Seattle Plastic Surgeon shows off a GREAT NON-SURGICAL RESULT – take a look at this.

And take a look at these photos.  Her skin quality is so much better and the shape of her jaw line and chin is so improved and her wrinkles —- what wrinkles?????  

My children’s school had its annual fund raising auction this past weekend. This year was a 60’s theme and we all got to dress up like hippies. It was a blast.

Every year someone inquires about me donating surgery to be auctioned off and I always have to decline. The two national associations I belong to – the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery forbid the donation of surgery to raffles, auctions, wet t-shirt contests, and the like by their members.

When one gives this some thought, it is a very good policy. These events are set up to get participants excited and enthusiastic so they will bid higher or buy more tickets and the winner of the item may never have had an inkling to purchase such a service and in fact may not be a good candidate for a particular service. I would hate to see an unhealthy, overweight, indoor tanning, 2 pack a day smoker in my office expecting a face lift because he or she was the high bidder at the auction. Participation in these events really undermines the usual process of doctor and patient selection. We are allowed to donate non-invasive procedures such as skin care, Botox and filler injections because these have a much broader range of appropriate patients than surgery.

This year I donated our medical skin care system, Obagi Nuderm. It works like a charm for fine lines and uneven pigmentation and is safe for just about everyone. I know the lovely woman who had the high bid this year and I am looking forward to helping her transform her complexion. It’s a win, win, win. She gets great skin, I get a great patient and the school gets a nice chunk of change.

So what is a "Lifestyle Lift"?

Okay, okay. I have had a jillion questions about the “Lifestyle Lift” in the past few weeks. All I can figure is that they are doing some sort of marketing blitz. I don’t watch T.V. so I am a little out of the loop. I am not one of those anti T.V. snobs. It’s just between work, the kids, this blog, my guitar practice, my reading, my working out, my sort of decent social life and my all time favorite thing (sleeping), I don’t have the time.

Here I will tell you everything I know about “Lifestyle Lift”. This information comes from patient reports, the reports from one of our employees who checked it out, and what I know about facelifts (a lot) and what I know about in office operating rooms (a lot). Here goes.

1. A “Lifestyle Lift” is a short scar (usually just in front of the ear) face lift done to improve the lower face and jawline. Additional procedures are necessary to improve the neck, the forehead and/or the eyelids. There appears to be no difference in the technique of a “Lifestyle Lift” compared to other short scar or minimal access facelifts that most plastic surgeons (including me) perform for on some patients.

2. The procedures are done under local anesthesia only.

3. In office operating rooms that do procedures under local anesthesia only (for example “Lifestyle Lift” clinics) do not require any inspection or regulation at the state or national level. They are “under the radar”.

4. Patients are evaluated by non-surgeons. Often the person evaluating the patient has no medical training. They are often “saleswomen” who receive a commission for each patient they schedule. In my opinion, only the operating surgeon can determine if a patient is a good candidate for surgery.

5. The doctors who do the surgery arrive at the “Lifestyle Lift” clinic, meet the day’s patient(s), do the surgery and then return to their home clinic. Their main practice is not at the “Lifesytle Lift” clinic.

6. The doctors who do the surgery at the “Lifestyle Lift” clinic are often not certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery or any other surgical specialty recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (www.abms.org).

7. Follow-up care is often provided my non-doctors.

8. “Lifestyle Lift” has been prosecuted and fined for “astroturfing”, that is providing false online reviews.

9. The Seattle Lifestyle Lift doctors are Ear, Nose and Throat doctors and are not certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

10. Wikipedia has a good entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifestyle_Lift

Any questions? Shoot me an email at sowder@eplasticsurgeons.net.