What is a pinnacle face lift?

It is purely a marketing term to try to convey a magical unique advanced procedure. "Named" procedures are usually only done by the surgeon who coined the term. The pinnacle face lift, similar to most "named" procedures, is used for publicity and is not recognized in the valid plastic surgery literature.There are matters that are far more critical in achieving a good result than getting a particular "named" or standardized procedure: Making sure that the procedure is individualized to your particular anatomy and desired outcome, having realistic expectations, and understanding the advantages and disadvantages of the various available options. I would suggest finding a plastic surgeon certified by the
American Board of Plastic Surgery and ideally a member of the American Society
for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) that you trust and are comfortable with
and discuss  your concerns with that surgeon in person.

Robert Singer, MD FACS

La Jolla, California

With all due respect to you, it continues
to amaze me how normally intelligent people continue to fall for shameless (and
shameful) marketing. I have joked to patients for years that were I to
"name" my carefully-performed, surgically-precise, technically
state-of-the-art, wonderful-result (OK, I agree even THAT is over the top)
pat-myself-on-the-back facelift, it would be called the "Tholen
P-P-P-Power Lift" because that is how a local radio DJ used the word
"power" to describe his station's program, right down to the fake
stutter.

Please, everyone who reads this answer, realize that there are as many
poorly-trained, inexperienced, don't-give-a-damn "cosmetic surgeons"
out there as there are gullible patients who think they can get something
special that nobody else (or only a select few) can get. And they usually pay a
premium for the privilege!

If it was groundbreaking, it would be written about, talked about, and learned
by all of the reputable plastic surgeons who care about their patients, want
the very best results possible for them, and continue to learn and update their
techniques, experience, and patient care rather than these doctors who want to
market another "catchy name" for their usually lousy procedure.

Think about it--if they were really good, or outstanding facelifts, wouldn't
everyone else who saw that work want to know who did it, not what name it had?
And would the surgeon who performs such splendid work really NEED to market
himself (or herself)?

The truly sad thing is that when patients are really harmed by these wannabee
plastic surgeons, the damage is not only to the patient's pride, or pocketbook,
but sometimes to their face. The patient only tells their friends (or the
"friends" whisper behind the patient's back) that they had "bad
plastic surgery," NOT bad surgery by a non-plastic surgeon. And then, the
poor victim often asks a "real" ABPS-certified plastic surgeon to
"fix" the suboptimal, or inadequate, or truly disfiguring result of
an obsession with "Pinnacle" or Lifestyle or Miracle lifts rather
than a well-performed SMAS facelift/necklift by an experienced plastic surgeon.

May I suggest, madam, (said in my best Carson from Downton Abbey voice) the
Dowager to Lady Lift. It's the best of them all. (Even better than the
P-P-P-Power Lift). Please read the answers of my colleagues; they're much more
proper, but not nearly so impassioned! Best wishes! Dr. Tholen

Another week, another self-promoting surgeon who invents a special catchy name for "his/her revolutionary procedure" be it facelifting or body contouring. Every surgeon has some individuality to their technique but in general, the facelift techniques all share many similarities. I am always leery of these self-name procedures.