Grateful for my Facelift, Neck Lift and Brow Lift - Baltimore, MD

I have a few updates to add to my prior review. At thirteen months from my original surgery, Dr. Le performed another neck lift to correct slight laxity and remove a small amount of excess fat and muscle that had formed in the angle between my chin and neck. The laxity and bulkiness were slight. But Dr. Le and I both wanted to see that area be as smooth and firm as possible. The painless. in-office procedure lasted about two hours. Dr. Le and his charming and adept office manager and medical assistant, Liz, made the whole experience pleasant. I could have fallen asleep, but I was too curious about what was going on.

I took two days off of work. When I did return to work, no one noticed anything. The procedure was completely effective, and the angle between my neck and chin is nicely defined. Other than a reasonable cost for the facility time, I was not charged by Dr. Le for the surgery.

Before the facelift, Dr. Le had explained that if I needed any revision work it would be done at a reduced cost. The initial facelift, neck lift and brow lift were done with absolute precision. And the results were amazing. But I think facial plastic surgery is an art, and after you are fully healed, you might find that you need a touch-up. It's very important to have a plastic surgeon that is going to continue to work with you after your surgery and in the years to come. Certainly, my plastic surgeon stayed true to his word, and as I've explained, he made a slight adjustment, at very little cost to me, to continue to perfect his already perfect or near to perfect work.

In addition to the above, I can report that my brow lift is holding up nicely. Dr. Le helps maintain the lift and smoothness of my brow with small amounts of Botox. The cost of the Botox is reasonable, and I think it lasts a good six months for me. I did read a number of articles from PubMed that confirm the importance of using Botox to help set and preserve your brow lift.

On a final note, I wanted to clarify the $14,000 cost for my initial facelift, neck lift and brow lift. This amount was all inclusive. It covered all the hospital fees, including an overnight stay; Dr. Le's surgical fees which were around 6K; and all follow-up appointments.

Being an advocate of a good diet, yoga and exercise, I have always been slim and healthy. I have very few if any wrinkles, and I stay out of the sun. But by the time I was 40, I was already experiencing some sagging in the jawline, the skin under my chin was beginning to droop, and my brow seemed heavier. I was frustrated by these signs of aging when I did not feel old. I had undergone a SlimLipo procedure by doctor that made the appearance of my chin and neck worse. I never experienced the promised skin tightening. After having Thermage and Ulthera consultations, I knew that I would not receive the results that would make me happy.

When I went to Dr. Thomas Le for my first consultation, he took a lot of pictures, scrutinized my face and profile, and asked and answered a lot of questions. Upon his request, I supplied Dr. Le with pictures from my twenties and thirties. During a second consultation, he took more pictures and again, he carefully evaluated my face and profile. He also gave me the opportunity to look at before-and-after pictures of some of his other patients. When we finally discussed his recommendations, I knew Dr. Le had given every possible consideration to the options that would give me the best aesthetic benefit. I was never made to feel like I needed a full facelift, neck lift and brow lift. He provided more conservative options and said that I could easily wait 5 or 10 years before having a facelift. But in consultation with Dr. Le, I decided to have full facelift, neck lift and brow lift because I wanted the most optimal, cost-effective and long-lasting benefits.

True to form, Dr. Le took his time during my surgery. When I woke up, he was by my side within a few minutes, and he returned the next morning to change my bandages. Though I was in some pain and looked hideous, I never doubted that the results were going to be fantastic so overall I felt pretty good. I was given appropriate pain medication and thorough aftercare instructions. Dr. Le called me several times after the surgery, and honestly, I think he was more concerned about my recovery than I was. I returned to work after ten days. While I thought the results were dramatic, they were so natural that most of my colleagues did not guess that I had a full facelift.

It has been about a year since I had my surgery. And indeed the results are fantastic and natural. I think my jawline will remain smooth and taunt for many years to come. The aesthetic benefits have been accompanied by the psychological benefits of feeling more confident in my appearance. I continue to see Dr. Le for conservative and expertly placed filler and Botox treatments.