ruined my face - Boston, MA

Do not walk but run quickly away from this doctor, he ruined my face.

A little background: I transitioned at 18 years old in the early 90s. I had a few nips and tucks over the years and passing was never an issue. I had my chin filed down in 2004 by a well known ffs doctor in Chicago. He did a good job but it was slightly uneven. Still passing was never an issue, beyond that I was always considered very stunning and people would gasp in disbelief when they heard of my past being transsexual. Any surgeries I had done were done very well as looked extremely natural as if nothing was done at all.

So in 2014 I decided to have the slight unevenness revised on my chin. I decided to go to Dr. Jeffery Spiegel. He was supposedly known for giving slight yet natural results. As I stated passing wasn't an issue, I didn't want to look like someone else, but I wanted someone experienced with chin surgery beyond a standard surgeon, so Dr. Spiegel seemed like the right choice.

I had a face to face consult with him told him I wanted to fix the slight unevenness and while he was in there to tapper my jaw to blend smoothly into my chin. I paid my deposit and booked surgery 2 months later. I paid the balance due in the interim. I was then contacted by the office asking if I could change my surgery date to a week later. I already had planned for a friend to go along with me and she took the time off work. I asked my friend if the new date worked and she changed her schedule. I emailed the office to get a reply back that something came up and could I move it ahead yet another week. In total this happened 3 times, my friend was beyond upset.

So mid February was the date. My friend and I arrived in Boston. I went to Dr. Spiegel's office the day prior to surgery. I was greeted by a female resident and asked several questions as to what I was looking to achieve ect. In talking I stated I generally use fillers in my cheeks, she said of would you like me to put some in today. I was a little taken aback as I was scheduled for surgery the following day. Soon after I was greeted by a girl who worked in the office, in talking she told me about a laser she did and asked if I wanted to do it today also. I don't know but I started to felt like I was in a used car lot not a surgeons office. I was finally greeted by Dr. Spiegel he and his female resident looked over my face and he pointed things out to her. We chatted he asked a few questions and was only in the room for 5 minutes and said I would see him tomorrow at the hospital.

The next morning we went to the hospital early. Came out of surgery and I don't remember much. I went back to my hotel and rested. Saw Dr. Spiegel the following day, and left town a few days later. I got home I followed all post op instructions I didn't leave the house much for the first month as I was very swollen.

Over the next few months the swelling went down a great deal. As the swelling went down I could start to see a lot of unevenness. At 4 months post op I went back to Boston with my concerns. I was not happy at all. I had lumps, bumps and dents. Unevenness, was numb and talking was difficult. Dr Spiegel said I was still healing and I would be fine, to wait 9 months come back and we could address any concerns.

I waited 9 months and still all the same problems were there. Lumps, bumps and dents. Uneven beyond words. Before surgery I hadn't looked like I done anything to my face, now after surgery I didn't look like I had cosmetic work done but more like I had some sort of trauma, like I was in a car accident and hit my lower face.

So I booked a second post op consult. I was greeted by Doctor Spiegel and two new residents, and the four of us gathered in a room slightly larger than a closet. I showed him all of my concerns and the two residents looks at my face oddly seeing that it didn't look well. The doctor said he could do a fat graft to help even things out and rushed out of the room, it seemed he didn't want these residents to see the work attached to his name. A few moments later a girl in the office came in and handed me a quote for 2,500 to do a fat graft. I replied I thought that a revision was covered. She said let me talk to him and I will call you, it has been 9 months since then and I am still waiting by the phone.

This showed me his character, based on his lack of interest in his patients and the greater interest in his wallet I won't go back.

I requested my surgical notes from Mass General. Once I received them I was beyond taken aback. To find that in each portion of the surgery it stated Dr. Speigel name along with his female resident surgeon I had met the day prior to surgery, then in the end it said Dr. Spiegel was present at all times. I am sorry but I didn't pay for a resident to operate on my face as some sort of practice in her training, and I guess ones result is based on the skill of the resident in training at the time their surgery.

It took me a while to come to terms with the fact my faced was damaged. So I did some research and traveled to see 3 maxillofacial surgeons experienced in revision work. I selected the one I felt was the best. I was sent for ct scans of my chin and jaw. There are several areas of asymmetry. I was also told the incision inside my gum is too high and poorly stitched. I need a series of small implants custom made to fill in the all the areas of asymmetry. The ct scan was 1k, the implants are $5500 and surgery is 15k, I am scheduled for surgery later this winter.

The nerve damage and loss of feeling will not return.

Going to this guy was the biggest mistake of my life.

A little update, here are portions of my surgical notes I requested directly from Boston Medial Center. The resident is all over them in every portion. My interaction was mostly with the resident not the surgeon I hired. This might explain why my jaw is uneven and lopsided. It also states that JS was president during “critical portions” of the case. I have still yet to get it revised. I planning to do so soon. Going here was the biggest mistake.