Don’t Let Its Advertising Fool You
New York – Dr. William Rosenblatt turns cynical when he talks about the “Lifestyle Lift,” more cynical than usual. After practicing plastic surgery in New York City for decades, he thinks the field has taken a decidedly “scuzzy” direction now that dermatologists are performing liposuctions; gynecologists are performing tummy tucks and general surgeons are doing breast augmentations. He is especially skeptical of the methods used by the company that has catapulted “Lifestyle Lift” into the public consciousness. “Patients have told me that you meet with someone on the staff when you visit their offices. The doctor doesn’t appear until the day of the surgery. You give them a credit card with a down payment and if you decide to cancel your appointment, you lose the deposit,” Dr. Rosenblatt related.
Anyone considering facelift surgery must consult with the doctor who will perform the surgery, in order to cover concerns and the recommended a treatment plan. No one but a surgeon should recommend the course of treatment, Dr. Rosenblatt emphasizes.
The “Lifestyle Lift” procedure costs about $5,000 and the doctors get $1,000. Many of these are doctors who don’t have thriving practices, Dr. Rosenblatt says. He also says the pseudo facelift would never be effective “with a neck like yours,” referring to the lose skin I love so much. Funny, I wasn’t insulted and he wasn’t trying to insult me. He was trying to make a point, in a pointed way. I got the point.
Dr. Rosenblatt sent me a magazine article from one of the medical trade publications, which talks about misleading LSL advertising, inadequate follow-up care, and sales pressure. The company promotes a one-hour procedure, for instance, but shows examples of procedures that take longer. It also shows examples of procedures performed by doctors who are no longer working with the company. Sometimes, a patient can’t even reach the surgeon after the surgery is performed. One LSL surgeon, who didn’t have hospital privileges, couldn’t visit a patient in an ER who developed an acute post-operative surgical wound and breathing problems.
LSL gone wrong
Dr. Rosenblatt has also decided to steer clear of the new machines that reportedly zap cellulite and tighten collagen without surgery. “They cost over $100,000 and then you have to spend more to promote that you have them. I don’t think they work well, anyway.” He doesn’t understand why a woman would have two or three procedures on her face, each costing thousands of dollars and lasting only a couple of years when she could have a facelift that lasts for many years more.
I liked the doctor’s straight talk.
Geri Brin, founder, faboverfifty.com