pad. Actually using it as I type this. Feels great!! Bruising is almost gone at this point. Arnica before and after has helped reduced swelling/bruising I believe!! You can see the yellow at the base of my neck in one of the pics. Pain at this point is really just tenderness under my chin. My glands are very sore and swollen. (My huge “distracting” sub mental glands :)) so I have to have the tape u can see in the pic for a couple more days and continue to heat. As soon as I get this tape off (this weekend) I will update with pics of profile and incision. I get twinges of pain when I sneeze, yawn, twist my head suddenly. It’s a reminder that I’m still healing and it will take some time before I can go full steam. Also sleeping has been a bit challenging as I’m a side sleeper that likes one soft pillow. Sleeping on my back with 3 pillows has not been awesome. But it’s does reduce the swelling...so I’m doing it :) Oh and I could totally be doing most things...like working...but since I’m off for spring break..me and the mini are doing fun stuff like mini golf :) Updated on 21 Mar 2018: Decided to move my review from the Necklift category to chin lipo. Since I didn’t have a “lift” of any kind I thought it made more sense in this area...t was getting lost with all the Harley Honey reviews. (That guy must be amazing...) I also thought that it may be helpful to some of the 40+ yo real Selfers that may it be candidates for traditional lipo due to excess skin and lack of skin elasticity...and that aren’t quite ready for a full face lift or formal neck lift. Went back to work on Monday. I work in sales so I don’t see the same people every day. Nobody noticed my neck however I did get compliments on my hair, makeup, manicure, etc...lol and those are not things I generally get compliments on. I did recently cut my hair but rarely does anyone notice. I’m gonna assume that in some small way I look better than I did before...Maybe?? Anyway. I’m gonna post prayed pics from the last couple days. Definitely have had some lumpiness and unevenness under my chin but I’m assuming it’s swelling and will resolve. Even if it doesn’t, its sooo much better than it was that is I wouldn’t even be mad...:)
Hard to say which was worse, the turkey neck or jowls. Probably the jowls were worse, because if I didn't go around with a plastered-on smile, I looked like I was frowning. The hollows under the eyes weren't especially thrilling either. I had a neck lift and fat transfer. I had the procedures done with only local anesthetic, no sedation. Not because I'm a glutton for punishment, but because sedatives make me sick as a dog. It was a bit uncomfortable lying there for 5 hours, listening to the sounds of my flesh being cut. Far better, though, to be a bit uncomfortable than to puke my guts out. There has been very little pain. The worst part was trying to sleep propped up on pillows on my back. I'm a side-sleeper. Didn't get much sleep the first couple of nights. I'm now 8 days post-op, been back at work since Monday (only stayed half a day Mon and Tues, started back full-time on Wednesday). I'm told it will be at least a couple of months before the full effects of the procedures will be evident, but I am already pleased by what I see in the mirror. I've been using oral and topical arnica for the swelling. My face was pretty swollen and bruised for the first week but the swelling and bruising have been going down rapidly since then. Everyone at work knows I had cosmetic surgery. I'm not the kind of person who can keep something like that a secret. I don't think there's much of a stigma attached to it these days. I mean, it seems reasonable for a person to want to look their best, right? Updated on 9 Nov 2017: I'm still very numb around the incision sites and have had some discomfort. I resorted to Tylenol twice in the past week but not in the last couple of days. There's still a little swelling but not nearly as much as there was at first. People who know me but don't know about the surgery know something's different, but they're not sure what. Someone commented today that my new hair style looks great. Updated on 9 Nov 2017: Here's a pic. Taken with my laptop camera which is at the very bottom of the screen. Thus the weird angle. Dell really needs to find a better location for the camera! Updated on 10 Nov 2017: I'm 68. It's just so cool to be able to push the re-set button, as it were, and look way younger. My hands give away my age, though. I've got to do something about my hands next! Updated on 13 Nov 2017: How quickly time passes. There's still some swelling and a little bruising but nothing noticeable. The pink in my cheeks is not makeup. I just got back from a walk. Aerobic exercise helps with the swelling, I think. Speeds up the circulation. I wonder about the little fat cells that were transferred from my abdomen to my face. Are they happy in their new home? What can I do to make them thrive and grow? Updated on 14 Nov 2017: I am discovering new things about makeup and hair color. It's been 22 days since my surgery, and my face and neck are looking better every day.
Dr. Taylor and his staff are awesome! Great bedside manners. The procedure I had was a laser resurfacing of the face and fat transfer to the lips and loved the results. I'm scheduled to go back and have eyelid surgery & removal of lower eyebags.
I wasn't happy with how my neck was looking. Everyone said it was fine, but I looked at it everyday and to me it wasn't fine. So I started researching facelifts. I found just what I needed. Was very happy with my results and the procedure and healing was just as they told me it would be. In fact it surprised me on how little pain and discomfort I had. I just followed the instructions and was patient. My before and after pic is 2 months and 4 days apart.
Lifestyle Lift was definitely one of the best things I have ever done for myself! It interested me because of the low risk, faster recovery, specialized physicians, natural results and affordability. No matter what I did, I just never could get the "fresh glow or luster" back into my skin. Lifestyle Lift was my safe answer into achieving a youthful look once again. I would highly recommend Lifestyle Lift to anyone who wants a "younger, more vibrant you" and to magically "turn the clock back". I am now a more younger, more refreshed me and I can't be more happier! My experience was very, very positive and I am willing to talk to any lady who is "undecided" about this procedure.
I decided on a Lifestlye Lift because of the natural look after the procedure. I didn't want to looked pulled, just better. I was swollen afterwards, but not much bruising. The aftercare was more tedious than I expected, but the pain was less than expected. And it does take longer to heal than I thought it would. I love the fresh look I now have, and my experience with the staff and Dr. Taylor was great!
I chose Lifestyle Lift because it did not require general anesthetic and was more economic than a traditional face lift. It also targeted the area I was most interested in improving. At first I was not going to have the Fraxel Laser treatment but after talking to Dr. Taylor I changed my mind and am very glad I did. It is the most noticeable improvement to casual observers. I am satisfied with my results even though I have a slight "lump" under my chin that has not gone away. I am much happier looking in the mirror now!Updated on 25 Apr 2013:The "lump" under my chin is now much smaller, hardly noticeable. I was given instruction to massage it frequently and I have been doing that. I'm being very careful with sunscreen to keep my laser result. Still very glad I did this.
I would look in the mirror and think, "I look so old." I had droopy eyelids, bags under my eyes, a turkey neck a turkey wouldn't like, acne scars and sun damaged skin. I had wished I could have something done about it. I felt so young on the inside, but when I looked in the mirror, I didn't look like I felt. Then one day, my husband was watching the paid program on TV about Lifestyle Lift procedures and wanted me to watch it. He said that he would like to get that for me. I thought oh my, here's my chance. I had apprehensions .... the cost, the pain, what if??? During the initial appointment with Dr. Marc Taylor and meeting his staff, my anxieties went away. We were given a tour of the facilities and saw the room where my transformation would take place. They made me feel so comfortable about the procedure that I was really looking forward to the experience. My husband said, "Give her the works!" The results are amazing!! It was so worth every discomfort and every worry I had. I look on the outside like I feel on the inside. My eyes are more noticeable, my neck is longer, my skin is so smooth, glowing and healthy looking. My husband tells me how beautiful and young I look, and that makes me feel wonderful. I've had so many favorable comments from my family and friends; like "You look 15 - 20 years younger." "You look so good; retirement must agree with you." "You look great; what are you doing different?" I saw my sister-in-law five months after the procedure. She said I looked better in person than my after pictures that were taken 30 days out.
I simply cannot say enough wonderful things about the staff of Lifestyle Lift of San Antonio! From the moment I picked up the phone to schedule my free consultation, I was treated with the utmost respect and caring from the staff. A friend of mine had the procedure done in Houston and she was very happy with her results. I wanted a procedure that was not terribly invasive that would help me to look natural and refreshed. I was going to be 66 years old and my face was sagging and wrinkled with age and recent weight loss. I wanted the Lifestyle Life but I did not want to go to Houston. I was so excited to hear there was now a Lifestyle Lift in San Antonio! From the time I placed the first phone call to schedule an appointment I have not been disappointed. My consultation with Christy Cruz was great. She answered all my questions, including cost and did not pressure me to make a decision. It was all up to me! Once I read about Dr. Marc T. Taylor and viewed his many exemplary qualifications, including being double board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology and the American Board of Plastic Surgery, I was determined that San Antonio Lifestyle Lift and Dr. Taylor was the place for me! Next I met with Gary Davis the San Antonio site manager and Kathleen Smith the surgical technician who were both extremely caring and very thorough in explaining the entire process and providing me with helpful advice to make the procedure as comfortable as possible. It was during this visit I got to meet Dr. Taylor, and I knew immediately that I’d made the right decision. He was very honest, sincere and caring, and made me feel totally at ease. I trusted him completely to take over my face. He did not disappoint me! I totally love the natural look I got with Lifestyle Lift. Dr. Taylor changed my long wrinkled face into a very fresh and natural younger look. My husband and children love my new look! My friends think I look amazing. My recovery was exactly what I had been told to expect; just a few painful days, (relieved by medication) with minimal swelling, and then I could see the amazing results. Dr. Taylor and the staff followed up with me the very next day to be sure I was doing ok after the surgery. I still look forward to each time I’m scheduled for a follow up visit because Dr. Taylor, Kathleen, Gary and all the staff are such awesome, caring, and fun people, I enjoy seeing them each time I go. Who knows? I may have even more procedures done since I have total confidence that Lifestyle Life of San Antonio will make me look the very best I can be!
I’m disappointed. I had a laser resurfacing done for 2500. He only zapped a few spots on the left side of my forehead and my checks. Very uneven. He didn’t do my whole face as I was expecting. I called the next day of the procedure. They didn’t offer to fix it they just lied to me and said my whole face was done. Clearly not. Now I’m waisting my vacation days and money I saved to have the procedure done for a substandard laser resurfacing job. Please do your research before choosing a doctor if you want quality results and save yourself from disappointment.
