Mini-Lift but Maximum Scars - South Africa

I do not check back to the site on a regular basis but just visited and noticed that the poster “Lynn Green” claims that my 100%-true-and-honest-fully-photo-documented-review attempts to “crucify” a “brilliant” surgeon. Wow! What a sad and sickening statement. Delusional much?

“Lynn Green” you said something else that is a huge RED FLAG. You wrote: “When I was in hospital, the patient in the bed next to me had a face lift performed by Professor Hudson and she too looked amazing.” So this patient you claim to have seen supposedly “looked amazing” while in the hospital immediately following facelift surgery? Hmm, well that seems pretty likely. Yeah, Lynn I guess Hudson must be extraordinarily “brilliant.”

Lynn Green, may I ask why are you wasting time writing on my post?

If you actually are scheduled for facial surgery with Dr. Hudson within weeks then PLEASE take this time now to focus on the simple pleasures that you are about to lose:

Stand with a friend, acquaintance, family member, partner, coworker, stranger in the wind blowing your hair in direct sunlight and just enjoy the wonderful sensation of the breeze and heat on your neck, ears, face. Feel absolutely no need to hide scars or be self-conscious.

Do you hair in any style that suits you a ponytail, chignon, bun… or just jump out of the shower, beach, or pool without any worry or stress. Feel no shame. Hide no scars.

Wear earrings!

Tuck your hair behind your ear without giving it a moment’s thought.

Dance carefree cheek to cheek with your partner. Let him/her whisper sweet nothings in your ear.

Go to the hairdresser without worry about the shocked eyes of the shampoo girl.

Ride in a convertible with the top down. Feel free!

Go out and spend the money you didn't have to use on revision surgery to do something nice for yourself.

At the end of the day experience deep gratitude that you did not waste a moment of time preoccupied with scars. Not a moment wasted hiding scars, worrying about scars, covering scars, regretting scars, or looking at scars.

If you are wasting time on my post because you are actually having second thoughts about this “surgeon,” despite your defensive bluster, then there is a very simple solution. There is not space in this forum for me to write out a lengthy essay on the questions for you to ask Dr. Hudson in consult. There are many clinical articles and book chapters on advanced/modern facelift (rhytidectomy) techniques and techniques for minimizing facelift stigmata that are written for a physician audience and available on the Internet.

Use the clinical articles to develop a list of questions to ask Dr. Hudson. Ask him point-by-point about each modern technique you read about (when I say “modern” I don’t mean cutting-edge, I refer to techniques used in this century). What he will say in response is that he does not need to use this-or-that modern technique because he gets such good results without it. That is code for, “I do not know how to do that technique.” To other questions he will respond, “Yes, I use that technique” (He boldly lied to me so I have no reason to doubt that he would lie again.). Your response to that can be to print out large copies of my photos and point to the area in question and ask, “Well, then can you tell me why you did not use that technique with this patient?” Dr. Hudson did NOT just make a “mistake” during my surgery. He did not just have a “bad day.” He systematically point-by-point failed to follow minimal proper accepted modern surgical techniques.

Lynn Green if you or another person you know really did have acceptable surgical results from Dr. Hudson then please create your own post with documenting photos. Why are you instead only writing on my review??

You know, it is the mark of a small mind and a small heart to blame the victim. As humans in an uncertain world we all share our vulnerability to being harmed. It does not make you any safer to attack me. You too are vulnerable. I have shared my 100% true and honest experience and posted fully documenting photos. I experience no personal gain from having to force myself through the emotional strain of openly sharing what has been a devastating personal experience.

If I were selecting a surgeon among the tens of thousands clamoring for cosmetic business I certainly would not select one that clearly has performed sub-par work and has treated a patient like trash. However, every individual has the freedom and the right to choose what is best for them. All we can do on this site is share our individual experiences and lend a voice to a tool that can be used to empower consumers with knowledge and education that has previously been hidden from view.

It is a good thing to learn caution from the misfortunes of others.
Publilius Syrus

And Lynn Green, all you have to say when someone graciously shares their misfortunes with you is, “Thank you.” Nothing more.

You’re welcome.

I haven’t looked at my review on this for about a year now. I posted my review since I felt it was my responsibility to help others avoid being victimized. Once my review was posted my focus needed to turn toward my own physical, emotional, and financial recovery. I am so grateful to everyone who posted well-wishes. Thank you all.

First, I want to say that I am saddened to hear of the other patients that have added comments about their own “nightmare” results from Renaissance Surgical Clinic. Thank you for your bravery in speaking up. I know how emotionally painful it is to re-open the wounds and share your story – but if only other patients before us had shared their horrible experiences at Renaissance then we could have been spared. If you have the strength, please consider posting your own reviews with photos to further document your experience.

It lifted my spirits to read the comment from “skinjazz” below who had actually been scheduled to see a physician at Renaissance and then found this review.

I want to update that during the months since my last post I have still never received any contact from Dr. Hudson, Dr. Fernandez, or any of the other surgeons or management of Renaissance Surgical Clinic. Never have any of them contacted me to apologize, investigate, inquire about my revision surgery, or to ask me whether they could help with reimbursement for my >$30,000 in revision surgery costs. AS OF TODAY, 3-10-14, I PLEDGE TO THE REALSELF COMMUNITY: If anyone from Renaissance ever reaches out to me to follow up on my horrific experience, behavior that would be expected from any responsible medical providers, then I will post an update to inform readers. If I do not post such an update then you can assume Renaissance took my payment, disfigured me, treated me like garbage when I complained, and they never even looked back! Keep that in mind when you are selecting a provider. How do YOU want to be treated if things go wrong?

I see that there are two posters, “Lynn Green” and “ugly like you,” that made comments illogically critical of me and enthusiastically supportive of Dr. Hudson, the surgeon who disfigured me. I clicked on these two usernames and saw that neither has ever posted anywhere else on RealSelf except on my review. Based on this, I am assuming that these fake posters are in all probability Dr. Hudson, or another physician or staff at Renaissance. Thank you to the poster “tweep” who is a voice of reason and logic and doesn’t let these fake posters get away with anything!

The potentially fake poster, “Lynn Green,” wrote this statement about Dr. Hudson: “This brilliant surgeon has done amazing work and he needs to be acknowledged for that.” When I read that it made my skin crawl. No way would anyone; including any other PS, ever refer to Dr. Donald Hudson a “brilliant surgeon.” That comment sounds so much like the verbiage that Dr. Hudson used to brag about his own brillance during my pre-surgical consultation with him. I suspect that this fake poster is Dr. Hudson. It is nauseating to think that Dr. Hudson may be on this site pathetically bragging about himself in the third person.

For everyone who has asked about how I’m doing… Well, I cannot say that I will ever be the same, but I am better. Life goes on and you either find a way to go on, or not. I am so extremely lucky to have found the talented and kind revision surgeon who gave me the ability to go on. My results from the revision were as good as could be expected considering what the surgeon had to overcome. I know that there are so many victims who could never afford the level of care I was able to receive and I count my lucky stars for this second chance.

What stays with me most from this experience, beyond the remaining physical scars, is the enduring visceral lesson in nature of evil. The net profit Dr. Hudson would have gained from my surgery would be perhaps equivalent to one mortgage payment, or the cost of a designer handbag. For that tiny bit of dirty money he would permanently disfigure someone and then treat them like garbage. What more apt example of “the banality of evil” could there be?

Good luck to you all! Be extremely careful out there!

I have received private messages asking my opinion regarding the other surgeons who work at Renaissance Surgical Clinic: Dr. Des Fernandes, founder of Environ Skin Care, Dr. Theo Rousseau, Dr. Stuart Geldenhuys and Dr. Nerina Wilkinson.Here is my response:
- I do not have any first-hand knowledge regarding the clinical skill level of thes surgeons other than Dr. Hudson.- After seeing my horrific photos, Dr. Fernandes, the principal owner physician of the clinic wrote this to me regarding Dr. Hudson: "I think his credential speak for themselves and there is no doubt that he qualifies to operate at the Renaissance Surgical Clinic." Is this the level of skill YOU are looking for in your surgeon?- I emailed my complaint to every single one of the surgeons at Renaissance Surgical Clinic. Not ONE of these physicians replied to say they were sorry that this had happened to me or that this atrocity is not representative of their standards of care. They each chose to support removed by RealSelf, please see community guidelines here before posting rather demonstrating ethics and honor and standing up for a patient. My question to you if you are considering one of the physicians at this clinic:
- Knowing my experience, do you want to take this risk with your health, appearance, emotional well-being, and finances?- How will you be treated if something goes wrong with your procedure?- The RealSelf forum gives patients the ability to learn the TRUTH about the real personality behind physicians and clinics. We now have the knowledge we need to reward skill and humanity in our physicans. With a botox seller on every corner, why reward this treatment with your hard earned money? Just say NO to those doctors who treat patients simply as a source of cash to be used and thrown out like garbage!