Supposedly "Weekend Procedure" Turned Nightmare

Chrystal I actually have improved greatly after daily trips back to the Huntersville office. I in fact did consult other plastic surgeons that I know prior to going to LSL. They wanted to do a "total" facelift with muscle involvement but I didn't want that. This is why I was so shocked with my incision lines and the amount of work that the PS did. I was expecting a "minilift" and got a "traditional facelift". My complications were due to an infection within my body and my immune system being already low since I had an upper respiratory infection for 2 weeks prior to surgery. The LSL MD actually rescheduled my surgery and had me on an ABT to assist with my URI. He has shown much compassion and concern since I returned the day I was in such misery. I have 3 drains to eliminate the infection and actually think I look like a person again. My ears that were lopsided look much better since the swelling and redness has went down. As for all of the advertisements and informercials I agree they are misleading about this being "simple" weekend or lunchtime procedures however if all of the PS that LSL employed in their franchise were like the Huntersville PS then people would be much more satisfied. He has treated me every day and is very caring and compassionate, he has apologized that I have went through such agony which is by the way no fault of his. I want to add I haven't been offered compensation to change my mind, I was taught to always admit when I am wrong and with my previous post I did a great injustice to a very caring MD! My healing will take much longer with all my set backs but I will post pictures of before and after when all bruising and healing is complete so everyone can make their own judgements. I have gotten to know this PS @ LSL and he is very knowledgeable as well as kind. I have met many other clients in the waiting room and most all have been pleased but all have stated how well they like the MD. It's refreshing to meet a caring MD as I work with many and rarely find them as nice and caring as Dr. D.

I am glad that you are doing better. BUT... I still say that LSL is misleading everyone that walks through their doors with sales people dressed in lab coats like they are medical professionals. Did they not ask you if you had an infection, any medical professional of any type asks this question before surgery and did they not take you temperature. You are a nurse, you know the drill. In your own words you stated the same major complaint that most LSL patients do: "the MD did more than a "simple weekend lift". I was told I would only have a small incision into my ear and at my hair line but they felt I needed lipo of my neck also so just a tiny incision would be under my chin. I now am postop 7 days; the MD literally removed my ear and tightened my neck muscles. My ears are crooked, numb and I have sutures running all the way around my ears, up the front of my hairline and approx. 3 inches in the back of my hairline." So afterwords when he reads of your complaint ONLINE he all of a sudden starts caring??? And now you endorse him??? COME ON! You would actually let another woman walk through LSL doors to be stabbed repeatedly in the face with a numbing agent, their ears cut off and recommend it. If this is what you are stating, I am stunned. You -- a medical professional! Please. If I sound astounded, that is because I am. I am sure that you were urged by Giaz to come back on line and tell everyone how he cared for you... Your infection in no way could be tied to LSL, no, it must be something else. Yea, let me know in one year, no, lets say 6 months how happy you are and if you would repeat the process again. Still -- I wish you a speedy recovery and do hope that you mend soon. Best, Chrystal Eckes.

I had a lower face lift 5 days and a brow lift a year ago by Jay Burns in Dallas TX.
he is the best and did more surgery than he charged me for.Tara on his staff comes
to my house to care for me.He was voted 9 times as the best doctor in America.I
am very pleased with his work.

Ivy, I have a 'free consultation' at the Roseville facility in about 10 days. Which doctor did your procedure please.... I am getting really nervous about all this and am thinking about looking into other options....

Clo, even if you do go for the "free consultation", do not get overly excited and sign or give any money until you take the time to consider other options which are available to you as a consumer. This is you face you are talking about. Nothing like looking into a mirror and wondering who is staring back at you! Get a 2nd opinion from an ABCPS. Please read further into these posts. It is your face, your money and your time. Best, Chrystal

I researched the LSL PS credentials not LSL. I was concerned with the PS doing the procedure. The advertising is very misleading and I do admit it is my own fault for not requesting very exact details of my procedure. I truly thought I would be getting a "mini-lift" which requires less recovery time and smaller incisions however the procedure performed was a "traditional lift" which as you know has incision lines that run from the hairline completely around the ear and back behind the ear into the hairline. The cost of a "mini-lift" is generally cheaper than more extensive procedures so the cost wasn't what I was concerned with it was more the recovery time and invasiveness of the procedure. My complications with the extensive edema from infection (not surgery) intensified not only my pain but increased the abnormality of my features. I wasn't expecting incisions completely around my ears which as I stated felt "had been literally taken off" but as I said I should have asked for more specific details especially since I am a nurse. I recommend the PS @ this LSL office because he is a very caring MD. I do however say that the LSL advertising as well as the downplaying by the consultants of the procedures and recovery time is very misleading. I agree that I should have researched LSL more and am horrified by some of the stories I have read. The majority of complaints are against the PS as well as LSL. That's why I retracted my first posting, since I developed the infection the PS has done everything possible to help clear up the infection which was no fault of his. Once my infection clears up and the Bells Palsy resolves (which if your an MD you know is caused by a viral infection or inflammation involving Cranial nerve VII so probably caused by the same viral infection I had in my system that caused my infection which we thought was cellulitis until receiving the culture results) I think I will be happy with the work that this PS has done. So once again I am stating I recommend this PS especially after getting to know him (I have seen him every day to have my drains irrigated and gotten to know him as a person not just as someone you see briefly before having surgery). I will post my before and after pics when healed. And would like to admit that my first post was influenced by the shock of the more extensive procedure than I expected, the dire pain and edema from the infection which intensified the effects of the procedures as well as the other horror stories I had read. I am honest enough to admit when I was wrong and that is what I am doing; my judgement of the PS was inaccurate and hasty, however I should have researched LSL and ask more detailed questions and would have known the downtime plus procedure would be more than what I was expecting. Yes everyone should do their homework but don't give a good MD a bad rap because of association with LSL.

I will say this about this doctor and have said it to his face... If he is such a good plastic surgeon why in the world is he working for LSL and spending a large percentage of what he makes to the parent company? I cannot fathom why if he is so good, why would he want to possibly sully his reputation by working for a company with no moral values. This is certainly a viable question regarding his decision to work for a company that misleads patients with the non-disclosure of what is really going to happen to you. And BTW, most reputable plastic surgeons DO NOT make incisions running down the front of your ear, they are made behind the ear and the skin is not wadded up and stitched behind the ear. The abnormal looking ears is due to the way this lift is done. This particular lift was dumped in the late 60's and early 70's due to the fact that the lift just does not last. I am certainly hoping that you remain happy and heal well. Best, Chrystal Eckes.

It's been a year and a half since your procedure. You never put up before/after pics??

how is your face now? I too had a bad experience. I'm so embarrassed and ashamed to have fallen victim to their false claims of being a non invasive procedure with minimal healing time. They butchered my face. I walked in their office with a pretty face, but I had small jowls staring to show and wanted a little tightening on my neck. My face is now 2 times bigger, uneven, hard panels on both sides of my face, numb face & ears. I can't even drive any more, because the skin is so tight...I can't turn my head right or left to back the car up or see if any cars are coming. 2 weeks of work were missed and I now have a 3" skin rope around my neck. I'm forced to cover them with scarves, turtle necks, etc.