My Fantastic Experience - Beverly Hills, CA

When I decide where to dine I fluctuate. I can go to a fast food joint (sometimes, if it fits the bill) or I can go to a pricey haute cuisine, fresh food, always great restaurant. Who cares? But I only have one face, and it deserves ONLY the best. What’s my point? For years I’ve been feeling like my face, which was getting more and more wrinkled, didn’t represent the energy and youthfulness that my internal self felt…exercising, walking, eating healthy…and facially looking old and tired. I tried laser, light chemical peels and finally my dermatologist said, “if you really want to get rid of those wrinkles you need a deep chemical peel, but it’ll take you out of commission for a while.” She also told me, “if you want to consider that, there is only ONE doctor to go to…Dr. Robert Kotler.” So I made an appointment.

I met Dr. Kotler and instantly trusted him. His staff was wonderful. Warm and friendly. I was not rushed through my first appointment. Every question was answered patiently and thoroughly. They took pictures to show me the “before” and “after” which were dramatic. Did I believe them? Not entirely. It looked too good to be true. I got the costs, went home to think about it, showed the photos to some friends, and then took the plunge and booked the procedure. A bit nervous…as I said. I only have one face. And being old I had seen “House of Wax” in my youth. So trepidation that maybe it wouldn’t solve my problem and I’d still be somewhat wrinkled. And a bit afraid of pain. I’m a sissy. The Dr. assured me there would be no pain if I followed his directions. I talked to former patients. They talked about pain. Uh-oh. Sissi-ness arose. But what the heck? Pain passes.

I checked in, re-met Dr. Kotler and his team and then went into twilight sleep. I remember little after that except waking up in a luxury suite in the after-care center which would be where I chose to live if I could permanently afford it. Wow! Round the clock lovely nurses attended to my every need. And I had television with cable so I could watch “Law and Order” reruns to my heart’s content. As I was fully wrapped in bandages I couldn’t really eat (somehow I had not though of swelling as part of this) they pureed my food (yummy choices) and fed me through a syringe. And it was delicious and I ate well…albeit not chewing. And NO pain. When I first looked in a mirror I scared myself. As I said I expected raw skin, but not swelling and I had a head the size of a huge cantaloupe, totally round and swollen with squinty eyes and  puffy lips. Yikes! After a day or so (don’t really remember too much as I was in a haze) I was checked out at the office by Dr. Kotler, reassured, given prescriptions, and sent home with instructions. The first couple of days were fine…no real pain and I followed the prescribed treatments as instructed. But I didn’t want to take pain pills as I don’t like them and also I needed to work. Well, after a couple of days I got stingy and I was in pain. Not intolerable, but not great. So I called the office. Mystified, the doctor asked, “did you take pain pills?” I confessed that I hadn’t. MISTAKE! Follow directions! So I started taking low dosages in moderation and the pain evaporated. I had my follow up appointments and within ten days (maybe less) was treated to a makeover where my red skin disappeared beneath the healing make up and I looked pretty gorgeous. Within two weeks I was attending conferences (with quite a bit of make up) and people were looking at me suspiciously…trying to figure out why I looked so good. “You keep looking younger and younger” was a very typical comment. Now months later, and wrinkle free, I feel like my outside looks like my inside feels. Young. If I could do it over again, in a second I would. And only with Dr. Kotler. There was never a time he or his staff was too busy to talk to me. He even made a couple of house calls on his way home to check me out when I thought I was having a minor problem. And minor it was. A couple of bumps that I wanted to be sure were normal, and they were. I hardly ever wear make up and look great even when I don’t. My skin looks gorgeous and wrinkle free and it’s taken at least 15-20 years off my face. I couldn’t be happier that I made this choice and chose this doctor.