A ^Retired Plastic Surgeon's Notebook

So, what is a “Lifesytle Lift”?

So what is a “Lifestyle Lift”?

Seattle Plastic Surgeon Discusses          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. Some of the  doctors who do the surgery at the “Lifestyle Lift” clinic are not certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

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.

 

Category: Aging Issues, Facial Rejuvenation, Patient Beware, Plastic Surgery, Preoperative Care | Tags: , , , , , ,

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